45 - 15

14 - 15

47 - 29

33 - 7

8 - 0

20 - 14

27 - 3

26 - 24

20 - 43

61 - 22

49 - 61

26 - 19

27 - 25

28 - 31

42 - 33

32 - 13

21 - 33

74 - 21

26 - 10

25 - 24

38 - 47

57 - 14

27 - 25

61 - 10

33 - 31

23 - 19

50 - 28

20 - 14

Postponed

Investec Champions Cup

Bordeaux batter Saints but Pollock provides hope despite hostile reception

By PA

4 hours ago

Northampton Saints' English number 8 Henry Pollock (R) tries to break away from Bordeaux-Begles' French centre Nicolas Depoortere (L) during the European Champions Cup first round, day 3, pool 4, rugby union match between Bordeaux-Begles and Northampton Saints at the Chaban-Delmas stadium in Bordeaux on January 11, 2026. (Photo by ROMAIN PERROCHEAU / AFP)

Northampton were brought back down to earth after they suffered a 50-28 loss away to Champions Cup holders Bordeaux in a repeat of last season’s final.

Saints had already secured a place in the round of 16 after two wins from two in the competition and despite a double by Henry Pollock, they lost for the first time in Europe this season.

Irresistible champions Bordeaux crossed over eight times in a scintillating display, but Northampton were able to leave with a bonus point after Danilo Fischetti touched down with two minutes left.

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A ding-dong battle in a repeat of the 2025 showpiece appeared on the cards when Pollock instantly replied in the 10th minute to the first try by Bordeaux wing Salesi Rayasi.

Ill-discipline proved costly for Saints as a raft of first-half sin-bins meant it was 24-7 to Bordeaux at the interval and Rayasi completed his treble two minutes after the restart.

Cameron Woki joined Rayasi in scoring a hat-trick after he bundled over in the 50th minute, but the visitors showed character with England star Pollock able to add to a Tommy Freeman score late on before Fischetti clinched a losing bonus point to leave Northampton third in Pool 4.

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Comments

3 Comments

Eric Elwood 4 hours ago

That could have gone out over 60 points. The Saints kept interested chasing the bonus. Pollock was given grief by the crowd but inexplicably started his antics again after scoring a try. This hurt his team by galvanizing the crowd and BB into crushing NH. BB used this what they called “arrogance” to galvanize before last years final and we saw similar today. Great player but he gives free psychological impetus to his opponents by these antics.

Re the match losing Finn Smith in advance was a big blow.

SM 4 hours ago

…you could easily say he puts opposition off their game. But we don't know either way. It's not like the crowd or players were calm before he scored. He was booed every time he got near the ball.

The reality is you're talking about the reigning European Champs with a world class backline and stellar pack. They'll always be pretty handy.

To say NH were beaten by such a score because of the bloke who scored most of their points… well that's certainly one way to look at it.

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