Rugby

Mayanavanua’s Saints fall in Champions Cup final

May 25, 2025 11:00 am

[Source: Northampton Saints/ Facebook]

Flying Fijians lock and new Drua signing, Temo Mayanavanua, featured for Northampton Saints, but they failed to beat French giants Bordeaux-Begles in the Champions Cup final.

The loss also ended the Saints’ Champions Cup dream following Bordeaux’s 28-20 victory in Cardiff.

Mayanavanua’s Saints, who upset four-time champions Leinster in the semi-finals, had threatened to conjure another shock with Alex Coles’ tries at either end of the first half giving them a 20-20 share of the scoreline at the break.

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However, Bordeaux’s sparkling backline took a back seat for the second half as their forwards, including six of the replacements, gradually wore down Northampton.

Saints were the only one of five English clubs to emerge from the last 16 in this year’s tournament, with runaway Premiership leaders Bath failing to make it out of the pool stage.

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