Champions Cup

Bordeaux prop Carlü Sadie the big Springboks winner

South African Carlü Sadie has a remarkable rugby story, which gets even more inspirational if Bordeaux wins the Investec Champions Cup title and he makes his Test debut for the Springboks.

Published

5 minutes ago

22nd May 2026

Keo

Bordeaux prop Carlü Sadie is the biggest Springboks winner from the Investec Champions Cup season.

Sadie has been the starting tighthead prop for Bordeaux and his impressive form in the Investec Champions Cup earned him a first Springboks alignment camp call-up.

Sadie is one of 20-plus overseas-based South Africans the Boks coach Rassie Erasmus acknowledged among the 60 plus players involved in the Boks alignment camps in the past few months.

Erasmus held two alignment camps in Cape Town for local-based players and one online camp for those who play their club rugby abroad.

Many of the established Springboks World Cup winners are based in Japan, while Sadie was one of a select few uncapped players involved in the alignment camps.

Sadie starts at No 3 for Bordeaux against Leinster in Saturday’s Investec Champions Cup final in Bilbao, Spain. He has started all seven tournament matches this season.

Bordeaux are the defending champions, having won the title last season for the first time.

Leinster, who have won the title four times, are chasing a fifth star, having lost in four finals in the past six years.

Springboks World Cup-winning coach Jacques Nienaber is the senior coach at Leinster.

Carlü Sadie Bordeaux Game Time for 2025/26

Competition	Starter %	Starts	Total Minutes	Avg Minutes
Top 14	73%	16 / 22	1009′	46′
Champions Cup	100%	7 / 7	297′	42′
Bordeaux Total	79%	23 / 29	1306′	45′

Carlü Sadie Career Tournament Matches

Competition	Matches	W/D/L	Starter %	Starts	Total Minutes	Avg Minutes

Top 14

33 / 0 / 24

68%

39 / 57

2501′

44′

Champions Cup

17 / 0 / 4

59%

13 / 22

824′

37′

United Rugby Championship

15 / 1 / 17

58%

19 / 33

1450′

44′

Rainbow Cup SA

1 / 0 / 4

80%

4 / 5

277′

55′

Super Rugby

12 / 0 / 20

50%

16 / 32

1213′

38′

Super Rugby Unlocked

1 / 0 / 3

100%

5 / 5

299′

60′

Carlü Sadie and his Rugby Journey

Team	Matches	W/D/L	Starter %	Starts	Total Minutes	Avg Minutes

Bordeaux

45 / 0 / 22

69%

47 / 68

2940′

43′

Sharks

12 / 1 / 10

30%

7 / 23

769′

33′

Lions

17 / 0 / 29

81%

38 / 47

2527′

54′

Paris

2 / 0 / 4

67%

4 / 6

248′

41′

Stormers

3 / 0 / 7

0 / 10

80′

8′

Sadie, in an extensive interview with Rugby Pass revealed he was “2mm away from death” after suffering a catastrophic neck injury almost identical to the one that ended the career of fellow Springbok prop Steven Kitshoff.

Sadie explained that the injury happened during a match for Bordeaux in France. Initially, there was confusion around the seriousness of the damage, but scans later showed severe ligament damage between the C1 and C2 vertebrae in his neck. A specialist bluntly told him that if the injury had shifted another 2mm, he would have died.

The emotional toll hit immediately. Sadie feared his rugby career was over and admitted breaking down in tears after hearing the diagnosis. Surgeons later performed a complex operation involving bone taken from his hip and screws inserted into his neck to stabilise the injury. Doctors reportedly warned there was only a 50-50 chance of success.

One of the remarkable aspects of the story is Bordeaux’s faith in him. Despite the severity of the injury, the French club backed Sadie completely and believed he would return to rugby. He contrasted that support with scepticism from South Africa, where the prognosis was viewed far more negatively.

After months of rehabilitation, Sadie made a successful comeback and has since returned to top-level rugby, even earning Springbok alignment camp recognition.