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Energetic Saints stand in brave Bordeaux’s way

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Energetic Saints stand in brave Bordeaux’s way

First-time finalists Bordeaux Begles play Northampton for the Investec Champions Cup on Saturday in Cardiff with the English club brimming with future British & Irish Lions.

The French side and their star backline stormed past six-time winners and holders Toulouse in the semi-finals while 1999-2000 champions Northampton stunned Irish powerhouses Leinster in the previous round.

Four of Phil Dowson’s Northampton squad – rising star flanker Henry Pollock, flyhalf Fin Smith, scrumhalf Alex Mitchell and winger Tommy Freeman – have been named in the Lions’ squad for this year’s tour of Australia.

ALSO: Pollock makes ‘mad journey’ to Champions Cup final

“We are going to go flying into it with loads of energy, loads of heart, we’re going to work incredibly hard and when it goes well, we’re going to celebrate and when it goes wrong, we’re going to pick each other up,” Dowson told the BBC this week.

“We’re going to keep doing that for 80 minutes and then look up at the scoreboard and see where we’re at,” the former Saints loose forward added.

Bordeaux Begles have reached their maiden Champions Cup final having been founded following a merger between Bordeaux and suburban town Begles in 2005-06.

They tasted defeat in their only other previous major final, losing 59-3 to Toulouse in the Top 14 last season despite the involvement of supersonic wingers Louis Bielle-Biarrey and Damian Penaud as well as influential flyhalf Matthieu Jalibert.

MORE: ‘Maestro’ key to Bordeaux’s Champions Cup hopes

“There are things we can control better compared to what we did last year,” head coach Yannick Bru told reporters on Tuesday.

“We’re happy to be at another match that is decisive for the club, with all our capabilities,” the former France and Toulouse hooker added.

Dowson has an injury-hit squad with doubts over four regulars including Fijian lock Temo Mayanavanua and fullback James Ramm.

South African No 8 Juarno Augustus has already been ruled out with an issue picked up in training.

“You look at the quality of their squad, and we’re suffering with some long-term injuries,” Dowson said. “Just on those factors alone we’re probably underdogs.”

Wideman Penaud is set to feature despite being sidelined since the semi-final win with an ankle problem.

The 28-year-old is expected to line up on the other wing to Bielle-Biarrey, with the pair having contributed 52 tries in 49 appearances for club and country this season.

“I think both of them want to give back to the club what the club has given them,” Bru said. “They are good players, who are liked in the squad and think of the group before themselves.”

Penaud and French rugby’s new poster boy Bielle-Biarrey have fired Bordeaux Begles to the final and behind leaders Toulouse in the Top 14 standings with Bru’s side playing an attractive, expansive brand of rugby.

Saints are planning to banish the bad memories from their most recent Champions Cup final appearance, having led Leinster by 16 points before losing 33-22 in 2011.

“They want to play fast, they want to look for space, they want to be brave and that makes for entertainment,” said Dowson, who started the final defeat 14 years ago. “It’s what you expect to see from a French side sitting second in the table.”

© Agence France-Presse

Photo: Lionel Hahn/Getty Images


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