The two best French clubs of the moment meet Sunday, May 4 afternoon in the semi-finals of the Champions Cup (4 p.m.). The Union Bordeaux-Bègles (UBB) faces Toulouse, two unbeaten teams so far in the competition, to hope to reach the final against the English of Northampton. The UBB will be able to count on its supporters, in an Atlantic Matmut once again on closed counters, with more than 42,000 spectators and Bordeaux more and more keen on oval ball.
It was enough to raise your head in the streets of the Gironde city on Saturday to see the craze around the rugby club. The caps of the UBB effigy were out and for Michelle, it was the bandana around the neck. “I love it, and my darling, it’s (Maxime) Lucu. My son and my daughter-in-law offered me the subscription for my 50th birthday, it’s a beautiful gift”she rejoices.
Like Michelle, more and more Bordelais grow behind their rugby club. The number of subscribers has increased from 8,000 to 17,000 in 4 years, with another 30% increase this year. The club shop, Quai des Chartrons, was not upset on Saturday. “A cap, a t-shirt and a sweater”lists the supporter. UBB, we are forced to love it, justifies Virginie. “The atmosphere is great, we like the rugby atmosphere. We have a lot of players in the French team, it is and it helps that the club is super followed this year, with all the closed -stop matches”.
-The UBB even holds the best crowd in the world for a professional rugby team, with 32,000 spectators on average during the first part of the 2024-2025 season, according to figures from the National Rugby League (LNR). And the setbacks of Girondins footballers do not explain everything (currently in National 2, the fourth division), according to Christophe Bonnet, lecturer in sports management at the Faculty of Bordeaux. The change was also the merger in 2006 of Bègles and Bordeaux, and the arrival of the team at the Chaban-Delmas stadium. “They have recovered a historic stadium which has the advantage of being located in the heart of the city, of benefiting from the entire urban network with trams and buses. Which made it the rallying point of the city, but also of the periphery”analyzes the sociologist.
A club that over the years has also been able to create a strong identity, with spectacular players. “Bordeaux has forged the image of a team that plays, it participated in the revival of the club. There was the desire to base oneself on a more spectacular game, which is based more on the expectations of a new audience, more lover of the show”believes Christophe Bonnet.
On the show side, it is therefore only missing the trophies, with a stage to take on Sunday to reach its first final of Champions Cup in its history.
