Union Bordeaux Bègles

Union Bordeaux Bègles (French: [ynjɔ̃ bɔʁdo bɛɡl]; Occitan: Union Bordèu Begla) is a French professional rugby union team playing in the Top 14, the first level of the country's professional league system. They earned their Top 14 place by winning the promotion playoffs that followed the 2010–11 season in the second-level Pro D2. Upon promotion to the Top 14 in 2011, they were assured a place in the European Challenge Cup. In 2015, they earned their European Champions Cup place, after winning the European playoffs against Gloucester Rugby in Worcester.

Union Bordeaux Bègles
Full nameUnion Bordeaux Bègles
Nickname(s)L'UBB
L'Union
Les Girondins
Founded2006; 18 years ago (2006)
LocationBordeaux, France
Ground(s)Stade Chaban-Delmas (Capacity: 33,290)
PresidentLaurent Marti
Coach(es)Yannick Bru
Captain(s)Jefferson Poirot
League(s)Top 14
2023–243rd
1st kit
2nd kit
Official website
[[1] www.ubbrugby.com/%20ubbrugby.com]]

They were founded in 2006 as a result of a merger between two Bordeaux clubs, Stade Bordelais and Club Athlétique Bordeaux-Bègles Gironde. They wear claret (in French: bordeaux) and white. They are based in Bordeaux (Nouvelle-Aquitaine), and play at the Stade Chaban-Delmas. The two teams which amalgamated cumulated nine championship titles of France: seven for the Stade Bordelais and two for the Club Athlétique Bordeaux-Bègles Gironde. Since 2006 and the amalgamation, the club competed in Pro D2 until winning the 2011 promotion playoffs. UBB drew an average home attendance of 23,689 in the 2014/2015 Top 14 season.[1]

History

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For several years, the city of Bordeaux suffered from the absence of a leading club, or rather from the competition between the two large clubs of the city, the Stade Bordelais and CA Bordeaux-Bègles-Gironde (named for the suburb of Bègles).

The Stade Bordelais was a large national Rugby team at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century (seven championships between 1899 and 1911), before continuing their life within the amateur championships.

The CA Béglais did not reach soaring highs before the First World War, finally gaining two French Championships in 1969 and 1991 and then taking part in the first European Rugby Cup in 1995. The transition into the new millennium was hard. The club was relegated to the Pro D2 at the conclusion of the 2002–03 season, then into the Fédérale 1 division, while Stade Bordelais took the opposite direction and reached Pro D2.

In 2005, a plan to merge both clubs was created, in spite of strong opposition by both club's supporters. There was strong insight from former influential players (Serge Simon, Bernard Laporte) who pushed for a result of pooling the assets of the two clubs. One of the arguments frequently employed in favour of fusion was that the local companies did not know which club to promote.

On 10 March 2006, Bordeaux Rugby Metropolis was created. This association gathered a network of local companies eager to imply themselves in the formation of a large club in Bordeaux.

Bordeaux Rugby Metropolis organised in June 2006 the event 'Bordeaux Rugby Quinconces' which brought together 25,000 people and 100 companies during 3 days on the Esplanade of the Quinconces of Bordeaux. Under the influence of the association, the historical dissensions between the two clubs were partly alleviated. A union was sealed, in the shape of a Professional Sporting Public Limit Company (SASP), with the issue of work for a committee made up of six members resulting with members from each of the two clubs (CABBG : Michel Moga, Alban Moga, Raymond Chatenet; Stade bordelais : Jean-Pierre Lamarque, Herve Hargous, Philippe Moulia).

Only the professional squads were actually merged, as each club has kept its youth teams to this day.

The new team took the place of the Stade Bordelais in the Pro D2. The training centre of Bègles is particularly strong and will hopefully provide players to the top grades.

For their first seasons, the team profited from a budget of €3.6 million. Frederic Martini remained one year as the president of USBCABBG before yielding his place to Laurent Marti, entrepreneur bergeracois (Groupe Top Tex, basé à Toulouse) at the start of the 2006 season. The new president contributed to finalising where the Union's home ground would be (Stage Andre Moga de Bègles), and the unpronounceable name "USBCABBG" which became Union Bordeaux Bègles (UBB) in the spring of 2008. Laurent Marti contributed largely to increase the club's budget, passing it from €3.8 million (euros) in 2007–08 to €4.2 million (euros) 2008–09. The ambition is to rediscover the clubs elite form in a short-term (two or three years).

The Pro D2 2010–11 season, saw the club finish fifth place on the table and gaining a place in the finals. The UBB beat Grenoble (12–19) in the semis, securing their spot in the final against SC Albi. The grand final took place in Agen with the final result going to the Bordealaise (14–21), also seeing them promoted to the Top 14.

Hong Kong investment company Gavekal bought a 10% stakes of the team in 2015.

Name

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In spite of calls to simplify the club name, "Union Stade bordelais-C.A.Bordeaux-Bègles Gironde" was adopted; neither of the two clubs wanting to yield. The Béglais refused to disappear within a name which would only mention Bordeaux (for example, Bordeaux Rugby), whereas, at the time, top-level rugby in the area was the CAB. "We found it hard to find a name for the club which is appropriate for the two teams. The selected name respects the concepts of parity and equilibrium" (Philippe Moulia, président du Stade bordelais omnisports)

In May 2008, the club's name, known for its length, was changed to 'Union Bordeaux Bègles'.

Stadium

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The other problem related to the home ground. Neither of the two clubs wanted to yield, so that, for their first season, the team was to play 7 matches at the Stade Sainte-Germaine at Bouscat and the other 7 matches at the Stade André-Moga at Bègles—although the rules of the (French) National Rugby League specify that no Pro D2 rugby club could play their home matches at two different home grounds. During the second season, it was decided that the 1st grade matches would be held in Bègles, while the lower grade matches would be held in Bouscat.

For their ascent to the Top14 competition in the 2011–12 season, it was decided that matches would be shared between Stade Andre Moga (in Bègles) and Stade Chaban-Delmas (in Bordeaux).[2] Since 2012–13, Bordeaux Bègles have played most of their home matches at the larger Stade Chaban-Delmas instead of their traditional home of Stade André Moga. In the 2015–16 season, they also played three home matches at the newer and even larger Matmut Atlantique stadium.

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The logo represents, on one side the blue and white checker work of CA Béglais and the other side the yellow lion with a black base of Stade Bordelais. The crescents symbolises the city of Bordeaux.

Honours

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Finals results

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French championship

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Date Winners Score Runners-up Venue Spectators
28 June 2024 Stade Toulousain 59-3 Union Bordeaux Bègles Orange Vélodrome, Marseille 66,760

Current standings

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2024–25 Top 14 Table
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts Qualification
1 Bordeaux Bègles 6 5 0 1 236 139 +97 33 19 2 1 23 Playoffs and Qualification for 2025–26 European Rugby Champions Cup
2 Toulouse 6 4 0 2 181 114 +67 21 13 2 2 20
3 La Rochelle 6 4 0 2 162 150 +12 22 18 2 0 18
4 Lyon 6 4 0 2 171 162 +9 19 19 1 0 17
5 Toulon 6 3 0 3 137 117 +20 14 14 1 2 15
6 Pau 6 3 0 3 156 170 −14 20 21 2 1 15
7 Castres 6 3 0 3 178 166 +12 20 17 1 2 15 Qualification for 2025–26 European Rugby Champions Cup
8 Clermont 6 3 0 3 121 149 −28 14 16 2 0 14
9 Racing 92 6 3 0 3 160 150 +10 18 17 0 2 14 Qualification for 2025–26 European Rugby Challenge Cup
10 Bayonne 6 3 0 3 152 160 −8 18 20 1 1 14
11 Montpellier 6 2 0 4 132 134 −2 13 13 0 2 10
12 Perpignan 6 2 0 4 94 153 −59 9 18 1 1 10
13 Stade Français 6 2 0 4 118 176 −58 13 23 0 1 9 Qualification for Relegation play-off
14 Vannes 6 1 0 5 146 204 −58 18 24 0 3 7 Relegation to Pro D2
Updated to match(es) played on 13 October 2024. Source: Top 14


Current squad

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The Bordeaux squad for the 2024–25 season is:[3] [4]

Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.

Player Position Union
Maxime Lamothe Hooker   France
Romain Latterrade Hooker   France
Ugo Boniface Prop   France
Sipili Falatea Prop   France
Matis Perchaud Prop   France
Jefferson Poirot Prop   France
Carlü Sadie Prop   South Africa
Ben Tameifuna Prop   Tonga
Cyril Cazeaux Lock   France
Adam Coleman Lock   Tonga
Jonny Gray Lock   Scotland
Guido Petti Lock   Argentina
Alexandre Ricard Lock   France
Pierre Bochaton Back row   France
Mahamadou Diaby Back row   France
Marko Gazzotti Back row   France
Temo Matiu Back row   France
Pete Samu Back row   Australia
Lachlan Swinton Back row   Australia
Tevita Tatafu Back row   Japan
Bastien Vergnes-Taillefer Back row   France
Player Position Union
Paul Abadie Scrum-half   France
Yann Lesgourgues Scrum-half   France
Maxime Lucu Scrum-half   France
Joey Carbery Fly-half   Ireland
Mateo Garcia Fly-half   France
Matthieu Jalibert Fly-half   France
Nicolas Depoortère Centre   France
Rohan Janse van Rensburg Centre   South Africa
Yoram Moefana Centre   France
Ben Tapuai Centre   Australia
Pablo Uberti Centre   France
Louis Bielle-Biarrey Wing   France
Nans Ducuing Wing   France
Damian Penaud Wing   France
Arthur Retière Wing   France
Enzo Reybier Wing   France
Romain Buros Fullback   France

Espoirs squad

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The Union Bordeaux Bègles Espoirs squad is:[5]

Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.

Player Position Union
Leo Chauvin Hooker   France
Connor Sa Hooker   New Zealand
Zaccharis Affane Prop   France
Younes Bekhti Prop   France
Levan Kepuladze Lock   Georgia
Adam Zapedowski Lock   Poland
Silouane Bouche Back row   France
Mateo Lavasele Back row   France
Sirius Permal Back row   France
Player Position Union
Mathys Domens Scrum-half   France
Antonin Marinot Scrum-half   France
Luigi Escouteloup Fly-half   France
Joseph Exshaw Fly-half   France
Jon Echegaray Fullback   France

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Top 14 : Les dix équipes ayant les meilleures affluences en 2014-15 - Rugby 365". 14 June 2016.
  2. ^ "As evidenced by EPCR Challenge Cup game details 2011". European Professional Club Rugby. 12 November 2011. Retrieved 16 September 2017.[dead link]
  3. ^ "Espoirs - Effectif" (in French). UBB Rugby. 4 December 2023. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
  4. ^ "Bordeaux squad for season 2023/2024". All Rugby. 4 December 2023. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
  5. ^ "LES JOUEURS" (in French). www.ubbrugby.com. 5 January 2024. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
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