Player ratings: Bordeaux

OPINION: UBB ran out deserved 28-20 winners over Northampton Saints in a brutally intense Champions Cup final in Cardiff – winning the European crown for the first time of asking in a famous day for the club.

Here’s how the Bordeaux players rated:

1. Jefferson Poirot – 6.5
Got through a ton of work early doors but was under pressure at scrumtime from Trevor Davison. Didn’t get many chances to influence with ball in hand but his leadership was evident.

2. Maxime Lamothe – 7
Line-out radar was well-tuned for the most part and tackled with guts and bravery. A consistent engine throughout the first 62 minutes on the field.

3. Sipili Falatea – 7.5
He may not be the biggest tighthead on the block at 116kg but anchored the right-hand side of the scrum decently against a game Emmanuel Iyogun and was one of Bordeaux’s most industrious tacklers.

4. Adam Coleman – 8
Rumbled over in the 21st minute to a tremendous roar from the UBB support. The giant Wallaby was as physical as ever and looked to disrupt the Saints’ set-piece ball. Tommy Freeman tried to earn a penalty off him midway through the first-half but he wasn’t selling and nor was referee Nika Amashukeli buying. Left after 50.

5. Cyril Cazeaux – 8
Another of the Bordeaux tight five who delivered, the second half in particular. He won key line-out ball and hit rucks with diligence but had enough in the tank to bludgeon his way over from close range in the 56th minute.

6. Mahamadou Diaby – 7
Tackled his entrails out in the first half and made a couple of crucial defensive reads to snuff out the Saints’ moves in their infancy. Yellow carded for a head-high contact on Temo Mayanavanua, which hurt his final rating. Replaced at half-time.

7. Guido Petti – 6.5
Industrious as always. Brought line-out control and played with his usual sharp rugby IQ, throwing in the odd offload, though he was arguably overshadowed by the Saints’ excellent back row.

8. Pete Samu – 5.5
Good line-out work notwithstanding, the first half wasn’t the Aussie’s busiest 40 minutes of rugby, on either side of the ball. A costly handling error caught the eye early in the second half, although he also won a ruck turnover that directly led to the UBB’s disallowed try in the 48th minute. A coach-killer air tackle on Pollock gifted Saints’ a late platform into the UBB’s 22 too.

9. Maxime Lucu – 8.5
Opened his account with a massive tackle and orchestrated proceedings smartly, probing Saints’ defence with an array of kicks and passes. The all-action France star’s box-kicking was on point and he marshalled the tempo superbly in the first half in particular. Errors crept into his game in the second half but he was still harassing the Saints until the final whistle.

10. Matthieu Jalibert – 9
If Bordeaux were to get over the line, it was going to be on the back of his genius. An early touchfinder settled his nerves and his footwork and vision routinely caused Saints problems, even if his kicking radar was a little off. Danced his around about five Saints’ defenders on the way to Adam Coleman ties, and was a constant menace.

11. Louis Bielle-Biarrey – 8
Threatened every time he got the ball and asked serious questions of Northampton’s edge defence. Appeared to strike on 13 minutes, finishing off a move he effectively started, only for a TMO review and correctly disallow the try. Maybe overplayed his hand at times in eagerness to spark UBB’s attack and came unstuck more than once under the high ball.

12. Yoram Moefana – 7
Had a few telling involvements that forced Saints onto the back foot, not least a big carry in the lead-up to one of Penaud’s two tries, and was clearly well up for this one.

13. Nicolas Depoortere – 8
Busy defensively and handled his channel well against some wily Northampton runners. Split Saint’s defensive wall on two occasions.

14. Damian Penaud – 8.5
Always looked like he’s about to make something happen and it did when he strolled in Bordeaux’s first try with five minutes on the clock. Saints had their hands full with his dancing feet and unorthodox lines and he duly scored again, this time from close range just before half-time. Part of a UBB 11/14 duo that may well be the best in the world.

15. Romain Buros – 7
Accidentally ran his knee into the head of George Furbank. Didn’t quite get the chance to truly express himself in attack, although threw the assist for one of Penaud’s two tries and did little wrong on a busy first quarter. Walked off the pitch after 20, presumably with injury.

REPLACEMENTS:

16. Connor Sa – 6
On to add heft but struggled to make a dent against a well-drilled Saints pack.

17. Ugo Boniface – 5.5
Was okayish at the scrum and stayed out of trouble.

18. Ben Tameifuna – 6.5
The big man brought impact in collisions but Saints largely coped with his power game.

19. Pierre Bochaton – 6
Came on in a scrappy period and couldn’t quite assert himself. Ran his lines and stuck his tackles.

20. Bastien Vergnes Taillefer – NA
Effort was there but wasn’t on long enough to rate.

21. Marko Gazzotti – 7
A late cameo but he proved his worth by winning a late penalty on Saints’ line.

22. Arthur Retiere – 6.5
Brought endeavour but was well policed by Northampton’s cover defence. His kicking was far from perfect too, with one punt going dead to hand Northampton a precious attacking platform inside Bordeaux’s half. Never stopped fighting.

23. Rohan Janse van Rensburg – NA
The heavily-built centre wasn’t on long enough to rate.