Bordeaux Begles 7s vs Stade Toulousain 7s

Toulouse's quick starts in each half proved decisive. By the time Bordeaux found any rhythm, the scoreboard already demanded an improbable chase. The discipline and structure that served Bordeaux in the pool-stage win — where they scored 24 points against Toulouse — evaporated in the bronze match, as Toulouse's defensive line speed shut down their attacking threats.

Toulouse's collective defensive effort was the foundation of the win. After conceding 24 points to Bordeaux two days earlier, they limited the champions to just 10 — a 14-point swing built on scramble defence and line speed that forced errors. Several Toulouse players stepped up after the semi-final disappointment, showing the depth of a squad that also won the women's title on the same day, beating Clermont 10-7 in the women's final.

For Bordeaux, their path through the knockout rounds — a dominant quarter-final followed by a tight semi-final defeat — suggested the physical toll of defending their title caught up with them in the third-place match.

The match was the fifth H2H meeting between these sides since 2020. Bordeaux had won all five previous encounters, making this Toulouse's first-ever victory over Bordeaux in Supersevens competition. The 27 points Toulouse scored matched their highest tally against Bordeaux, while the 10 they conceded was their best defensive return in the fixture. The 17-point winning margin was the largest in the rivalry's history, surpassing the previous record of seven points.

Pool C earlier in the weekend ranked as the tightest of the four groups — Toulouse (63 PF), Bordeaux (55 PF), Barbarians Français (31 PF) and Lyon OU (31 PF) — with the top two sides advancing to the quarter-finals. Both Toulouse and Bordeaux navigated their knockout matches before meeting again, with the bronze match ultimately producing a scoreline that mirrored the stage's competitive gap between the finalists and the chasing pack.

Monaco won the Biarritz stage, beating Toulon 21-12 in the men's final, and secured qualification for the Paris grand final at La Défense Arena (6-7 February 2027). Toulouse's third-place finish earns them valuable points in the season-long standings. The top eight teams across both stages — Biarritz and Pau (28-29 August) — qualify for the grand final.

Bordeaux, as defending stage champions from the 2025 season, will look to rebound in Pau when the circuit resumes on 28-29 August 2026. Toulouse, meanwhile, carry momentum into stage two after a bronze finish that showcased their defensive improvement across the weekend.

Toulouse flipped the narrative from their pool-stage defeat with a comprehensive bronze-medal performance that suggested real growth across the weekend. Bordeaux's title defence remains alive, but the gap between them and the leading pack — Monaco, Toulon, and now Toulouse — looks narrower than a year ago.