Investec Champions Cup ‘Out of the Ordinary’ Photo of the Year

The Investec Champions Cup ‘Out of the Ordinary’ photographer of the year is L’Equipe’s Alain Mounic for his ‘Out of the Ordinary’ Photo of the Year of French winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey.

A trademark Bielle-Biarrey acrobatic try snapped byMounic during the Investec Champions Cup semi-final between Bielle-Biarrey’s Union Bordeaux Bègles and Stade Toulousain has been named the Investec Champions Cup “Out of the Ordinary” Photograph of the year.

Judged by a panel drawn from across the world of rugby, the out-of-the-ordinary moment features Bielle-Biarrey’s stunning try as his team went on to beat title-holders Stade Toulousain at the Matmut ATLANTIQUE on their way to winning the Investec Champions Cup for the very first time.

The panel consisted of last year’s Investec Champions Cup Photograph of the Year competition winner, AFP’s Adrian Dennis, former England star and current Premier Sports pundit Topsy Ojo, EPCR Head of Match Officials Tony Spreadbury, two students from the Investec-supported School of Hard Knocks programme and EPCR Director of Communications and PR Anna Young.

The runner-up spot was won by Alexandre Martins (DPPI) with an action-packed moment from the same match, with Union Bordeaux Bègles barrelling over the line under a pile of Toulouse players while referee Andrew Brace signals the successful try and Bordeaux players celebrate.

Four photographers received Highly Commended accolades:

• Franck Fife (AFP) – Racing 92 v Harlequins, Round 1
• John Crother (Focus Images) – Leinster Rugby v ASM Clermont Auvergne, Round 2
• Howard Cleland (Artel Media) – Hollywoodbets Sharks v Stade Toulousain, Round 3
• Brian Smyth (BFS Photo) – Leinster Rugby v Harlequins, Round of 16

Speaking of their involvement in selecting the prize winners from the 50-plus entries received, 2024’s winner Adrian Dennis said: “It was great to see a selection of entries from the Investec Champions Cup, from the opening rounds right through to the Final.

“There were plenty of entries capturing tries and tackles – just what photographers are aiming for whilst on the touchline. What set the finalists apart were their photos of definitive moments in crucial games.”

Jennifer Whiteford, Head of Brand and Sponsorship, Investec plc, said: “This is our second year running the Investec Champions Cup ‘Out of the Ordinary’ photo competition, and the entries continue to impress us with their increasing quality. We were thrilled by the creativity and ability displayed in this year’s submissions; they truly capture the passion, skill and determination of the players in this world-class tournament.”

Topsy Ojo, who watched all the action as part of the Premier Sports first season line-up, added: “It was a pleasure to be a judge for the Investec Champions Cup No Ordinary Photo competition. It’s more difficult than you think trying to pick a winner from all the entries we had but hopefully the one we’ve chosen, as well as the runner-up and highly commended, showcase all the high-quality action we had throughout the tournament.”

Students from the School of Hard Knocks, both passionate rugby fans and new players introduced to the game through the Investec-supported programme, said: “We really enjoyed the day; it was just a really nice experience and definitely something different. We enjoyed it a lot and felt very much part of the judging team.”

Tony Spreadbury concluded: “It was an absolute pleasure to be asked to be one of the judges at the Investec Photograph of the Year competition. I was overwhelmed by the high quality of entries, and it was wonderful that we were unanimous in choosing the winner.”

The winning image, runner-up and highly commended photographs can all be viewed here.