Northampton Coach Criticizes Post-Match Fracas Following Champions Cup Loss
In the wake of Northampton’s heartbreaking 28-20 loss to Bordeaux-Begles in the Investec Champions Cup final held at the prestigious Principality Stadium, coach Phil Dowson expressed his discontent regarding an incident he labeled as "unacceptable." The confrontation involved Henry Pollock, who appeared to be grabbed by the throat after the final whistle, sparking a heated exchange on the pitch.
"This altercation was unwarranted and out of line," Dowson stated. "I’ve been informed that the touch judge witnessed the incident and will handle it appropriately."
Pollock was notably shaken by the situation. Dowson further remarked, "He reacted understandably, given the circumstances, and I’ve assured him that the officials will take necessary action."
Fin Smith, Northampton’s England fly-half, added, "It seemed like they were targeting Pollock. I do not think they appreciated him playing so well. It’s surprising that after clinching a European title, a team would want to engage in conflict with a young player."
Saints’ captain, Fraser Dingwall, commented, "I don’t believe there was animosity leading up to the incident. However, I questioned certain moments where the sport’s principles weren’t upheld, leading to tense reactions."
Despite losing key players George Furbank and James Ramm to injuries early on, Northampton fought valiantly. They were hoping for their first Champions Cup title in a quarter-century, highlighted by an impressive try from flanker Alex Coles. Fin Smith contributed with two penalties and two conversions, yet Bordeaux’s effective finishing proved decisive, with Damian Penaud scoring two tries amidst contributions from locks Adam Coleman and Cyril Cazeaux.
Matthieu Jalibert’s penalty and conversion, along with captain Maxime Lucu’s penalty, rounded off a successful campaign for Bordeaux, marking a fifth consecutive victory for French clubs in the tournament.
Dingwall reflected on the match, stating, "We fought hard and weren’t willing to back down, but we provided them with too many opportunities. In moments like this, small margins matter greatly, and when facing top teams, those mistakes can be devastating."
As rugby fans look ahead to the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour in Australia, excitement builds for upcoming matches, with Sky Sports set to exclusively cover all three Tests and six warm-up games.
2025 British and Irish Lions Tour Schedule:
- June 20 – Argentina, Dublin
- June 28 – Western Force, Perth
- July 2 – Queensland Reds, Brisbane
- July 5 – NSW Waratahs, Sydney
- July 9 – ACT Brumbies, Canberra
- July 12 – Invitational AU-NZ, Adelaide
- July 19 – Australia (First Test), Brisbane
- July 22 – First Nations & Pasifika XV, Melbourne
- July 26 – Australia (Second Test), Melbourne
- August 2 – Australia (Third Test), Sydney
Watch live coverage of this historical tour, bringing you all the action from down under!