Bordeaux-Begles and La Rochelle Secure Top 14 Playoff Spots Ahead of Champions Cup Final

France’s Top 14 saw decisive weekend action as Bordeaux‑Begles eked out a 37‑32 home win over Perpignan. Winger Louis Bielle‑Biarrey, introduced at half‑time, scored two tries, set up a third and intercepted a late kick to deny Perpignan a match‑winning chance. The victory lifted Bordeaux‑Begles to fifth place, seven points clear of Racing 92 and kept them in contention for the playoffs before facing Leinster in the Champions Cup final in Bilbao.

Meanwhile, La Rochelle delivered a dominant 38‑10 performance against league leaders Toulouse, boosting the team to eighth in the table and narrowing the gap on sixth‑placed Clermont for the final playoff berth. Tries from Charles Kante Samba, Gregory Alldritt, Oscar Jegou and replacements Andy Timo and Adrien Seguret sealed the win. "We dug deep, we played like men," Jegou said on French television.

Both clubs now turn their focus to the upcoming European finals – Bordeaux‑Begles versus Leinster in the Champions Cup and Montpellier against Ulster in the Challenge Cup – as the Top 14 pauses for a one‑week break.