The Japan Times - 'Sleeping giants' Bordeaux-Begles awaken before Champions Cup semis

In 2006, clubs from Bordeaux and Begles, a suburban town to the south, merged to create 'Union Bordeaux-Begles'.

Bordeaux won the first of their seven French titles in 1899 while Begles claimed the last of their two in 1991.

The aim was to make the most out of the economic stability, passion for rugby and player pool in the country's ninth biggest municipality.

After five seasons struggling in the second-tier ProD2, they gained promotion to the Top 14 in 2011, inspired by foreign signings such as Australian winger Blair Connor, South Africa scrum-half Heini Adams and back-rower Matt Clarkin from New Zealand.

"You could feel like there was a bit of a sleeping giant there," Clarkin told AFP.

"You could feel that if they managed to crack it and obviously get to the top of the ProD2, something could happen."

They originally played at Begles' century-old ground of Stade Andre-Moga, named after a former club president, holding barely 8,000 people, where they also trained and did weight sessions.

"At first it was difficult, because the infrastructure wasn't that good, I was coming from a set-up where everything was first-class," former Bulls half-back Adams told AFP.

"The field where you trained, after three months of the season, the grass was all gone.

"I felt I was going from pro to amateur rugby," Bordeaux-Begles' now skills coach added.

- 'Shine in the office' -

During the maiden top-flight campaign, they played one game at Bordeaux's football ground, Stade Chaban-Delmas and its capacity of 34,000, a far cry from the rickety Stade Andre Moga.

In charge of the side is president Laurent Marti, who has made his money from textiles and moved them to Stade Chaban-Delmas full-time in 2015.

They benefitted from the football club relocating to the 42,000 Matmut Atlantique, built for the European Championship held a year later.

Bordeaux-Begles reached the Top 14 and Champions Cup last four in 2021 for the first time before losing last season's French final to Toulouse, a record 59-3 defeat.

Marti has kept a part of Union at Stade Andre Moga, but has built a state-of-the art training complex used by the Springboks at the 2023 Rugby World Cup there.

They now have 17,000 season ticket holders as well the highest average crowd of any club side in the world at 'Chaban'.

"We have a president that loves the game, that wants to achieve something, wants to bring something exciting to Bordeaux," Adams said.

"I think now he wants something to shine in his office, you understand?

"That's also the objective for him."

- 'One game' -

Helping Marti add silverware to his cabinet is a squad full of French talent, especially in the backs as well as a smattering of foreign imports.

Their attacking, high-scoring gameplan suits the likes of fleet-footed France wingers Damian Penaud and Louis Bielle-Biarrey perfectly.

They have also cherry-picked some of the best local players such as centre Nicolas Depoortere or hooker Maxime Lamothe.

"It's amazing to see the players come through and their ability to put on every week and week out this spectacle, exciting rugby before for our people here in Bordeaux," Adams said.

"It has to be wonderful for a club to have those players on the payroll."

This season they are firing on both fronts, closing in on the Top 14 play-offs and potentially 80 minutes away from a maiden Champions Cup final.

They play six-time Champions Toulouse at the Matmut Atlantique this weekend, which sold out within hours.

"Last season was maybe one game too many," Clarkin said of the thrashing they received in the final.

"I think this year they've got that game in them."

H.Hayashi--JT