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Robert Kitson
The shortlist for this year’s Champions Cup player of the year award is an eyecatching one. There are five contenders and four of them – Louis Bielle-Biarrey, Finn Russell, Matthieu Jalibert and Caelan Doris – are established world-class operators. So who is the fifth Beatle? An uncapped Englishman who eats only toast on matchdays and is arguably most famous for parading around in his budgie smugglers.
Step forward Alfie Barbeary, the shaggy-haired Bath colossus looking to smash a few holes in Bordeaux-Bègles’ title defence at the Stade Atlantique on Sunday. The 25-year-old Barbeary might not yet be a connoisseur of the region’s celebrated wines – “I know there’s red and white but that’s about it” – but he makes up for that in other respects. Some people are born entertainers and the big No 8 is definitely one of them.
It is absolutely bucketing down in Bordeaux right now. Will it be tactical kicking and “up the jumper”? Nothing wrong with that.
Noel McNamara, Bordeaux’s attack coach, mentions Rory McIlroy and his breakthrough win at the Masters last year, comparing it to Bordeaux getting over the line in Europe last season.
“Buzzing. Amazing,” says the Bath flanker Miles Reid of today’s occasion. He starts on the bench. “They have huge threats. They’ve got speed, they’re good on their snap attack when they turn over ball. We’re ready for the challenge and buzzing for it. It will be a 23-man game. How many games have we won at the end? It’s down to the 23. Just buzzing to get out here today. The breakdown’s massive. They’ve got threats over the ball, as do we: that’s my area today, really.”
Watch out for Ted Hill off the Bath bench, an absolute machine, plus Sam Underhill and the 20-year-old Kepu Tuipulotu. The starting back row – Josh Bayliss, Guy Pepper and Alfie Barbeary – will of course be key to their hopes. Santi Carreras at full-back and Henry Arundell on the wing … this is exciting.
Two of the more obvious players to look out for on Bordeaux’s team are the wingers Louis Bielle-Biarrey [who scored nine tries in this year’s Six Nations] and Damian Penaud, but there is quality wherever you look. Ben Tameifuna will be impossible to miss when he comes off the bench: the giant Tonga international made a massive impact late in the quarter-final against Toulouse.
“Be ourselves. Enjoy the moment. Grab the moment,” says Van Graan, the Bath head coach, speaking to Premier Sports. “Two fantastic teams … it’s the first for us in many years. Ultimately, it remains a game of rugby. We’re going to enjoy ourselves today.”
On the South Africa prop Thomas du Toit, who starts for just the fifth time in 18 appearances this season (a handy stat from reporter Claire Thomas):
“Thomas is the man for the big occasion in the scrum … we want to play the game on our terms … one of those terms was that Thomas starts … he’ll have a massive part to play, but so will 22 others. This will not be won by a single person … we believe we’ve got a great opportunity today.”
And also Louis Hennessy, a notable selection at outside-centre:
“We’ve got some fantastic centres … Louis was great on the wing the last two weekends … he’s been knocking on the door and we believe he’s the best option for today.”
Two frankly ridiculous teams and matchday squads. I haven’t seen any of the buildup, but surely someone said: “They’ve got great players, but so have we.” ?
Teams
Bordeaux Bègles: Rayasi, Uberti, Penaud, Moefana, Bielle-Biarrey, Jalibert, Lucu (capt.), Perchaud, Lamothe, Sadie, Palu, Coleman, Bochaton, Woki, Gazzotti. Replacements: Barlot, Boniface, Tameifuna, Cazeaux, Vergnes-Taillefer, Matiu, Retiere, Reus.
Bath: Carreras, Arundell, Hennessey, Lawrence, Muir, Russell, Spencer (capt.), Obano, Dunn, Du Toit, Roux, Ewels, Bayliss, Pepper, Barbeary. Replacements: Tuipulotu, Van Wyk, Sela, Hill, Underhill, Carr-Smith, Glanville, Reid.
Preamble
Both these teams emerged from enthralling quarter-finals. If you like tries and lots of indifferent defending, then Bath 43-41 Northampton was a classic. If two world-class teams hammering each other for 80 minutes and mostly refusing to give an inch is more your thing, Bordeaux 30-15 Toulouse was by far the superior match.
That sensational encounter last-eight encounter at Stade Chaban Delmas, complete with a life-affirming festival atmosphere only seen in French rugby, disposed of one of the Top 14 heavyweights. Now the reigning European champions Bordeaux stand between Johann van Graan’s Bath and a place in the final against Leinster, in Bilbao on 23 May.
Bath’s deep squad is the envy of much of the Prem and they are well-versed in crushing domestic opponents with power off the bench. But if any side is likely to pull that trick today, it is surely Bordeaux. All things being more or less equal, the benches are going will ultimately decide what should be a pulsating affair in south-west France.
Kick-off: 3pm BST
