The Investec Champions Cup is ready for take-off

WITH the opening Investec Champions Cup fixtures just days away excitment is rising.
2024/25 marks the 30th season of club rugby’s premier competition, featuring 24 elite international clubs. The action gets underway on the weekend of the 6/7/8 December.
Clubs will play four matches during the pool stage, each against a different opponent, with two at home and two away.
The four highest-ranked clubs in each pool will qualify for the Round of 16. The clubs ranked fifth in each of the pools will qualify for the Round of 16 of the EPCR Challenge Cup.
Bringing the curtain up on what promises to be yet another extraordinary season of Investec Champions Cup action is Gallagher Premiership table-toppers Bath Rugby, who play host to the 2022 and 2023 Champions Stade Rochelais in Pool 2.
2024 Investec Champions Cup winners Stade Toulousain will face off against Ulster Rugby at Stade Ernest Wallon, as the reigning champions get their campaign for an unprecedented seventh title underway in Pool 1.
After winning last season’s EPCR Challenge Cup, Hollywoodbets Sharks will be making their first appearance in the tournament against last year’s quarter-finalists Exeter Chiefs.
ASM Clermont Auvergne are back in EPCR’s elite competition, where they have finished runners-up three times. They’ll meet Benetton Rugby in their pool 2 clash at Stade Marcel-Michelin, who also return to the Champions Cup for the first time since 2020.
Of the players registered for the 2024/25 tournament, Leinster Rugby’s Cian Healy has made the most appearances to date of and tops the all-time list with 112.
Going into the tournament’s 30th season, of the registered players, Racing 92’s Owen Farrell is the leading points scorer with 874 (Saracens), second on the all-time list. RC Toulon’s Dan Biggar is seventh on the list with 634, (Ospreys, Northampton Saints) three places ahead of Harlequins’ Leigh Halfpenny with 523, (Cardiff Blues, RC Toulon, Scarlets).
Of the players who will be in action this season, Leinster’s James Lowe is the leading Investec Champions Cup try scorer with 27. Stade Toulousain’s Antoine Dupont and Teddy Thomas of Stade Rochelais are joint second ranked in the competition, with 23 a piece.
Cardiff will host the Investec Champions Cup Final for a record eighth time. The Finals will be staged at the iconic Principality Stadium on Saturday, 24 May.

You must be logged in to post a comment Login