Post Match Reflections And Celebrations

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I'm Ben Youngst, he's Dan Cole, and we have just witnessed Bordeaux go back to back in the Investit Champions Cup beating Leinster. We are pitch side at Sam Stadium literally two minutes after the final whistle we've raced our way down here Bordeaux boys have been over here celebrating with their families in the crowd the atmosphere's been amazing all day I brought a towel I'm not allowed to have because it's boiling hot down here credit to the players they've been phenomenal but how the how the how the players did that and performed in that heat was quite remarkable. The noise behind us, Leinster just collecting their runners up medals and uh yes, the social sensation's going on, but what a day. Leinster right now, right, they've reached another final and it's the same product, but today it's it's a hefty defeat that one. They will well be and that was a few. It was playing five-seven at half time. Bordeaux had scored five tries, it was a route at half time, and almost Bordeaux took the foot off the gas second half there. Luca in the sim being like I know Jalabert brought off 10 minutes ago. Walkie was lost, but like yeah, I think like half time it was but it was a difference of I know um Leinster scored first, but you look at the collision work like Leinster couldn't get momentum and and conversely when Bordeaux carried Riassy would step carry through two blokes the Rafana like they were Bordeaux were able to win the collision time and time again and just it almost looked like Lenster was sort of trying to drag people down to get on the ball, but by the time they dragged them down, Bordeaux were clean the breakdown array. And then you let uh Luku run, you have Charlie Bay of the back's operating and yeah, they were but Bordeaux were you they showed their class today . This place by the way pre-game was absolutely going off. Like once again a privilege. You know, what an absolute privilege to be here. You know, both sets of crowds, absolutely turning up with their numbers and bringing full voice. I've got to say Lencer's point of view they're a team that obviously pressed defence blitzed defence and at times today Bordeaux just tore that defence apart what do you think this means to Bordeaux as in fact about European champions, that surely puts them among the best teams in Europe. You think of the Toulouses, you think of Toulons, even Leicester back in, sort of the like teams that have gone back to back and what it, Munsters, Leicesters, they are now a European great. It put it puts you in a different um level, doesn't it? It does, it does. Differ echelon. It does. And I think Border will be absolutely delighted for that. For me, they have been the best team without uh throughout the tournament. They've been remarkable actually. How many at two years now undefeated in the tournament? Think of the route they had to get to win it. They've beaten the premiership runner-up, the premiership champion, the URC champion, the French champion, the top 14 champion, they've beaten everyone. They've done the hard route and they've done it all. So the Bordeaux players are ready, they're already bouncing up and down on their toes, the celebrations are all happening. It's about to build up. The crowd are gonna go crazy. They've brought their numbers today, Bordeaux. They've travelled. So Maxime Luku is now walking up. He's got his hands on the trophy. He's now walking on the stage. And here we go back to back champions border best team of the invest ing champions cup back to back and off incredi ble . What a team, what an occasion. Fans have been absolutely amazing today, the Bordeaux fans. And as has Leinster. It's been a lot tougher on the Leinster fans than it has Bordeaux. And I just you know that moment when you get silverware when it all comes down to that and you get the job done it's just nothing like it it really isn't you're there with your teammates with your best friends you're there that's the people you've trained with day in, day out, and you got the end goal of what you wanted. You set out in pre-season, you set your goals, you set your standards, you have your ambitions, and Bordeaux without doubt wanted to go back to back. Because they wanted to sit in that, you know, top table of European greats and they do to go back to bat La Rochelle went back to bat Les Tigers went back to bat Toulouse have won it a bucket load of times Leinster have won it in the past. You also want to appreciate the amount of people on stage now. You've got the families, the sports staff, like how many people it takes to win a European championship. The MST Champions Cup. You talk about the twenty three, but it's about the squad, all the staff behind it. There's probably what, seventy or eighty people on stage, friends and families, but like that's that's how what the support network takes to win championships like this. It also shows you what a great you know club culture they have. You know, all the staff are involved in that photo. Look at them all as you mentioned there, Colin. Families are in that picture. You can tell just how much um it's a real family and all uh family club and just it's it's not just the team that got the job done today. It's everyone involved. Absolutely remarkable performance. To win a European final is one thing, to win it in that manner, to have the game done in my opinion by half time is just credit to a fantastic well oiled machine that is Bordeaux. The Bordeaux team have now come across there the celebrations have started in front of the home route. In front of their own fans it's celebration side there's been there's been pockets of Bordeaux fans and we're definitely in amongst it here and um just to my left here you've got a real pocket bouncing up and down it's amazing and they're now setting up they're trying to get the official winner's photo yeah, yeah, they're gonna get the photo right in front of all their crowd. I mean they've travelled so well today. I've said that before, but what what a weekend of European rugby. Then he's got his ski goggles on, ready to go, he's ready for that champagne. The beer is getting getting sprayed, they got the berets on. I love it. Here we go. Walkie good to see him up and moving. Coley of course went off injured, so good to see him up and moving. Here they go. The crowds, it' ssort of very much like football. They just don't stop do they they bounce up and down they just bring that energy and noise that constant wave of support it's um they really love their own here. The board road fans have been they've been coming through in drips and draps over the past couple of days into Wheelbow. This morning there was a procession of them through the town, through the fans area with the drums and say they are incredibly well supported. Obviously, well we've done the drive. Camillawaki out and about mate. He obviously I thought he had a terrific game today. He went off injured. Hopefully he's got a bit uh bit worried for him there, but he's got the ice back on. He's walking which is good to see. I don't think he's gonna miss these celebrations. Why would you? Why would you? I really want to highlight uh Bordeaux Coley in the in the respect that they played the top 14 final they got absolutely dismantled by Toulouse in Marseille. If memory serves me correct, it was around 50 uh 60 points or 70 maybe more. And I think at that point Bordeaux were a team full of absolute class gold dust as individuals. And there's been a real shift ever since that I think. And they've learned to play as a team and the team has actually unlocked those individuals to a whole new level and and and they play like that and they've just been absolutely awesome. Well say they've grown with your Luku Jalibears, LBBs, Mofarners, like the more time they're spent together, the better as individuals they come and it's better as a collective and similar you support that with some of the signings they've made like you've got the Tom Willis joining next year like best number eight or best player in the Prem is joining the double European Champions . So they're smart recruitment, they play as a team, they rely, they back their athletes like Walkie , you know, LBB, they put them in advantageous positions. So with that superstar and now they become a team rather than individuals. You see that and not only the way they play, but the way they defend Cole y. You think about defensive performance is like it you have to defend as a team. The best teams we've ever been in, it's all about the collective, not about the individuals. And although their attack relies upon probably that offensive firepower of they're they're a team but they have individual brilliance don't they? Whereas in defence you saw it today, like people talk about there's a cliche about the French, you know, they play the game high, they can't bend over. You look at like Coleman, you look at Parloo, two big men, Cavern Walkie, the axe tackles that every time Lenx are carried, there was a man hitting them waist high, you know, and chopping them down. And similarly with uh their defensive text, they're back on their feet. Everyone says like, Oh, they're big players , it's hot, they'll be slow to like. As a team you get tricked into thinking, I know what we'll do, we'll try and outplay them, wear them out, but you can't. These guys are phenomenal athletes, but they're pretty well conditioned. And like you can see the attritional nature, like these guys are hurting, they're sore because they're playing 30 old games. But they keep getting them D-line, they keep stacking up, they keep tackling. Like it's summed up as earlier said it's summed up by Penno. You've got Jack Conan on the edge, like 15, 20 metres out. He's a powerful man. The amount of times we've seen him sit somebody out and get behind, play. Penno almost lifted him out the um the pitch, so it's incredible. But yeah, it's uh here comes uh Cameron Walkie's coming out. Oh . So good. So good. How are you? Good? Yeah. Oh. Congratulations, man. How are you? How are you? I don't know. Worth it. When you when you when you signed back to Bordeaux, was it for Momentside today? When I signed to Bordeaux it's only for one title . I love this club. I'm really excited to enjoy with my teammate uh tonight with you yeah yeah it's uh uh a privilege to to be here to be uh with you baby and uh I hope uh next uh next year to be here in the same uh same place in the final to win uh my second title but I'm just happy uh today. Amazing con,gratulations mate. N howow's your leg? leg Your okay? Oh I hope so. Uh maybe tomorrow I do my air m. That's tomorrow. Tonight you can celebrate. This guy I did the bar bars with, he can dr ink. Which means which means that knee is gonna be very swollen tomorrow. Mate, congratulations. Thank you, boys. Thank you. What a man. Can we just highlight how important Cameron Walkie is? Cameron Walkie is one of those players. You watch it the way he changes the way teams play, but he changes the way oppositions play. The line out, like Leinster had success today at times, but you watch Baffits when he has a bit of athletic ability, teams have to change the way they operate. They can't throw to the front because he's getting the edge. Look at him and Coleman operate in the middle of the line out, and his ability on the edge. I know he got hurt on the air, but like you get all in space, there's no one better at a state. And he's a big man, he's a huge man. He's hitting things like again, it's just incredible players and they step on the day's line today. It's it's like when he got the ball on the edge and I know it led to his injury right, but just his ability to break the line his ability to break the line. Three defend three of the best players in the world takes to stop him, so it's it does, it does, and we saw that countless tim es . We're just gonna get a uh if you if you're watching on uh or listening on audio sorry we're just panning the camera out because uh camera walkie had just lifted the trophy about seven metres away and um what a moment for all those guys honestly just fantastic so deserving if you glance at that score line you'd assume right that Bordeaux just ran right and attack and Lensa's attack didn't turn up. Wrong. Lencer first . We talked about the teamwork. 30 minutes, first half, huge moment. And Bordo just D'd up, barred up, D'd up, one collision, one collision, forced the knock on. Huge moment. Huge hu,ge huge moment and the other thing as well with this is Leinster aren't set up to chase a game necessarily. They're a team that are more comfortable without the ball playing this high. You can see their game sit playing the first half, kicking on an LBB, trying to need success and they got a touch of it but they had to work every time Lencer got the ball they had to work for something like first half they're trying to winkle after going multiple phases to get yards even second half you've got Ben Tamyfruna comes on the field 32 minutes gets two drackals, like even when Lencer got behind the line, you had Bordeaux guys swamping the thing. You know, the hooker was unbelievable. Like everyone in Bordeaux team, like you can see, we talk about them playing as a team, but it's the defensive efforts and then the secondary defensive efforts to get, like in today's day game today's day and age the amount of uh line breaks end up in tries it's phenomenal but like today they didn't because the Bordeaux even when Ben Chammyfruna's chasing back all those kind of guys Harlow Sadi trying almost you mid chasing back and making it and that's the team effort and the culture you have. So that's the unbelievable part. It's um and I say the score line, they scored five tries in the first half, and you kind of think it was all one way, but Lent's thread opportunity. There was a massive swing with Bordeaux scored, goes 7-7, and then they kick off and the ball goes out in the full, which means Bordeaux got a scrum. It was the tiniest of margins as in they played LVB chips in behind. They go in nowhere, chips in behind, it gets deflected. Bordeaux, what was yeah, can we just Maxine Lucou's in the background having a uh a beer with the fans. Everyone thinks about Jalabare, right? Yeah. And he dominates stats, but Jallibear can't dominate without that guy. He is he is in the form of his life. It's absolute amazing. Oh hang on, I'll tell you what's happening around. The zebra, the investing, the investing zebra is being brought over. Which means you're gonna they're gonna be sitting on it. And uh who's going on it first? Can I hold the wall? Parlo's on it, here he goes we'll see if we can have a quick word yassi here he comes we're back we're back we're following cheers thank you very much thank you very much um yeah i don't know what to say really it's awesome um unbelievable mate you uh incredible watching the game like your performance, the amount of like collisions you won, get more down the front foot and the whole team, it was a pleasure to watch. It was an honor to watch today, so thank you. Thank you. Your collision work, your ability to break tackles, your ability to break some ankles with your footwork is sensational but today I thought mate especially when Lensa went to that sort of high contestable your ability to actually break free and gain some yards were you expecting that from Lencer to go to a contestable kicking game? Yeah definitely I've no spoken about it all week. They're gonna come uh and try to put lines be uh lines be pressure on us and it was just a matter of making an early decision and picking inside shoulders and then I like I said just backing yourself really. And I've got to ask about the uh the try assist of course from that move. Did you expect with Leinster's blitz that you could get on the outside, great ball from Jalabair, send you on overs, you then fire it out to the right-hand edge for a try? Was that a move that you rehearsed all week expecting to to isolate someone? Yeah we're looking at that through the week it was I guess it was just important to hold hold my depth and just give jelly time and time for myself to get on the outside and then possibly manipulate the last offender and that was one of those questions where I'd take the whole and try go myself or I do the simple thing and just give it but yeah you have had an amazing tournament congratulations you are champions how good thank you very much thanks to being the uh dog and dog tomorrow He was getting ready for uh he was not there on that night out. Um Riasi, we've got to say. I mean what uh what a revelation is uh yeah I know I know he was a captain's ash of Fiji, but mate he today he was box office at the basics. Yeah. And he did like his ability say just to make people miss constantly and just getting in passing channels, you know, and inceptions, that kind of stuff like he got lifted on a kickoff, like all that kind of stuff and prepared to do it and say Kodask if he's gonna be a hybrid forward next but again it's just those kind of guys that just step up and and play and he's seamlessly feed into this team and yeah he's I I felt like Leinster definitely tried to go back to that structured approach with kick contestable and everything like that. N thatow that that's fine, works until you got to chase the game. But whilst they were doing that, people like Riassi, Jalabert Batfield, LBB, they were able to break away from that. Because ideally Lenster want to trap you, great A breakdown, get an organized defense to then go press off the line and go and go force errors. But they could never do it because a guys like him, they don't make a yard, they make three or four. Even when Leinster got sort of hit them behind the gain line, the Bordeaux players are able to just either straight the first tackle or get two, three yards in line which gets you momentum and it's a defense you're retreating. Similarly you think the other way in sort of um when Bordeaux were defending, it's kind of like Leinster where they normally used to move into the edge, they've got shape, they're sort of play guys at the back. Bordeaux just sat there, let them play, and at the right time when they got two on two numbers up, they went and hit them, and Leinster would then retreat to that breakdown it's almost they didn't have any answers for the sheer physical, like you've got to credit board out and the coaching staff like to be able to the team they have and the individuals but to get them to playing as a team you know when they come together they have great performances and they've absolutely well they're two years undefeated in Europe it's incredible feat. Remarkable . With the Investic zebra behind us here now we need to do our three Investic out of the ordinary moments and I'm going to start with the first one and that is the ball from Riassi on that move because it's just so well so well round. We just heard him talk about it, but the ability to isolate, the ability from Jalaber, chuck on that overs and then distribute again from Riassi, score in that right corner, that's one of them Coley. My second out of the ordinary moment has to be Penno's assist for LBB because it was bizarre. It's a charge down. The ball's bobbling. Penno hacks it in his in his white socks by the way. I love it. He wearing a red tennis socks. The ball he chases after , you know, it doesn't matter where the ball goes, it's about the chase. Gibson Park, it just bounced up evades and pops up perfectly in Damian Penno's hands. And who's there right on queue? It's that man again LBB. The best ability of LBB is as soon as he recognises someone's in behind the line, he's on his shoulder, he's good to go. So he it's you know and my third has to be because he he's a lover of the pod and we love him. Big Ben Tamya Funa. Two tackle turnovers. Not one, two. Important. Important moment. And also he came on with 32 uh minutes or wherever it was into the to go in the second half and the scrum was under pressure at that point. They were starting to create, Lensa was starting to get in there and go forward. He comes on, locks it down, and Bordeaux play away. And that's in some regards, that's what, you know, he comes on the field and solidifies that scrum, Bordeaux can play away, and they've got such fantastic plays, they don't need to do anything extra, you know what I mean it's just what you're doing to scrum time. So yeah, no, what a uh what a great three. I look at Lance Nicoley and we spoke about it leading up to this game in our previous episode on Monday and Thursday that's already out, so you can check that out. We said, can they win collisions? We said about how they try and play this almost squeeze game with the blitz defence. We spoke about how they'd beaten Edinburgh, Sale, Toulon and no one really knew where they were at and they'd been a bit unconvincing. And I I I think I said myself, it feels now or ne ver. And I'm looking at Lensa and I'm not sure . I'm not sure where where the next final is, visit. Because the problem isn't getting to finals, it's winning them. They have the ability, they have an international packed team, they can get to finals, they've proven that, but they've lost the past five. And it's it's these big moments, these big hats against the best teams, sometimes in the history of the competition, that you have to win. And again, they are it's that bit where where do you go because you can't just go out and recruit you know you might recruit a couple of guys bring into your quadrationals everywhere yeah you know how many more can you recruit you can't you know they they went they went and got obviously um Barrett last year they,'ve got your Ioni this year. It's you know like what are you gonna keep recruiting a uh uh and and bolster your side which is already stacked but it's a it's an obstacle they just uh just can't get over at the moment. No, and I say you you try different iterations, like say we talk about the blitz defense. Like the thing with the blitz defence is you have to win early in the phase count in regards to, especially the way possession base lenses the play with the ball in hand. Like defensively, the blitz you have to work almost win to the second or third place set P you know off a set Ps or a turnover because otherwise teams get outside you and you're defending for long periods of time and that's you know the blitz Bordeaux they came a couple of times but Bordeaux have the ability as individuals like to ride those collisions and keep the ball alive and so you have to think of a different way of doing things. It hasn't worked. It gets them to a certain point but you know against the best teams the best players it's come up short and today will hurt Leinster because the previous couple of finals, like one went to extra time, like there's been moments where you probably not hang your hat on, but you go after a game that you, oh, if we got that right, oh if we got that right. Today you five tries conceded, no, there's an interception trial, but your five tries conceded by half time, you're whatever it was, 30 something down seven at half time. Like you're out of the game, and you try so hard second half to get into it , but trail hurt because say you you've been totally outclassed in that regard, and it's not moment where you're not one or two bounce of the ball where you go, oh we're just unlucky. After that first five minutes when uh twelve minute try whenever um Bordeaux scored, they didn't they're out of it. There's a there's a lot to unpick for Leinster. You know, what do they do now going forward? What do they do coaching staff wise? Obviously, Leo Cullen came out the other week and he was really quite open about it. You have to credit them, they've reached finals. Oh yeah. But the bar for Lencer is so high that it's not about reaching them, it's about winning them. It's about winning Ind theia Cold. Because the way they're set up as a as a club is you know they often top the groups, they get a home run in the last six in, they get a home run in the quarterfinal, they get a home run in the semi-final . It does favour them to make the final, but you've got you've got to get over the line at some point. You have to. And they haven't, and that's you know, that's for and but there's no easy solutions. Because I said to you before, it's not like you can just go and recruit, well you can recruit a couple of world class players, but the group of players you have is the group of players you have. So it's how you change, it's how you adapt and yeah, sometimes it's you come against teams where their 15 is better than yours and your border, you could those individuals, you bring them together, you know, they prove that today. Lens to fans, let us know how you're feeling. Like what's your thoughts after a game like today? Because for the way I look at it is that team is not going anywhere. And Nor's the likes of Toulouse. La Rochelle will be back again next year. Toulon of recruiting pretty smartly. Yeah it's I felt like it was now or never. I did and I and I I'm not gonna say they're never gonna win it again but but it it for that crop of players, that group, it's a World Cup year next year. You know you have an eye on that as well. Like look , maybe I'm maybe I'll be right James Ryan and um Jerry McCarthy are fantastic players and you think how many guys they've physically beasted for Ireland, they're such aggressive physical players today parlo and adam coleman had the better of them physically physically beat them up and so that's the kind of like uh when your best players or your best most physical players are let's say cone on the wing by panel like when your best players are losing those physical battles, it's tough. You have to outsmart rugby teams, and sometimes when you get the best world class players like Bordeaux, they're just as smart as you, it's tough to break them down. Leinster had to uh go multi-phase attack because they're forced to chase it, but actually they ended up trying to go both sides attack, didn't they, Coley? Both sides almost. And by doing that, you end up getting stuck. You don't really find an edge, you don't find your shape, and then you become direct. But that's what they want, but they're up on momentum because normally they have the ability to someone in defense makes an error, someone then bites in, someone Someone does something daft. Whereas Bordeaux just sat there. You watch as I said earlier, you watch New Zealand versus Ireland in that World Cup quarter final in 23. Bordeaux did similar. They got three-on-three or two-on-two. Their physical nature of their players won those collis Bordeaux physically got on top, not just at set piece, line out, scrum . We've spoken about the collisions nowhere. Well you they dominated that, but you set piece at times. But you have to be able to when you have tiny margins in these games and something times around the back foot everything has to go right for you in set piece you can't beat yourself you saw leinstrad a line out on the five met line didn't where they just threw it in and walkie ends up slapping it back but I know they end up getting a scrum but it's just those all those bits and bobs you have to be perfect you can't you can't lose not to say they lost the game themselves but you can't give the other team a leg up in the game like that against such quality opposition you get that back against again quarter final, last it's a group stages, you'll get the opportunity back. In finals, you won't. And they didn't. And when you do, the opportunity is, you know, Luca got yellow carded, shout-out, another bald playmaker yellow carded in a final. But like Luca, you have to card, you know, there was another yellow card end of the game, but those opportunities kind of go, that's when you get opportunities, but by that point you're 35 down, you're working so hard to get a try. They score when Luca's off field, but like that's Luka comes back up. Luca comes back on the field. Tummy Foon gets a turnover. Luku blasts the ball 60 metres downfield. The opportunity's gone. You don't get it back. When you're in that state of the game, you've got to remember, Coley, is for every little win of a jackal or a turnover and you bang it down 60 you're basically saying we're in the lead we're sitting on it go on see what you can do that's what you can talk about how leinster had to change their change their state but leicester probably like they want to they leinster want to build a lead with a talent they have, they score, then their blitz defense comes, you start forcing errors because you start, you know, you're going behind the thing, you want to get they hit you with a blitz, a ball bounce as they pick it up and score, and that by that point they're ahead of you and they you never get him back into the game. Whereas Bordeaux never really gave them opportunities. Hey, Bordeaux took the lead. There's that moment to say when they scored once, the ball goes dead after the kickoff, Bordeaux ended up scoring the BLB, and that five margin they score. And after that, Lenster have to chase the game and it just against quality teams, Bordeaux, second half, all they have to do is bang the ball down their end of the field, bang the ball down their end of the field and like they'll get an opportunity at some point. They kicked their threes, took the temper out of the game and Bordeaux, you know, they took Charlie Ball for ten minutes, almost looking to next week and the weeks after. So uh What's that coming over the hill? Is it a tami of it? It's earlier. Here he comes. I think that's a uh a bottle of champagne in his hands, but uh it's uh It's actually it's just a normal bottle a bit. It's just a s no for audio listeners, Big Benny is uh the party has died. Congratulations Well done mate. Mate, two turnov ers. Yeah, I think one of them was a bit of touch and go, eh? But uh no I don't uh play on, play on, play on. Just made me a score again. Well yeah we didn't get close enough for me to get hands on the ball but there was a moment, there was a penalty on halfway, I thought he's in the um pretty pretty happy. It's pretty amazing. We're absolutely delighted for you, mate, genuinely. Um how did uh like sum up? You know you,'ve now won it back to back. How how you feeling right now? Well, bit relieved to be honest. Um play a lot of rugby these days and you know, you sort of know how to overcome nerves and stuff before the game but you know leaving the hotel we saw the fans and stuff you know already making a bit of noise um there was a bit of noise last night outside the hotel 'cause I think we're just outside the village and I had to go downstairs and get the old earplugs. Um you know sort of ye yeahah not not a lot of times I get nervous but uh you know winning one and then winning one back to back uh yeah the nerves sort of crept in today but um I knew just had to come on and do my job and um like we talked about before you know just try toing get the boys on the front foot or get my hands on the ball other on defense or attack but um yeah pretty pretty relief to be honest. Half time you're in such control what was the messaging did it go what you thought it would did the game play out that way was there an edge all week? D youid feel like you get to physically out-muscle them, outpower them? Because from the stands, it looked like you were winning every collision, every moment, every 50-50. Yeah, we we learned against Buff, you know, that um you know we're a heavier pack and if we use that to our advantage and you know just just meet them halfway and we know they they're a team that likes to move the ball so we had to try and not commit to the first um first line of the uh attack so we had to double job try to get the pack um but you know the Fords worked their butts off today and um on on attack and defense and set piece um across the front foot as well so all in all is a pretty good collective uh collective John to be honest. It was unbelievable. Like we came down at half time and the heat, like we would sweat in buckets and everything like that. But I say the the full pack today, like I say to Porti, like teams when they play French teams they think oh we'll just you know we'll outrun you, we'll play with feet, you'll tire out, but Bordeaux today, the the boys up front like Coleman Parlou like Walkie just hitting hitting hitting rolling getting back on their feet and you're on stoppable win every collision. Yeah they I think that's one of their qualities you know the tall boys long way from the ground they tend to get back on their feet pretty quick so um big ups to them and you know they're the engine off the pack and um you know it was just the guys you take the brunt out front and then they they do the power at the back butt uh No no not just the brunt mate, we're we're the uh we're the skilled guys, yeah. Yeah, it's true right. No, but no, mate, it's uh pretty pretty stuck to the team, stuck with the atmosphere, stuck with the supporters, um, you know, they've been outstanding today and uh we can't thank them enough for their efforts and making the time to come down and support us. Last question, how much are you gonna consume tonight mate ? I think uh that's a start. Yeah, let's see if we can go further than uh when your followers trip to borderless. Uh hopefully we can go better than that. I think I still got a headache mate. Can I just say I am genuinely so happy for Big Ben Tammy food? Oh yeah. Because what a guy. Yeah. And Riyasi. Like we we we got to hang out with those guys and just he's he's a great rugby guy. All the guys we spoke we spoke to have such an appreciation for like Bordeaux and like you know Ben said admittedly he didn't particularly I think enjoy Paris but he's embraced by the fans here, he loves the fans, they love love him. They him. Yeah, similar with Ryasi, similar with like Hamwocky, like how much they love playing for it. And like as you said there, the fans, they've been incredible. There's not many teams. I think any teams will have that kind of support. Like they've been in Bilbao today, this morning, making noise. This felt like a home game, Les fans made them some noise, but UBB you can hear the tank going up, and I say it's a phenomenal club, a phenomenal setup, and the players love playing for it, and they can only get better really. power and there was some lightning moments as well from the back line but once again the heartbeat of that was Maxime Luku just what a terrific tournament he's he's he's had he is in absolute fine form he is so loved and valued at this side and I'm not surprised. He made 19 tackles today. Did you make that in a career? I didn't make that in 16 seasons, you know. Um 21 points, 100% off the T. Try score, try assist. A yellow card . Carl Dixon obviously loves yellow card in bald playmakers in big games. Controversial yellow as well. It wasn't really a hair playway. How are you doing mate? Congrats. Well done. Adam the uh celebrations have started already mate and I'm not surprised. What a performance. So proud of the boys, mate. It was unbelievable. Back to back. The work they put in today, our defensive effort in the first half, mate, unbelievable. And then the backs finishing off some uh unbelievable tries too. Yeah mate, it was incredible. The occasion like almost brought the best out of you guys. And you especially physically were banging people, both both sides of the ball. You obviously love that aspect of it. But it really felt like you guys got on top of Leinster ? Yeah, I think there was a lot of talk this week about um Lenzer's experience, their pack, and they've got an international team. And it sort of gave us that fire in the belly and I think you could see that in the first half. Really wanted to really come out and start fast and I thought the boys did. How's celebration's gonna be tonight mate? How hard are you boys going? Back to back champions. Yeah, all in like today. That's enough, that is enough. We don't want to stop you from celebrating anymore, mate. Thank you very much. Cheers, have a good Adam Coleman there. I've got to say, Australia aren't short of great locks. They're all just playing in France. Skeleton and Adam Coleman. But he he was so physical. Again, like you see the size of the man. And if you can't see the size of the man, watch it on YouTube. The bloke's towering over buttons. Like his ability to get low and hit things and kill momentum. Like that's what makes the difference. Enjoy doing that. And the team rallies around it and like you get your, you know, you think of a six foot ten bloke because you think, oh, he's gonna tackle high. No no, no. He's around like the hips, he's hitting things so hard, killer momentum, and like when you get your say best players doing that and the biggest players in the field doing that, and that's pretosia's probably the coaching staff that like Bordeaux and the coaching job they've done is getting your players doing that, you're on to a good thing. Interesting. Bordeaux and go and uh have a hell of a celebration, Coley. Yep. We've had an amazing trip in the JCU. To think we set off in Cardiff. Yep. Then St Albans. Got the ferry across Paris, Arc de Triomphe, Versailles. What's the problem? We completed it. We have it. Versailles, then La Rochelle of course. Court d'Obernoldi. Yeah. Bordeaux. Monumental hangover. Yeah. And then went for a nice bike ride. Correct. San Sebastian. Did some surfing. Conquered the surf. Yeah. But then we came to Bilbao and so we just, it's been great being here a couple days before because we just felt the atmosphere build. We got here, uh completed our trip to me for the Thursday pod and it's just been great seeing the A the collection of fans, like we've seen Ulster fans, like they've had a great time out here. We've seen fans from every, Toulouse fans are here, we've seen some Bath fans, you've seen Leicester fans. Bath fans, you've seen Monster fans, we've seen fans from all over, you know, a lot of um French teams, not Palier fans have played last night, and it's been great to know all that come together. Great thing about rugby, like we talk about you know everything, but everyone's had a great time, everyone's mixed in. You've seen the beat um the Bordeaux fans, Let's fans have been out a bit earlier, they're still a lot and very confident, and then the the boy Bordeaux fans have basically drip fed in over sort of Friday and Saturday they're making the biggest noise going and say it's been it's been such a I say a privilege for us to be able to be part of this and this occasion and say because it's been oh it's been brilliant everything's been You talk about um Bordeaux celebrations tonight, but I also I think I am gonna have a big celebration. Not only did I beat you in kart ing , despite being massively heavier than you and less aerodynamic. I've absolutely smoked you in our fancy rugby league. And uh thanks to Bordeaux, I picked him early doors, and yeah, no, I'm uh I'm well happy. And we've also got a prize for the the uh winner who did top the table. It wasn't me, but the fan of the Love Rugby Fantasy League. The winner's going to get a sign ball, going your way. Probably won't want it, because it's signed by you and me, but they're having it anyway. Yeah, you you have. You've smoked me, so you can celebrate that. I want to celebrate because it has been an amazing week and I want to cap it off with a good night. I think we also need to get inside because I haven't stopped sweating since being outside in Bill Bao. But the for love of European rugby is presented by J. Coop, the official automotive partner of the Investtech Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup. I'm Dan Cole, he's Ben Young's, they're Bordeaux. We're gonna have a great night. We are, congratulations Bordeaux . For the love of Ruckley