PREVIEWS: The Champions Cup returns this weekend with two pool stage matches remaining and every point crucial to qualify for the knockout stage and secure home advantage in the Round of 16.
With a rematch of last year’s Final, rivalries and statement fixtures across the pools, Round Three promises a standout weekend.
Round Three headlines
Round Three begins on Friday with two pivotal Pool Two fixtures. With five teams level on five points and Bath narrowly leading on six, clashes between Castres Olympique and Bath and between Edinburgh and Gloucester could prove crucial.
Unbeaten Bristol Bears travel to Bulls, who will be seeking their first win of the campaign to keep qualification hopes alive, while Bristol will be spurred on by their Premiership form having won their last four matches.
Glasgow Warriors are flying in Pool One, four points clear at the top after their incredible victory over Stade Toulousain in Round Two, and now face ASM Clermont Auvergne, who are still searching for their opening points. Both will be full of confidence following their recent domestic form, with the Scots second in the URC, and ASM buoyed by their December trashing of reigning Champions Cup champions Union Bordeaux Bègles.
Lansdowne Road in Dublin will be buzzing on Saturday as unbeaten Leinster host old foes Stade Rochelais in their Pool Three showdown. This marks the seventh clash between two of Europe’s heavyweights, who last faced off in Round Four of last season, when Leinster edged a dramatic two-point victory.
Kicking off at the same time, it’s a clash of the Sharks in Pool One as the Durban-based Sharks head to Sale, with the hosts currently just one point ahead in the pool tables.
Two must-win encounters follow on Saturday as Scarlets face Section Paloise and Leicester Tigers host Aviron Bayonnais, with all four sides still chasing their first victory.
Four huge matches will take place on Sunday kicking off in London with Harlequins v Stormers. The Stormers – who are also unbeaten domestically this season and top the URC table – present a formidable challenge as they look to maintain their position at the top of Pool 3.
Toulon and Munster are both on five points in Pool Two with a win apiece. Toulon will be feeling confident heading into another home match where they are unbeaten since last season’s quarter-final, while Munster’s travelling fans will no doubt bring their voices to light up Stade Felix Mayol.
One of the standout fixtures of the round sees 2025 finalists Union Bordeaux-Bègles and Northampton Saints meet for the first time since the Cardiff Finals. Both teams remain perfect in Pool 4 on 10 points with Bordeaux fly-half Matthieu Jalibert leading the competition in points while Northampton’s George Hendy tops the try-scoring charts.
The weekend concludes at StoneX Stadium as Saracens host Stade Toulousain. Level on points in Pool 1, the six-time champions will arrive looking to make a statement, with Thomas Ramos and Ange Capuozzo both in prolific form. Although the French top the TOP14 standings, Saracens will take confidence from Stade Toulousain’s potential to tumble, following their surprise TOP14 defeat to EPCR Challenge Cup contenders USAP over the weekend and their Round 2 lose to Glasgow Warriors.
Round of 16 qualifying rules
The top four teams in each pool will qualify for the Round of 16. Teams will then be ranked overall from 1 to 16, based first on their pool position and then on total match points earned.
Pool winners will be ranked 1-4, second-placed teams 5-8, third-placed teams 9-12, and fourth-placed teams 13-16.
Teams ranked 1-8 will have home advantage in the Round of 16.
The fifth-placed club in each pool will qualify for the EPCR Challenge Cup Round of 16.
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Challenge Cup Preview
Saturday opens with a blockbuster Pool 3 clash as leaders Stade Français Paris host second-placed Exeter Chiefs at Stade Jean Bouin, in a match that could shape the top of the table. Unbeaten at home since last April, Stade Français Paris have started their EPCR Challenge Cup campaign flawlessly, with both sides arriving in strong domestic form, sitting third in their respective leagues.
In Pool 1, newcomers US Montauban and invitees Black Lion meet in a must-win encounter, with both sides still seeking their first points of the campaign.
Newcastle Red Bulls have made a flying start in Pool 2, sitting second with two wins from two, and will look to maintain momentum at home to USAP. The visitors arrive full of confidence following their recent TOP14 victory over six-time Champions Cup winners Stade Toulousain.
Elsewhere in Pool 2, Lions and Lyon Olympique Universitaire are both chasing their first wins, while leaders Benetton Rugby look to maintain their perfect start when they take on a Dragons RFC side riding high after their Round 2 victory over Lyon and two more domestic wins before the New Year.
At Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff Rugby welcome French heavyweights Racing 92 in a key fixture with knockout implications.
Sunday sees Montpellier Hérault Rugby, top of Pool 1 with the maximum 10 points, host Connacht Rugby, with the visitors eager to secure their second win in a row to relieve some pressure ahead of the decisive fourth Round.
Ospreys will target a third successive win as they travel to Zebre Parma, before the Toyota Cheetahs round off the weekend at home to Ulster Rugby, hoping home advantage can help secure their first points.
Round of 16 qualifying rules
The top four teams from Pools 1, 2, and 3, along with the fifth-placed club from each of the four Investec Champions Cup Pools, qualify for the Round of 16.
All qualifying teams are ranked 1-16, first by their pool position and then by total match points. Pool winners are ranked 1-3, second-placed teams 4-6, the two highest-ranked third-placed teams 7-8, the Investec Champions Cup qualifiers 9-12, the remaining third-placed club 13, and fourth-placed teams 14-16.
Teams ranked 1-8 have home advantage.
