Northampton Saints suffered Investec Champions Cup final heartache as Bordeaux-Begles claimed an epic 28-20 victory at the Principality Stadium.
A pulsating Cardiff contest saw the French club record their first Champions Cup success but Saints gave it everything after losing backs George Furbank and James Ramm to injuries inside the opening five minutes.
Seeking a first Champions Cup title for 25 years, Northampton went toe to toe with their opponents as flanker Alex Coles’ try double underpinned an outstanding Saints display.
Fly-half Fin Smith added two penalties and two conversions, but Bordeaux’s superior finishing power delivered two tries for wing Damian Penaud, while locks Adam Coleman and Cyril Cazeaux also touched down.
Matthieu Jalibert booted a penalty and conversion, and captain Maxime Lucu also kicked a penalty as Bordeaux made it five years in a row for French clubs to win the tournament.
But Northampton could not have done much more, going the distance and making their opponents work for everything.
Saints made a lightning-quick start, going ahead after just 107 seconds as they kept possession from kick-off and Coles crashed over from close range, with Smith adding the extras.
That score was tempered, though, by an immediate injury blow when wing Ramm had to be helped off as England international Ollie Sleightholme replaced him for a first club appearance since December.
Furbank’s exit followed shortly afterwards after he took an accidental knee to his face from Bordeaux full-back Romain Buros, continuing a horrible run for him after playing just 57 minutes of rugby this year because of a broken arm and then aggravating that injury.
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Tom Litchfield took over from Furbank, and Bordeaux immediately scored an equalising try as Penaud crossed for his 13th try in this season’s competition.
Bordeaux should have gone ahead in the 15th minute, but Louis Bielle-Biarrey’s pass to Penaud was ruled forward and the disallowed score meant Saints enjoyed a huge let-off.
But Bordeaux continued to press, and some magical footwork from Jalibert – which he followed with a superb floated pass – sent Coleman over in the corner, and the fly-half’s conversion left Northampton five points behind.
Smith quickly cut the gap with a long-range penalty, yet that was soon cancelled out by a Jalibert strike as Bordeaux led 15-10 midway through the second quarter.
The French side had flanker Mahamadou Diaby yellow-carded following head on head contact with Saints lock Temo Mayanavanua, and Northampton looked to make their temporary one-man advantage count.
A second Smith penalty kept his team firmly in contention, but Saints then saw wing Tommy Freeman receive a yellow card after an aerial challenge, and Penaud pounced for his second try, but Coles then claimed his own double.
Smith’s conversion made it 20-20 at the interval – a pulsating 40 minutes that produced the most first-half points scored in a Champions Cup final.
Henry Pollock had a try disallowed within two minutes of the restart, and Saints briefly went down to 13 players when replacement lock Ed Prowse collected a yellow card, before Lucu’s 44th-minute penalty edged Bordeaux back in front.
Northampton continued to give it everything, but they could not halt Bordeaux’s power game from close range, and Cazeaux went over to open up an eight-point gap.
And that proved enough to thwart Northampton’s brave bid, with Bordeaux closing out the contest and sparking wild scenes of celebration.
