We select a starting XV of players that excelled during two unforgettable Champions Cup semi-finals on the weekend, with Saints shocking Leinster and Bordeaux downing injury-plagued Toulouse to ensure they have the only representatives on this list.
Front rankers: Emmanuel Iyogun (Northampton Saints), Maxime Lamothe and Ben Tameifuna (both Bordeaux-Begles)
Youngster Iyogun stood up well against the great Tadhg Furlong and the rest of the mighty Leinster front row, scrumming hard and ending up with eight tackles and a turnover to his name. Former France U20 man Lamothe outplayed opposite number Julien Marchand with an 11/13 lineout success rate, 33-carry metres, two turnovers and seven tackles. Super-sub Tameifuna made a tsunami-sized splash for Bordeaux off the bench, winning a turnover, making five defensive hits and even scoring a vital try.
Second rowers: Cyril Cazeaux (Bordeaux-Begles) and Alex Coles (Northampton Saints)
Two No 5s this week. In a clutch display at lineout time, Coles held his own while making a big 16-tackles and winning a turnover to cancel out his late yellow card. Cazeaux had a stormer himself in the colours of Bordeaux, putting in 17-tackles in an industrious performance at lineout time and all over the park.
Back rowers: Josh Kemeny, Henry Pollock and Juarno Augustus (all Northampton Saints)
Shout out to Bordeaux’s Samu, but Northampton’s entire back three were superb, particularly Pollock and Augustus. If you have five minutes this week, and if you haven’t seen it already, it’s worth your while checking out their highlights from Saturday’s game. Just colossal stuff.
Honourable mentions: Pete Samu (Bordeaux-Begles)
Halfbacks: Maxime Lucu and Matthieu Jalibert (both Bordeaux-Begles)
Lucu and Jalibert were miles better than the Toulouse halfback pair of Graou and Ntamack on Sunday. Lucu, a good shout for European Player of the Year, pulled the strings as he always does, freeing up Jalibert to pull off some of his most outrageous stunts and propel Bordeaux to their first final… and maybe even give Fabien Galthie some food for thought.
Honourable mentions: Fin Smith (both Northampton Saints)
Midfield: Yoram Moefana (Bordeaux-Begles) and Fraser Dingwall (Northampton Saints)
A characteristically solid outing for Moefana, who made 26-metred with ball in hand, and 11-tackles while potential British & Irish Lions bolter Dingwall was also big for Saints, assisting one try, making seven tackles and 29-carry metres.
Back three: Louis Bielle-Biarrey (Bordeaux-Begles), Tommy Freeman and James Ramm (both Northampton Saints)
Bielle-Biarrey continues to enhance his reputation as one of the world’s best, scoring twice and carrying for 88-metres. Freeman bagged a first-half hattrick to stamp his British & Irish Lions ticket to Australia while fullback partner Ramm was also excellent, scoring once and carrying for 121-metres.
Honourable mentions: Tommy O’Brien (Leinster)
