Hurricanes vs Bordeaux Begles: European champs 10-point underdog against NZ's best

Should the back-to-back European champions Bordeaux Begles face off against Super Rugby’s dominant team, the Hurricanes would be 10-15 point favourites to beat them.

We know from the All Blacks‘ form over the last two years that they had no issue beating the European nations. For all the noise around Razor, he produced an 85 per cent winning record against the Six Nations teams.

85 per cent is an incredibly dominant rate of winning, particularly if you throw in a dysfunctional All Black environment. The All Blacks’ biggest issues came against South Africa and Argentina, at home in the Rugby Championship, not from the European nations.

UK media love to drum up the narrative that the All Blacks’ aura is gone, all while the results suggest otherwise. It’s been a miserable time for European nations versus the All Blacks, including the French ‘B’ side that was swept 3-0.

That French ‘B’ side is arguably better than Bordeaux, at least up front, while the Hurricanes are getting pretty close to being the All Blacks’ best line-up in 2026.

There’s an argument to be made they actually have better cohesion than the All Blacks, having perfected this system and roster over the last three years.

This 2026 Hurricanes team has 10 capped All Blacks in the squad, which could be more by the end of 2026, and two further internationals in Warner Dearns (Japan) and Brad Shields (England). Further to that, four of the non-capped players are some of the best performers.

Blindside Devan Flanders is in career-best form, loosehead Xavier Numia is in career-best form and garnering All Black bolter chat, and winger Fehi Fineanganofo would be picked if he wasn’t going overseas. Callum Harkin has been exceptional at fullback.

The Hurricanes have the strongest front row stocks in New Zealand with three capable All Black-calibre tightheads, including one of the three 140kg props in the country.

Tyrel Lomax was the best in the world just two years ago, and the Hurricanes have done just fine with him injured this year with Pasilio Tosi and Tevita Mafileo. They have All Black Asafo Aumua at starting hooker and loosehead prop Xavier Numia is one of the most dominant props in the competition.

Japanese lock Dearns is the best second rower in Super Rugby Pacific, definitely of world-class calibre and in the conversation for world’s best. A defensive weapon at the lineout, he leads the competition in lineout steals.

The back row is dominant, with Peter Lakai an option at openside and No.8; he was also the first-choice All Black No.8 by the end of 2025. Du’Plessis Kirifi is year-after-year one of the best fetchers in Super Rugby, and another capped All Black. Veteran Shields is a capped international with England. Braydon Iose is an explosive ball carrier, maybe the best in New Zealand.

The Hurricanes pack is full of internationals with a much better age profile than Bordeaux, most are mid-to-late 20s offering peak athleticism.

Bordeaux had four internationals in their starting pack that beat Leinster; Prop Jefferson Poirot (36 caps), hooker Maxime Lamothe (3 caps), lock Adam Coleman (42 caps), and Cameron Woki (33 caps).

Off the bench they had Gaëtan Barlot (12 caps), Ben Tamifuna (43 caps), Lachlan Swinton (7 caps), and Temo Matiu (1 cap).

Here’s the Achilles heel for Bordeaux’s pack despite holding a decent scrum: they have the second-worst lineout in all of Europe, completing at 76.2 per cent. That would be a pathetic mark for an international side.

That’s second-worst across the whole Top 14, URC and Gallagher Premiership; only Perpignan is worse at 72.7.

Warner Dearns has 15 lineout steals this season, averaging 1.5 per game. Also in the top five for lineout steals are Devan Flanders (6) and lock partner Caleb Delany (6).

So the Hurricanes, with the best defensive lineout in the Southern Hemisphere, would face off against the second-worst lineout in all of Europe. Connect the dots, because it doesn’t look good for Bordeaux.

The Hurricanes’ scrum is equally strong (95 per cent completion vs 97 for Bordeaux) with depth at prop, making for a strong bench unit. They are one of the few New Zealand sides currently that could match the Top 14 in this area.

In the backlines, Bordeaux have some real strength in this match-up, but we can’t ignore the fact that Cam Roigard is one of the top two 9s, if not the best No.9, in world rugby.

Maxime Lucu might be a good punter from the base and lively halfback, but he’s not getting a sniff against Dupont for the France No.9 jersey when Antoine is around.

We saw Roigard completely outplay Dupont two years ago in Paris, including the All Black stealing the ball right out of Dupont’s hands for a try. Roigard is a much better player now than he was then.

Ruben Love is settling into the N0.10 jersey and will push to play there for the All Blacks this year. On paper, Matthieu Jalibert is a more accomplished player at No.10, but Love has as much ability as he does.

At No.12 it’s no contest, the best inside centre in the world is Jordie Barrett. He’s simply on another level since returning from Leinster. Barrett has the second most try assists in Super Rugby and his midfield partner Billy Proctor, another All Black, is third. Roigard and his back-up No.9 Ere Enari are also top 10 in the competition in try assists.

Bordeaux’s dangerous back three, Damian Penaud (who played centre in the European final), Louis Bielle-Biarrey and Salesi Rayasi, a former Hurricane himself, are the headline of the UBB roster.

Bielle-Biarrey is the world’s best player right now, and Penaud is still one of the world’s best finishers. Bielle-Biarrey is a game-changer who, on the kick chase, is lethal.

Those threats would certainly need to be neutralised or contained somewhat. It helps that the Hurricanes have power wing Fehi Fineanganofo, who can play both sides. His best matchup might be on Belle-Biarrey, to make the slight-framed winger tackle.

How much ball would Bielle-Biarrey get in space if the lineout malfunctions repeatedly, and the Hurricanes hammer Bordeaux’s pack all day long?

Lastly there is the eye test. When you see what the Hurricanes are doing, they play a beautiful game. In-sync running, fast, slick handling, disguised running lines and scheme. Fineanganofo has equalled the Super Rugby all-time season record with 16, his teammate Josh Moorby is right behind him with 13. Those two wingers weren’t on anybody’s radar before the season and both could break the old record.

If the Hurricanes get going, is Bordeaux going to stop them? Is this a great defensive team? Their points against in the Top 14, over 27 per game, suggest not. The Hurricanes are restricting teams to 19.3 per game.

While there are certainly great players out wide for Bordeaux, when it comes down to it, the Hurricanes have a superior spine and forward pack.

What’s that old saying, forwards decide who wins, and backs decide by how much?