They play in blue and white chequered shirts, hence their nickname Les Damiers (the draught-boards).
CABBG were relegated from the First Division for the first time in 2003, after the professional league's finance commission declared them unable to continue.
A year later, the club was declared bankrupt and forced to play in the amateur third division (Fédérale 1).
Finally, in 2006, their senior outfit was merged with that of Stade Bordelais, which played in the professional second division Pro D2 so as to create a side that would be able to jump back to the first division (Top 14).
The new team was clumsily called Union Stade Bordelais-Club Athlétique Bordeaux-Bègles Gironde or Bordeaux Rugby Métropole but in 2008 changed to Union Bordeaux Bègles.