Saints failed to score a point in the second half. Bordeaux scored 217 points in the pool phase to secure top seeds. They then comfortably beat Ulster, Munster and Toulouse. Northampton was their toughest test in terms of final score.

Yet a post-match melee saw Pollock appear to gesture to his throat following a fracas that involved Pete Samu, Tevita Tatafu and Jefferson Poirot and appeared to be sparked by a clash between Saints skipper Fraser Dingwall and Bordeaux-Begles fly half Matthieu Jalibert.

Bordeaux-Begles has won its first Champions Cup rugby title after holding off Northampton 28-20 in the final at Principality Stadium.