Month: May 2025

Bordeaux 2025 Champions Cup Winners

Cian McGibneyRugby

Bordeaux Begles are the 2025 Champions Cup winners after defeating Northampton Saints 28-20 in Saturday’s final in the Principality Stadium. It was the final that people wanted. It had everything, tries, cards, disallowed tries and key moments a plenty. Bordeaux are only in existence 19 years after the amalgamation of two clubs in the Bordeaux area.

It was finally poised at the half with the score 20 all and it was all to play for in the second half. Both sides scored tries in the opening half and cancelled each other out that as I mentioned saw both teams level at half time.

Northampton were looking for a first title in 25 years after a win in 2000 and a loss to Leinster in 2011. They have already won domestic honours winning the Premiership title in May 2024. Only losing out to Leinster in Croke Park in last season’s  Champions Cup semi-final.

Northampton did have opportunities in the game and won several penalties late on but they could not stay inside the Bordeaux half for long enough to make all that pressure count. Bordeaux will be delighted that they managed the second half so well and managed to stretch out the lead to 8 points and it is a lead they never relinquished.

Both sides attacked each other and while Northampton’s attack was very reliant on Sam Vesty’s bag of set moves to help it through, they also showed real quality with Alex Mitchell and Fin Smith trying to put guys like Fraiser Dingwall and Tommy Freeman into space.

The loss of James Ramm and George Furbank to injury early on had a huge impact on the Saints late on in terms they couldn’t have any impact in the final 20 minutes in particular. Bordeaux had that impact from quite early on the second half. Both sides went 6/2 on the bench. This power had a greater impact for Bordeaux than it had for the Saints.

Mathieu Jailibert and Maxime Lucu were to the fore for Bordeaux helped along by a very powerfull forward pack. Damien Penaud made it back for the final after an injury in the semi-final vs Toulouse and he scored 2 tries to move to 14 Champions Cup tries for the year. Three tries more than the previous record holder Chris Ashton who scored 11 while in the colours of Saracens in a season.

Bordeaux Begles are the 2025 winners of the Champions Cup and were worthy winners. It keeps the trophy in France for another year, Toulouse, La Rochelle and now Bordeaux have shared the last 4 titles between them. Exeter were the last English winner in 2020 and Leinster were the last Irish winner in 2018.

It will be interesting to see who may come from the chasing pack in 2026 to put their name on the trophy or will Bordeaux Begles double up and win a second title in succession. This particular feat will not be easily achieved.

You can sure several other sides will be hell bent on winning the Champions Cup in 2026, France and England have shared the last 5 between them and other sides will want to desperately break that strangle hold.

The competition will take a break in 2028 to allow for the World Club Cup to take its place, well the latter stages will be different in 2028. That chat is for another day. I congratulate Bordeaux Begles on winning a first European crown and of course we have Irish interest with Noel Mc Namara in the coaching staff and Joey Carbery in year 1 of a 3 year deal signed last year. Carbery won his second medal after winning his first with Leinster in 2018. Congrats to both men and their families…..

Exam Time 2025

Cian McGibneyLife

It is that time of the year again that will see thousands of students face the Junior Cert and Leaving Cert as well as in house exams over the next few weeks. It is a big time for students, teachers and parents and in particular those who will face the Junior Cert for the first time.

I can only truly draw on my own experience as a real example of probably what not to do given I didn’t do a great Leaving Cert but I did do it and sit here 16 years later happy and content, even though I do have small regrets but that is only natural given the passage of time over the past few years.

You’ll have been told that the Leaving Cert in particular is the be all and end all, well that is what I was told anyway but there are many ways to get to where you want to in life and that is not just down the academic route while it is still the best route, it is not the only way…

Of course listen to your teachers and parents as they know you better than I do so enjoy the final days of your time in school because the one thing I can say for certain without contradiction is that once your school days are at an end life will never be the same again.

So as I said enjoy the last few days with your friends and teachers and keep up the studying over the next few weeks as D day is only around the corner for you all.

I have mentioned many times in a few previous pieces written before exam time, teachers aren’t there to steer you on the wrong road, they are there to assist you. I am only really beginning to realise that fact as the years go by…

I know too that we as teenagers thought we knew everything but as life has thought me we certainly don’t know everything contrary to what you might think. Listen to the advice that is being given to you and don’t be too pig headed about accepting help or support.

Life has always been tough and tricky to navigate but given all that is happening worldwide and with the pressure of social media. It can be tough to be a teenager in 2025 but with the right support from friends, family and listening to teacher’s advice life can be made that bit easier.

I’ll finish by saying, do your best in a few weeks time, you’ll get the rewards for the effort you put in. Remember too that while the exams are important, they are not the be all and end all….

To the class of 2025, all the very best

2025 Champions Cup Final

Cian McGibneyRugby

Bordeaux Begles will face Northampton Saints this weekend in the Champions Cup final in Cardiff. Both sides won their respective semi-finals to get through the show piece in the Principality Stadium.

It is a first Champions Cup final appearance for Bordeaux and for Northampton it is a first final since 2011. That day they lost to Leinster and that was 11 years on from a narrow 9-8 win over Munster in Twickenham.

Northampton will want to earn a second star, 25 years on from winning that first title under the captaincy of Pat Lam who is now Bristol director of rugby. It is a huge day in the history of both clubs particularly Bordeaux who will contest a first final under Yannick Bru in Europe.

The two best sides are in the final this year and no one can have any complaints on that front. It should be a good final. Let’s hope both sides go out and give it everything and it won’t turn into a cagey affair.

Bordeaux and Northampton both score tries for fun domestically so one hopes this will help us have a good open game on the big day in the Champions Cup. Rugby Union is in real need of a strong final given the off field issues concerning clubs in Wales and the trouble that World Rugby is having in the 7s form of the game.

It is a novel pairing seen as perennial finalists in recent times Leinster and Toulouse were knocked off the pedestal in recent weeks. Both sides are fully deserving of a place in the final as I mentioned and Bordeaux will know they will again need to be water tight in defence to get past Northampton who will have recently selected British and Irish Lions, Alex Mitchell, Fin Smith and Henry Pollock in the 23.

Bordeaux will be able to call upon guys like Joey Carbery, Maxime Lucu, Mathieu Jailbert and Pete Samu who is an Austrailan international who himself could face those three Lions later in the summer.

Bordeaux were heavily beaten in last season’s Top 14 Final by Toulouse and they have already re dressed that loss and will draw on those experiences in the latter stages of the final on Saturday.

This is shaping up to be a good final and given that Nika Amashukeli will have the whistle, this should provide it to be an open game as refereeing has again come in for criticism in the URC in recent weeks in particular.

It is France vs England in a European final and that should be enough to whet the appetites of supporters across the World. As I said Rugby Union has a habit of shooting itself in the foot from time to time but for once I hope rugby can do it’s talking on the field and the first finals of the season are on this weekend with Lyon facing Bath on Friday night in Cardiff.

This year’s final is kicking off at 2.45pm, an ideal time for fans in the Stadium and across Europe as well as the globe. I’ll pin my colours to the mast now and say Bordeaux Begles will win a first European crown on the 30th anniversary of the competition that was first won by Toulouse in Cardiff in the Arms Park….

Rachael Blackmore Retires

Cian McGibneyOther Sport

Rachael Blackmore has ended her ground breaking career after 16 years in the saddle, 10 of which were as a professional.  She won every major race in her chosen sport. Becoming the first woman to win the Grand National and winning 18 races in Cheltenham including the Champion Hurdle, Gold Cup and will be forever linked to that wonderful mare Honeysuckle whom she partnered many times.

She had many traits that stood to her, extremely competitive, a canny knack of knowing how to win the big race, being in the right place at the right time, of course she credits her career to this very thing.

She will bow out at the top of her sport with a win in Cheltenham back in March on Bob Olinger as well as some strong showings at Aintree and Punchestown a few weeks ago.

She gained the admiration of her peers and put many of them in their place by showing grit and determination on the big occasion to win the big race. She comes from a non-racing background as her Dad was a framer while her Mam was a school teacher from Killeneaule in Tipperary.

She went pony racing and used those skills when required in the National Hunt scene. She has been professional since 2015 and will always be linked to trainers like John “Shark” Hanlon, Henry De Bromhead, Willie Mullins to name three she was involved with many times on the big day.

She has a good strike rate when winning Grade 1 races winning 33 in the course of her career. She showed how ice cool she was when winning on Honeysuckle, Minella Times, Bob Olinger, A Plus Tard as well as many more.

She defiantly has opened doors for other women to follow in her footsteps in the years to come. It is great that she has the chance to call time on her career under her own steam and not have an injury dictate when she bows out.

From a personal perspective, I was fortunate to interview Rachael after her achievements in Aintree and Cheltenham and I thank well known Racing Photographer Pat “Cash” Healy for vouching for me and then Rachael for giving of her time to chat with me.

It has been fantastic to see her live in Listowel every June and September as well as on TV over the past 10 years. Watching her win on Honeysuckle in particular gave me great pleasure.

She bows out as not just Grand National winning jockey but also a trailblazer who has set the template for others to follow. She took on the very best in her chosen sport and didn’t just compete, she went one better and beat her peers on the big day multiple times.

Wishing you all the best in whatever might be next Rachael and thank you for the memories….

Darkness Into Light 2025

Cian McGibneyLife

It is that time of the year again when “Darkness Into Light” happens and this year the venue of the local walking route has changed and will now take place in and around Moyvane. I have been on previous walks here in Tarbert and it always attracted a big attendance.

From what I have seen it will attract big numbers again this year to the new route in Moyvane. Of course Pieta does great work in offering support to those who are most in need of it.

Given the current climate throughout the world at this moment, looking at TV, radio and social media wouldn’t fill you with confidence and could make you feel rough on occasion. The one thing the walk will show you is that there is support there for you no matter the situation.

I have been through several rough times over the past 21 years but I am thankfully still here and that is because I opened my mouth and spoke of my own issues and with the right support I have been able to see my way clear.

Until the age of 24, I wouldn’t have burdened anyone with my troubles as I always felt I could solve them on my own but that didn’t work as I look back but I now have ways of dealing with anything that comes my way. I can deal with issues that crop up now in a far healthier way that ever before.

I also know that taking that first step of opening up isn’t easy and you will feel very vulnerable at first but by picking someone you trust to speak with it, It will make that first step much easier.

I had to take that first step myself and chose to write it down and post it on my site before I took the opportunity to speak to family and friends.

Not the most advisable thing to do but do what you feel is the right thing for you. No matter how you do it, trust me when I say taking that first step is the hardest thing to do but so rewarding and will make an immediate impact.

People for the most part will do what they can to assist you and offer support when and where they can. I have been fortunate to find I had support everywhere I turned after posting my open letter in 2014. That network of continued of support has saved me a few times since 2014 in particular.

I have had many counselling sessions over the years and It is one of the many services that Pieta House offers along with a few other options. The walk tomorrow morning is to offer the helping hand to those in most need and show them that even in the darkest of moments there truly is always light….

To all of the participants locally in Moyvane or elsewhere throughout Ireland and the world as this walk is now a global event, all the best and well done for offering that helping hand. To anyone who may be currently suffering in silence, I hope you find the motivation to open up and have that first conversation.

As sure as day follows night, there is always light at the end of a dark tunnel. Mind yourselves….. Enjoy the sunrise tomorrow morning…

Leinster Semi Final Loss

Cian McGibneyRugby

Leinster have failed in their quest of making another Champions Cup Final after a narrow 37-34 loss to Northampton. But in truth the margin of defeat could have been greater only Leinster managed to score a late score to close the gap.

Northampton learned from last season and also after beating Munster in Thomond Park they learned very quickly that day how to win on the big away day. Phil Dowson, Sam Vesty and Lee Briers had there charges well drilled and ready for the challenge. They scored 5 tries with Tommy Freeman, Fin Smith and Alex Mitchell leading from the front.

Leinster will wonder about that final play and how they didn’t cross the try line but I think in all honesty they were well beaten on the day and although the score board says different. Leo Cullen and his coaching staff will have plenty to sift through while preparing for Zebre in the URC.

It is another loss for this group at the latter stages of the Champions Cup. Questions will be asked as to why Jordie Barrett was on the bench for the semi-final as he has been sparingly used since his debut against Bristol from the bench in December.

Back to Saints who will now look to win a second Champions Cup title 25 years on from winning their first in Twickenham against Munster in a tight contest that saw full back for the day Paul Grayson kick 3 penalties to Ronan O Gara’s two to win 9-8.

They celebrated that victory early in the campaign and you have to think that squad will have pride of place in Cardiff on the 24th of May against Bordeaux Begles.

It is the Saints side of 2024/2025 that has seen them through and they will take note of the fact it is a quarter of century since that last win and will want to write their name in Saints history.

Leinster for their part will go back to the drawing board again and will try for a 4th season in a row to focus on winning a first URC title since 2021.

 This one like the rest will sting and it will take a huge effort from the squad to lift it for the last few games and then a home quarter final but that is what they need to do and there is no room for sentiment currently as they still have a shot at winning the URC and that will at least go some small way to start the recovery from the loss to Northampton.

Leinster will know they need to win something to justify the out lay on the likes of Slimani, Snyman and Barrett along with next season’s recruit Reiko Ioane.

Yes they have strength in depth in all departments but this particular group hasn’t crossed that winning threshold in blue and while talk of 4 previous Champions Cup titles and a few URC winning sides is still relevant but only just at this point, time is defiantly now for this group.

This group in the main hasn’t got that amount of serial winners and they will know only too well that another loss at URC level will mean questions will grow louder and Leo Cullen will hope his charges can start answering those queries from Saturday onwards.

The investment and work being done by Leinster is admired world over but that should not stop questions being asked as they potentially face a 5th season without a trophy. Those questions will remain until they answer them.

The work of healing a very open wound begins on Saturday and let’s see how the group bounces back and of course they will not have club captain Caelan Doris to lead from the front as he has gone under the knife to deal with a shoulder injury.

A big couple of weeks are now ahead for all 4 provinces but the spot light will most defiantly be on Munster v Ulster on Friday evening along with Leinster and Connacht’s games on Saturday…..

35, Holy God

Cian McGibneyLife

As I stare at the age of 35 half way to 40, even writing those numbers, it is beginning to dawn on me that life is moving on. I am where I want to be and writing more frequently, thinking of Fr Pat Moore on the occasion of his 8th anniversary. He is a big reason I can do my few bits with recording etc. He and John Herilhy of Radio Kerry took a chance on me back in 2014 and I hope that faith has been paid back to both men…

I am looking at the age of 35 and beginning to realise that I am not a young man anymore and life experiences have taught me many things over the past number of years in particular. I am happy in my skin but these two dates of May 1st and 2nd have an extra significance ever since Fr Pat passed away.

I never trusted myself in certain situations and always was shocked when other people put real trust in me and gave me opportunities and those chances taken by Fr Pat and John Herlihy have allowed me to write and record with more confidence in the 10 years since that Radio Kerry course.

I also find it amazing that I don’t sweat things as badly as I have previously done maybe again that comes with age and experience or maybe it is purely down to “not giving a fuck” in certain circumstances.

Life has of course changed beyond all recognition for me and the “set of keys” has helped shape me into a better person who is far more open than before and I am better in tune with life and its ups and downs.

I couldn’t wait to turn 18 and now I am heading for 40, and yes it has gone by in that flash that you see people mention on TV or on Radio…. What I had hoped to do as a kid was write about sport and if possible talk about it which has been achieved and if I was to stop today, I would be extremely pleased with my attempt and my lot.

I won’t be stepping back as I enjoy it too much and I hope to begin to record again very soon. Life is good and I just hope I can keep it between the two ditches over the next few years. Thanks to family, friends and anyone else that has helped me keep myself on the straight and narrow to make the age of 35….