Leinster vs Bordeaux Begles Prediction: Bordeaux to retain European crown

The showpiece event in the northern hemisphere club calendar arrives on Saturday afternoon (2:45pm, ITV X) as Leinster and Bordeaux Begles go toe-to-toe in the European Rugby Champions Cup final at San Mames Stadium.

Alex Jack provides his best bets in his Leinster vs Bordeaux Begles prediction piece, as well as all the essential team news and match odds for the battle in the Basque Country.

Rugby Union Odds

Team News

Starting with Bordeaux, the Top 14 outfit have Jefferson Poirot, Maxime Lamothe and Sipili Falatea in the front row, with Adam Coleman and Cyril Cazeaux in the second row.

Bastien Bochaton, Cameron Woki and Marko Gazzotti make up the back row, with Maxime Lucu and Matthieu Jalibert combining once again in the half-backs.

Yoram Moefana and Damian Penaud start in the centres, with Louis Bielle-Biarrey, Pablo Uberti and Salesi Rayasi in the back three.

As for Leinster, the Irish province go with Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan and Thomas Clarkson in the front row, with Joe McCarthy and James Ryan in the engine room.

Jack Conan, Josh van der Flier and Caelan Doris complete the pack, while Jamison Gibson-Park and Ross Byrne start in the half-backs.

Robbie Henshaw and Garry Ringrose are the familiar centre partnership, while Leinster boast a back three of Rieko Ioane, Tommy O'Brien and Hugo Keenan.

Leinster vs Bordeaux Begles Odds

Bordeaux are 4/9 favourites to win Saturday’s final in regular time, while Leinster are 9/5 to head back to Dublin with the trophy.

A draw in Bilbao is currently 22/1, while Bordeaux to be ahead at both the half-time and full-time whistle are available at 5/6.

Bordeaux Begles -9 handicap @ 13/10

Battling past Bath with a 38-26 victory in the semi-finals, Bordeaux have already conquered the reigning Gallagher Prem champions on their way to this weekend’s final.

Leinster, who have been losing finalists in three of the last four seasons, had to hold on for their 29-25 win over Toulon in the semi-finals and a much sterner test against the Champions Cup title holders awaits the Irish province on Saturday.

This final is almost a clash between the Irish and French national sides, in a game that should be worthy of any Test match.

Bordeaux know exactly what it takes to win this title after their 28-20 win over Northampton Saints in last season's final and the Top 14 outfit are tipped to go back-to-back in Europe this season and cover the handicap in the process against Leinster.

Louis Bielle-Biarrey first tryscorer @ 15/2

Scoring first-half tries in both the round of 16 and the semi-finals, Bordeaux winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey has made a habit of getting on the scoreboard before the break in this competition.

Arguably the best finisher in world rugby, the two-time Six Nations Player of the Tournament, is an eye-catching price in the first tryscorer market at 15/2.