Union Bordeaux Bègles facts for kids
 |
|||
| Full name | Union Bordeaux Bègles | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | L'UBB L'Union Les Girondins |
||
| Founded | 2006 | ||
| Location | Bordeaux, France | ||
| Ground(s) | Stade Chaban-Delmas (Capacity: 32,215) | ||
| President | Laurent Marti | ||
| Coach(es) | Yannick Bru | ||
| Captain(s) | Jefferson Poirot | ||
| League(s) | Top 14 | ||
| 2023–24 | 3rd | ||
|
|||
| Official website | |||
Union Bordeaux Bègles (also known as UBB) is a professional rugby union team from France. They play in the Top 14, which is the highest level of rugby in the country. The team is based in Bordeaux, France, and they wear claret (a deep red color) and white uniforms. Their home stadium is the Stade Chaban-Delmas.
UBB became part of the Top 14 league in 2011 after winning special playoff games. This also meant they could play in the European Challenge Cup, a big European competition. In 2025, UBB achieved their greatest success by winning the 2024–25 European Rugby Champions Cup.
Contents
Team History: How UBB Was Formed
For many years, the city of Bordeaux had two main rugby clubs: Stade Bordelais and Club Athlétique Bordeaux-Bègles Gironde (also called CA Béglais). These two teams were rivals, and the city didn't have one super strong club.
The Old Rugby Clubs of Bordeaux
The Stade Bordelais was a very successful team a long time ago, winning seven national championships between 1899 and 1911. After that, they played in amateur leagues.
The CA Béglais also had its moments of glory, winning two French Championships in 1969 and 1991. They even played in the first Heineken Cup (now called the European Rugby Champions Cup) in 1995. However, in the early 2000s, they faced tough times and moved down to lower leagues. At the same time, Stade Bordelais moved up to the second-level league, Pro D2.
Joining Forces: The Merger
In 2005, people started talking about joining the two clubs together. Many supporters were against it at first. But important former players believed that combining the clubs' strengths would create one powerful team. One big reason for the merger was that local businesses found it hard to support two competing clubs.
On March 10, 2006, a group called "Bordeaux Rugby Metropolis" was created. This group included many local companies that wanted to help form a big rugby club in Bordeaux. They organized an event that brought together 25,000 people and 100 companies, which helped ease the old rivalries between the two clubs.
The two clubs officially joined their professional teams. However, each club kept its youth teams separate. The new combined team took the place of Stade Bordelais in the Pro D2 league.
New Name and Success
For a while, the new club had a very long name: "Union Stade bordelais-C.A.Bordeaux-Bègles Gironde." Neither of the old clubs wanted their name to disappear. But in May 2008, the club's name was changed to the shorter and easier-to-say Union Bordeaux Bègles (UBB).
In the 2010–11 season, UBB finished fifth in the Pro D2 league, which meant they could play in the finals. They won their semi-final match and then beat SC Albi in the grand final. This victory promoted them to the Top 14, the top rugby league in France.
In 2015, a company from Hong Kong called Gavekal bought a small part of the team. In May 2025, UBB made history by beating Stade Toulousain to reach their first-ever European Rugby Champions Cup final. They then won the final against Northampton Saints, becoming champions!
Team Name Evolution
The club's first name was very long because both original clubs wanted to be included. It was hard to find a name that made everyone happy. Finally, in May 2008, the name was simplified to 'Union Bordeaux Bègles', which is much easier to remember.
Home Stadiums
When the clubs first merged, they had a problem with where to play their home games. Neither club wanted to give up their stadium. So, for their first season, UBB played half their matches at Stade Sainte-Germaine and half at Stade André Moga. This was against the rules of the French National Rugby League, which says a team should have one home ground.
For their second season, it was decided that the main team would play in Bègles, and the younger teams would play in Bouscat.
When UBB moved up to the Top 14 in 2011, they started sharing games between Stade André Moga and the larger Stade Chaban-Delmas in Bordeaux. Since 2012–13, UBB has played most of their home matches at the bigger Stade Chaban-Delmas. For some very big games, they also use the even larger Matmut Atlantique stadium.
Team Logo
The UBB logo combines symbols from the two original clubs. It shows the blue and white checkered pattern from CA Béglais and the yellow lion on a black background from Stade Bordelais. The crescent shapes in the logo represent the city of Bordeaux itself.
Team Achievements
UBB has won some important titles:
- European Rugby Champions Cup
- Champions (1): 2025
- French championship Top 14
- Runners-up (1): 2024
Finals Played
European Rugby Champions Cup Final
| Date | Winners | Score | Runners-up | Venue | Spectators |
| 24 May 2025 |  Union Bordeaux Bègles |
28–20 |  Northampton Saints |
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff | 70,225 |
French Championship Final
| Date | Winners | Score | Runners-up | Venue | Spectators |
| 28 June 2024 | Stade Toulousain | 59–3 | Union Bordeaux Bègles | Stade Vélodrome, Marseille | 66,760 |
Current Team Squad
The Union Bordeaux Bègles has a team of professional rugby players who compete in the Top 14 league. They also have a younger "Espoirs" squad, which helps develop future talent for the main team.
Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.
|
|
Espoirs Squad (Youth Team)
The Union Bordeaux Bègles Espoirs squad is:
Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.
|
|
See also
In Spanish: Union Bordeaux Bègles para niños
- Stade Bordelais
- Club Athlétique Bordeaux-Bègles Gironde
- List of rugby union clubs in France
- Rugby union in France
