Finn Russell denied final reunion as Blair Kinghorn and Toulouse lose grip on trophy to another Scot

Scotland star Blair Kinghorn and Toulouse have relinquished their grip on the Investec Champions Cup after the defending champions lost their all-French semi-final against Bordeaux-Begles.

Toulouse were hoping to retain the trophy they won last season but without Scotland full-back Kinghorn, who is currently sidelined by injury, they went down 35-18 to Top 14 rivals Bordeaux-Begles, who will now face Northampton Saints in the final.

Louis Bielle-Biarrey’s stunning try was the moment to savour for Bordeaux, who had raced into a 10-0 lead with a try from Pete Samu and a Matthieu Jalibert penalty, but Toulouse edged 11-10 up with a pair of Juan Cruz Mallia penalties either side of Dimitri Delibes’ try.

Louis Bielle-Biarrey celebrates Bordeaux-Begles' win over Toulouse. | AFP via Getty Images

But Bielle-Biarrey then lit up the Matmut Atlantique with a moment of brilliance, somersaulting his way over the line after Romain Buros had burst through the Toulouse defence.

When the 21-year-old France wing scored a second just 19 seconds into the second half, Jalibert converted for a 25-11 lead but Pierre-Louis Barassi capitalised on a visit to the sin bin for Marko Gazzotti to pull one back for Toulouse and inject some nerves into the finale.

Pierre Bochaton powered over for a fourth Bordeaux try in the 64th minute and Ben Tameifuna added a late fifth to put Bordeaux into their first Champions Cup final, to be played in Cardiff on May 24.

Jonny Gray left out of team

Bordeaux did not select their Scotland internationalist Jonny Gray in their matchday 23 despite playing 45 minutes against La Rochelle last weekened and he will hope to return to the reckoning for match against Northampton, who stunned Leinster 24 hours earlier to book their place in the final.

In the EPCR Challenge Cup, Bath - conquerors of Edinburgh in the semi-finals - will take on French opposition in Lyon on March 23, also in Cardiff, after they won their all-Top 14 clash with Racing92 on Sunday lunchtime. Léo Berdeu was the main man for Lyon, kicking 19 points in their victory at the Stade de Gerland.

Their win denies Scotland fly-half Finn Russell a reunion with his former club Racing92, with the Bath man having spent five years in the French capital before switching to the Gallagher Premiership outfit in the autumn of 2023.