After its qualification in the final of Champions Cup, the Union Bordeaux-Bègles must now manage its workforce as never did it before. What question, on the side of Chaban-Delmas, on the meaning of priorities at the end of the trying season.
At the twilight of a dantesque match against the Toulouse stadium in Champions Cup semi-finalthe Girondin club must now turn to the preparation of the final in Cardiff, against the English of Northampton. Before that, the top 14 takes its course and the UBB plays on both tables. A mission all the more delicate as we know that second place in the classification, synonymous with direct qualification for the semi-finals, is not yet acquired. Toulon Talonne, just two points from the Unionists. So how will the UBB manage its workforce at the end of the season?
The Bordeaux manager, Yannick Bru, is aware of the complicated double-mission to come, in view of the tight calendar offered to him: “Since the defeat against La Rochelle, we understood that we had mortgaged our chances of finishing second“, He revealed at a press conference. The former Bayonne coach confirmed a large upcoming workforce review this weekend on the Montpellier field on behalf of the 23rd day of Top 14.”I had decided, with the entire staff and even before knowing the result, to engage a large rotation during our trip to Montpellier, since it is well aware that it is very difficult to lead two competitions head -on“He continues.
International players already in demand
UBB, remember last summer! Finalists of the Top 14 during the previous exercise, the Girondins presented themselves at the completely harassé, washed, breath after a marathon season where the bodies had drawn from their deepest resources. This season, the staff seems to have adopted a different strategy to play the leading roles on the two paintings. Yannick Bruity confirmed this in Augusta few weeks later This slap -shaped finishin the Olympic Midi columns: “Management of our workforce is a subject on which we must feed and learn from our failure in the final.” The Bordeaux manager also appreciated having “Reinforced behind, to try to spend the periods of duplicates with less pain and less stress” and evoked “A workforce density a little higher than the past season.”
Yannick Bru has already turned this season several times. He also had to deal with series injuries. Those of Adam Coleman (Commotion) and Damian Penaud (ankle) this weekend do not help things. Some players, including internationals, have already played a lot since September like Yoram Moefana (1823 minutes played all competitions), Maxime Lucu (1792 minutes played TTC) or Louis Bielle-Biarrey (2004 minutes played TTC) who is the XV player in France with the most minutes played in 2024-2025.
A decisive trip to Toulon just after the final
If the UBB seems to have the weapons to keep its dolphin position in the league, the calendar promises to be responsible for the Bordeaux with the reception of Castres on weekends just before the final in Cardiff. An already decisive match against a top 6 team but the big piece, the one that will seal the fate of second place, is most certainly the post-Final shock in Mayol. There too, faced with a cooler team, we imagine a new important rotation after the energy left on the last European step. According to Yannick Bru, Bordeaux therefore seems ready to garnish his wardrobe to trophy at the expense of direct access to the semi-finals. A strategy that can be paid but also risky, in the event of a top 14 dam often trap and energy -consuming.
