Bordeaux Bègles’ 41-19 thrashing of Leinster in the Investec Champions Cup final secured a sixth straight title for the dominant French Top 14 clubs.
Not since the Exeter Chiefs edged Racing 92 31-27 in the lockdown-affected 2019-20 season has a team from outside of France lifted the Champions Cup trophy.
Toulouse started the run the following year, defeating La Rochelle in what was the first all-French final in six years.
La Rochelle then won successive finals, kicking off Leinster’s agonising run of losing four finals in the last five years.
Toulouse secured a record-extending sixth Champions Cup in 2024 before Bordeaux won their first continental title and on Saturday successfully defended their crown.
The country’s success has been largely down to a record TV rights deal, sold-out stadia and global superstars.
MORE: ‘Back-to-back is special’
“In terms of physicality, tactical preparation for matches, mental freshness of players, I think in France we’ve built something special,” Bordeaux head coach Yannick Bru told reporters after winning the final in Bilbao. “You have to congratulate everyone who has been a part of that.”
French broadcaster Canal+ currently pays €113-million (R2.15-billion) a year for exclusive rights to the Top 14 and second-tier ProD2, with the figure set to increase to €139.4-million (R2.66-billion) for 2027-2031 period.
Bordeaux can also count on selling out their 32,000-capacity Stade Chaban Delmas throughout the season, giving them the highest average attendance in the world in club rugby.
French clubs are independent from the national federation and the two professional leagues are run by a private body, while Leinster’s decisions are dictated by the Irish Rugby Football Union.
“Top 14 teams are a different model to ourselves,” Leinster head coach Leo Coullen told reporters. “That’s not to say one is right and one is wrong, that’s the cards we have.
“I hope its dominance doesn’t continue but we need to make it happen because we need to continue to get better.”
REACTION: France celebrates Bordeaux brilliance
Despite their recent dominance, the Top 14 is perhaps not as far ahead of the rest as might be expected in terms of overall Champions Cup successes.
After France’s 14 victories, England are the next most successful with 10 in the competition’s 30-year history.
The only other country to have seen their sides lift the trophy is Ireland, with seven successes.
The Leicester Tigers, who became the first side to defend the title in 2002, last reached the final 17 years ago.
Exeter’s success came just after rugby returned from lockdown, which in part caused three leading English sides – two-time winners London Wasps, former semi-finalists London Irish and the Worcester Warriors – to go to the wall.
“There was an economic crash,” said Bordeaux assistant coach Christophe Laussucq, who ended his playing career with a season at Tigers in 2007-2008.
“A lot of things made up that English rugby was of a high standard. It was richer than us.
“Then they broke down economically.”
ALSO: Louis Bielle-Biarrey scores a try a match in 2026
Due to French rugby’s financial stability, clubs can build strength-in-depth to compete in the almost 10-month-long Top 14 season and the Champions Cup.
Bordeaux were able to keep Tonga heavyweight prop Ben Tameifuna on the bench with South African tighthead Carlü Sadie starting at the San Mames Stadium.
Tameifuna moved to France in 2015 with Racing 92 having won back-to-back Super Rugby titles with the Chiefs.
“I think it’s one of the toughest tournaments in the world,” former New Zealand U20 front rower Tameifuna said.
“You have to try and find the balance between resting the boys and being able to play the boys.
“You get to these stages now where the boys tend to get injured or get tired and injuries start creeping up.
“It’s such a long grind and it’s a tough season.”
– AFP
Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images
The post The key to French domination in Europe appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Bordeaux Bègles’ 41-19 thrashing of Leinster in the Investec Champions Cup final secured a sixth straight title for the dominant French Top 14 clubs.
The post The key to French domination in Europe appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
