"Finals Weekend" - Northampton Saints and Bath chase glory in Champions Cup and Challenge Cup

On Friday night, Bath chase a historic treble as they take on Lyon in the EPCR Challenge Cup Final, while Saturday’s Investec Champions Cup Final sees Northampton Saints go toe-to-toe with the Top 14's resident high-flyers Bordeaux-Bègles. From Lions call-ups to breakout stars and redemption arcs years in the making, both finals are stacked with story-lines that could echo for seasons to come.

Here's a full run-down of the action, as the biggest prizes of in club rugby are decided this weekend.

Bath head to Cardiff with history firmly in their sights as they chase a remarkable treble in the 2024/25 season. Already crowned Premiership Rugby Cup champions after dispatching Exeter Chiefs and having secured a home semi-final in the Premiership thanks to finishing top of the league table, Johann van Graan’s side now shift focus to European glory in the EPCR Challenge Cup Final.

Standing in their way are Lyon, who knocked out a star-studded Racing 92, as Owen Farrell suffered a head injury in the semi-finals. Despite their European exploits, the French outfit have stumbled domestically, slipping to 11th in the Top 14 with back-to-back defeats to Pau and Stade Français.

Bath bounced back from a shock derby defeat to Bristol Bears with an emphatic victory over Leicester Tigers in their most recent outing, showcasing the attacking flair and set-piece dominance that has underpinned their campaign. Their route to the final included a hard-fought semi-final win over Edinburgh, and they are likely to be buoyed by the recent British & Irish Lions call-ups for the mercurial Finn Russell and scrum-time anchor Will Stuart – two pivotal figures in their bid for silverware.

Lyon, meanwhile, are a classic example of a team whose European form belies their league struggles. Despite inconsistency in the Top 14, they’ve shown the firepower to unsettle any side. Italian capped Martin Page-Relo offers quick service and control at scrum-half, while powerhouse Fiji star Semi Radradra and the bruising Arno Botha provide direct running threats that Bath must contain.

The Investec Champions Cup Final returns to Cardiff with a clash steeped in narrative as Northampton Saints take on Bordeaux-Bègles for the biggest prize in club rugby. For Bordeaux, it’s a historic first-ever appearance in the final. For Northampton, it’s a chance to end a 25-year wait to reclaim Europe’s top title.

Northampton’s European legacy is rich but distant. Their only Champions Cup triumph came in 2000, and they haven't appeared in a final since 2011, when they suffered a second-half collapse to lose to Leinster in a match still remembered for its heartbreak.

This season, they’ve struggled in the Premiership, sitting eighth and out of title contention, the Saints have found new life in Europe. Their 37–34 semi-final win over Leinster at the Aviva Stadium was both dramatic and redemptive. After being knocked out by the Irish giants in 2024's unforgettable Croke Park classic, Saints delivered a performance full of attacking flair and resilience to book their spot in Cardiff.

England wing Tommy Freeman earned plaudits for a brilliant hat-trick, while 20-year-old Henry Pollock introduced the rugby world to his now-viral "check my pulse" celebration. A year ago, Pollock was watching the semi-final defeat in fancy dress in the Croke Park crowd, now he's a starting back row and the youngest player named in the British & Irish Lions squad.

He’s joined by teammates Alex Mitchell, Fin Smith, and Freeman on the plane to Australia, underlining the Saints’ young core of elite talent. That group will be vital as they look to salvage their season with a first European crown in a generation.

For Bordeaux-Bègles, this is truly uncharted territory. The club has never reached a Champions Cup final before, let alone won it. But their rise has been steady and impressive, and this season they’ve exploded onto the European scene.

Their route to the final included a landmark victory over Toulouse in the semi-finals — even if the reigning champions were without talisman Antoine Dupont. Domestically, they sit second in the Top 14, and have balanced rotation and form smartly heading into the final. A recent defeat to Montpellier with a rotated side was quickly followed by a sharp, confident win over Castres.

Their undisputed star is Louis Bielle-Biarrey. The 21-year-old winger was named 2025 Six Nations Player of the Tournament after scoring eight tries in France’s title-winning campaign. With 31 tries in 27 matches for club and country this season, he’s not just Bordeaux’s danger man, he’s the most lethal finisher in the northern hemisphere right now.

The Saints will need to lean on their Lions with Mitchell’s tempo, Smith’s control, Freeman’s finishing and Pollock's dynamism, whilst keeping Bielle-Biarrey quiet and matching Bordeaux’s physical edge. For Bordeaux, discipline and set-piece strength must complement their natural flair and strike-running.