Bielle-Biarrey closes in on two-year Bordeaux extension with 2027 World Cup in his sights

Louis Bielle-Biarrey is on the verge of signing a two-year contract extension with Bordeaux-Bègles that would keep the France winger at the club until the summer of 2029. The 23-year-old entered the final year of his current deal in July, and talks with club president Laurent Marti have been ongoing for weeks.

Minor contractual details — including the management of his personal Adidas sponsorship agreement — delayed a resolution, but the latest reports from France indicate those sticking points are close to being resolved. Bielle-Biarrey is set to receive a significant pay rise, though Bordeaux must still accommodate his improved terms within the Top 14 salary cap.

The extension would secure one of the most in-form players in world rugby. Bielle-Biarrey has scored 29 tries in 27 appearances for Les Bleus and was named Player of the Tournament at each of the last two Six Nations, with France claiming back-to-back titles in both editions.

Speaking to L’Equipe, Bielle-Biarrey made clear his desire to stay and outlined his longer-term ambitions. “Without betraying a secret, it’s going very well,” he said. “In absolute terms, I want to stay at the UBB, a club that works well and in which I feel good.”

While domestic honours remain a priority — “I would still like to win titles, including the Top 14 of course” — it is the 2027 Rugby World Cup that drives him most. “What obviously makes me dream the most is the World Cup. It’s the Grail. We will be serious contenders in 2027, and we should not miss it.”

Bielle-Biarrey, who was rested for France’s Nations Championship campaign this summer, also reflected on the pain of the 2023 World Cup, where France were eliminated at the quarter-final stage on home soil. “In 2023, I was still young, and I had not realised too much. But the more I think about it, the more I tell myself that the opportunity was huge and that we didn’t get far. I hope we will feed on this frustration.”

A formal announcement is expected once the remaining contractual details are finalised.