Ireland captain Caelan Doris and wing Tommy O'Brien will miss the upcoming Nations Championship matches due to foot and groin injuries, respectively. The Ulster duo Bryn and Zac Ward have been called up as replacements, and Dan Sheehan will captain the team.
Bordeaux (Union Bordeaux Bègles) defeated Bath 38-26 in a thrilling Champions Cup semi-final at The Recreation Ground in Bath. The French side scored five tries to secure victory despite a competitive display from Bath, who led 12-7 at one point. Bath's Beno Obano admitted his side didn't take their opportunities, while Bordeaux prop Ben Tameifuna praised his team's season and home advantage.
Bath face Bordeaux Bègles in the Champions Cup semi-final at Stade Atlantique with kick-off delayed 10 minutes to 3:10pm BST due to undisclosed reasons. The reigning European champions Bordeaux emerged from a superb quarter-final victory over Toulouse, while Bath edged past Northampton 43-41 in a thriller. Both sides boast impressive squads with world-class players including Finn Russell, Louis Bielle-Biarrey and Alfie Barbeary, with the benches likely to decide this pulsating affair.
Semi-final: Leinster 29-25 ToulonLeinster will face Bordeaux or Bath in Bilbao finalThey made a bit of a meal of it, but Leinster will march on Bilbao in a few weeks for their ninth Champions Cup final. Given that was where they last won this thing, in 2018, for the fourth time, they might consider the omen positive, but this semi-final, their 17th, was not a classic.Which is not to say it was boring. Leinster are not convincing this season, and one telltale sign of a team with a confidence issue is the offering up of hope to a seemingly defeated opponent. The hosts, enjoying a knockout tie at the Aviva for the umpteenth time, went 18 points clear when Caelan Doris scored their fourth with a little more than 10 minutes to play. And then all hell broke loose. Continue reading...
Alfie Barbeary, the 25-year-old Bath No 8, is the surprise fifth nominee for the Champions Cup player of the year award. The uncapped Englishman, famous for his exuberant trophy celebrations in budgie smugglers, has overcome injury problems and a reputation for partying to become a key figure for Bath ahead of Sunday's final against Bordeaux Bègles. Known for his upright carrying technique and unusual matchday diet of only toast, Barbeary is set to join Saracens this summer but first aims to help Bath win silverware.
