Champions Cup

This is where you will find all of The Rugby Paper’s Champions Cup news, interviews, reports, opinion and other content.

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Dowson impressed by ‘freak athlete’ Hendy

7 April 2024 0 comments

Northampton Saints head coach heaped praise on George Hendy after his two second half tries sealed a 24-14 win over Munster in the Investec Champions […]

Saints battle past Munster to secure quarter-final spot

7 April 2024 0 comments

By TOM JEFFREYS Northampton Saints……………………………….24 Tries: Ramm 10, Freeman 35, Hendy 60, 72 Conversions: Smith 10, 36 Munster………………………………………………..14 Tries: O’Brien 15, Haley 27 Conversions: Crowley […]

Top Chief Vintcent’s whirlwind continues

7 April 2024 0 comments

By MARK STEVENS Exeter fought back to beat Bath and seal a place in next weekend’s Champions Cup quarter-finals in a Sandy Park thriller. Bath […]

Bath left sweating on injury to Russell

7 April 2024 0 comments

Fly-half Finn Russell limped off after 14 minutes with a groin injury in the defeat to Exeter at Sandy Park and head of rugby Johann […]

Manny stars for Baxter’s battling Chiefs

7 April 2024 0 comments

By MARK STEVENS Exeter ………………………….21pts Tries: Vintcent 23, Fisilau 56, Roots 66 Conversions: Slade 23, 56, 66 Bath ……………………………..15pts Tries: du Toit 21, Hill 28 […]

Champions keep threepeat dream alive as Libbok fires wide

7 April 2024 0 comments

By GARY FITZGERALD Stormers……….. 21pts Tries: Jantjies 27, Hartzenberg 79 Conversions: Libbok 29 Penalties: Libbok 3, 21, 45 La Rochelle ……22pts Tries: Penverne 49, Alldritt […]

‘It came down to small margins’

7 April 2024 0 comments

Disappointed Bath boss Johann van Graan insists his side will ‘regroup’ in the wake of their Champions Cup exit. “We are incredibly disappointed, because we […]

Riley crashes over to snatch Stoop thriller

7 April 2024 0 comments

By NICK POWELL Harlequins ………………….. 28pts Tries: Esterhuizen 23, Smith 34, Murley 40+2, Riley 76 Conversions: Smith 25, 35, 40+3, 78 Glasgow………………………. 24pts Tries: Cummings […]

‘We dug deep to find way to win’

7 April 2024 0 comments

Quins head coach Danny Wilson felt the result was all that mattered as his side booked a place in the last eight against his former […]

Leinster march on to face old foes

7 April 2024 0 comments

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER Leinster……………………….. 36pts Tries: Gibson-Park 12, 23, 29; Henshaw 49, Conan 71 Conversions: R Byrne 13, 30, 50; H Byrne 72 Penalties: R […]

Powerful Bulls lay down a marker

7 April 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Bulls ………………59 Lyon………………. 19 The Bulls reached the Champions Cup quarter-finals for the first time in their history and sounded a warning […]

Bordeaux put sorry Sarries to slaughter

7 April 2024 0 comments

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER Bordeaux …………………….. 45pts Try: Garcia 36, 48; Depoortere 61, 66; Bielle Biarrey 63, 75 Conversions: Lucu 27, 49, 61, 64; Garcia 67, […]

George: We must learn from this to go hard at Premiership

7 April 2024 0 comments

Disappointed captain Jamie George said Saracens will get over their defeat to Bordeaux and refocus on the Premiership run-in. “It’s a tough pill to swallow, […]

James relishing the Munster challenge

7 April 2024 0 comments

■By JON NEWCOMBE PREVIEW… Northampton Saints v Munster Today. Kick-off 12.30pm, Franklin’s Gardens IT is games like this after noon’s Champions Cup Round of 16 […]

Dowson brings in Ludlam & Graham

7 April 2024 0 comments

IT will be the first time Saints have hosted a home knock-out clash in Northampton in the competition since 2000 with previous matches being hosted […]

Ntamack back for heavyweight clash

7 April 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES PREVIEW… Toulouse vRacing 92 Today. Kick-off 3pm, Stade Ernest Wallon ROMAIN Ntamack starts his first match since suffering knee ligament damage in […]

The day Crane had final word at Cardiff

7 April 2024 0 comments

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW The Millennium Stadium once staged a trio of penalty shoot-outs in four years as fondly remembered by […]

Investec Champions Cup last 16 preview

4 April 2024 0 comments

Romain Ntamack is set to get his first start for Toulouse this season as the top seeds join 15 other hopefuls in the knockout stages […]

We’ll pick our best team for Exeter, says Bath coach

31 March 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES Bath will pick their strongest available side at Exeter in Saturday’s Champions Cup last 16 with head coach Johann van Graan billing […]

Keen demand to host Euro finals weekend

4 February 2024 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE Dominic McKay, chairman of European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR), has revealed that interest in hosting European club rugby’s finals weekend was higher […]

Once again, the fans are being taken for granted

4 February 2024 0 comments

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK THE European Cup’s ‘round of 16’ takes some beating when it comes to fiddling with a successful […]

Caulfield saga leaves much to be desired

4 February 2024 0 comments

PETER JACKSON It is not unreasonable to presume that those serving on the judiciary of the Champions Cup are appointed because they know a red […]

Uzokwe: We have a lot more in tank

4 February 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Ealing Trailfinders won seven out of their opening eight games in the Championship, have reached the Premiership Cup semi-finals and average over […]

The tackle: Different options are available

28 January 2024 0 comments

Dafydd Jenkins’ yellow card last week for Exeter against Bayonne has caused much debate with most people agreeing that is was almost physically impossible for […]

Bath denied home last 16 tie as Toulouse top seedings

21 January 2024 0 comments

By TOM JEFFREYS Toulouse…………………………………31 Tries: Meafou 6, Ramos 9, 77; Penalty 29, Malia 68 Conversions: Ramos 11, 78 Bath…………………………………………19 Tries: Obano 14, du Toit 23, […]

La Rochelle defy wind to win Sale shootout

21 January 2024 0 comments

By TOM JEFFREYS Sale Sharks…………………………………24 Tries: Roebuck 59, Creevy 67, Dugdale 77, Veainu 80+2 Conversions: Ford 68, Bedlow 79 La Rochelle…………………………………37 Tries: Leyds 9, Hastoy […]

Saints on a roll with stunning fightback

21 January 2024 0 comments

Fin Smith kicked 16 points including a drop goal as Northampton marched into the Champions Cup last 16 with a 26-23 fightback win over Munster […]

Spirited Sarries show champions pedigree

21 January 2024 0 comments

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER Saracens …………………….. 39pts Tries: van Zyl 3, Itoje 43, 55; Gonzalez 68, Cinti 75 Conversions: Farrell 44, 56, 68, 76 Penalties: Farrell […]

Caulfield sees red as Bears bomb out

21 January 2024 0 comments

By JOHN FALLON Connacht …………………….. 27pts Tries: Bolton 9, Aungier 20, Blade 33, Smith 46 Bristol……………………………10pts Conversions: Tries: Carty 47, Hanrahan 21 Penalty 80 Penalties: […]

Lynagh lets rip with stunning try double

21 January 2024 0 comments

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER Harlequins ………………….. 47pts Tries: David 4, 64; Lynagh 24, 32; Care 47, Esterhuizen 58, Evans 72 Conversions: Smith 5, 25, 33, 48, […]

‘Louis added so much at vital time’

21 January 2024 0 comments

Harlequins boss Billy Millard was thrilled with Louis Lynagh’s impact off the bench in their thumping win against Ulster on Saturday. “Louis was unbelievable when […]

Sherratt proud of courageous Cardiff lads as Racing superstars turn on the style

21 January 2024 0 comments

By SIMON THOMAS Racing 92 …….. 48pts Tries: Kamikamica 18, Kolisi 25, Tabuavou 32, Tedder 43, Wade 46, Baudonne 50, Tarrit 76 Conversions: Tedder 19, […]

Lawes leads Saints to fightback victory

21 January 2024 0 comments

By JOHN FALLON Munster ………………………. 23pts Tries: Frisch 38, O’Mahony 40, Coombes 49 Conversions: Crowley 39 Penalties: Crowley 32, 64 Northampton………………. 26pts Tries: Mitchell 19, […]

Rowntree: We gave away daft penalties

21 January 2024 0 comments

Munster coach Graham Rowntree was left wondering how his side had thrown away victory against 14 men after they were beaten by Northampton Saints on […]

Leicester left waiting for spot in knockouts

21 January 2024 0 comments

By ROB WILDMAN Leicester ……………………… 10pts Try: Liebenberg 10 Conversions: Pollard 10 Penalty: Pollard 20 Leinster……………………….. 27pts Tries: McCarthy 28, Larmour 34, Sheehan 44, Doris […]

McKellar: We didn’t take our chances

21 January 2024 0 comments

Leicester boss Dan McKellar was frustrated for his players after his side’s second successive defeat to a top team in the Champions Cup. “I’m not […]

We need a more exclusive guest list

21 January 2024 0 comments

CHRIS HEWETT THINKING ALLOWED HERE’S a little brain-teaser, just to make sure you’ve been paying attention at the back of the class: since 2014, when […]

Champions Cup Friday and Saturday preview

19 January 2024 0 comments

The final weekend of the Champions Cup pool stage promises an exciting round of matches, shaping the destiny of teams vying for spots in the […]

Champions Cup and Challenge Cup round three Sunday round-up

15 January 2024 0 comments

The third weekend of EPCR action ended with half of the qualification places now decided in each of the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup. Though […]

Bordeaux thump Saracens to make Champions Cup statement

14 January 2024 0 comments

By TOM JEFFREYS Bordeaux-Begles……………….55 Tries: Bielle-Biarrey 8, 80+1; Buros 12, Lamothe 21, Penaud 35, 57; Depoortere 44, Jalibert 52, Uberti 78 Conversions: Jalibert 9, 13, […]

Bath produce brilliant comeback to confirm qualification

14 January 2024 0 comments

By TOM JEFFREYS Bath…………………………………………29 Tries: Du Toit 35, Barbeary 60, Cokanasiga 63, Muir 72 Conversions: Spencer 61, 64, 73 Penalties: Spencer 13 Racing……………………………………..25 Tries: Le […]

Slade does it again for Exeter

14 January 2024 0 comments

Henry Slade proved to be Exeter’s match winner once again as the Chiefs beat Glasgow 19-17 to book their spot in the Champions Cup knockouts. […]

Weak Bears can’t keep Bulls in check

14 January 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES Bristol……………………………17pts Tries: Marmion 19, Ibitoye 74, Bradbury 80 Conversion: McGinty 20 Bulls ………………………………31pts Tries: Petersen 15, Mchunu 55, E Louw 63, Wessels […]

Disappointing Connacht to concentrate on Challenge Cup after Lyon hold on

14 January 2024 0 comments

By JOHN FALLON Lyon………………. 34pts Tries: Abrahams 19, 74 Tchaptchet 21, Guillard 52 Conversions: Jackson 15, 22, 53; Berdeu 75 Penalties: Jackson 27, 35 Connacht […]

Care the master as Quins cruise home

14 January 2024 0 comments

By ROGER PANTING Cardiff …………………………..15pts Tries: Young 6, 22 Conversions: De Beer 23 Penalties: De Beer 4 Harlequins ………………….. 54pts Tries: Walker 9, Esterhuizen 26, […]

Wizard Dupont casts his spell to steer Toulouse to emphatic victory

14 January 2024 0 comments

By JIM SHORT Ulster ……………. 24pts Tries: Stewart 40, Addison 62, Timoney 69 Conversions: Doak 63, 70, Cooney 40 Penalty: Cooney 13 Toulouse ……… 48pts […]

Bath out to make it three in a row

14 January 2024 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE PREVIEW… Bath v Racing 92 Today. Kick-off 1pm, The Rec Bath captain Ben Spencer is looking forward to his personal duel with […]

Slade keeps his cool to snatch it for Exeter

14 January 2024 0 comments

By MARK STEVENS Exeter ……………………………19pts Tries: Vermeulen 40, Frost 63, Wimbush 77 Conversions: Slade 40, 78 Glasgow………………………..17pts Tries: Rowe 28, Tuipulotu 55 Conversions: Weir 28, […]

Rowntree proud of Munster character as bonus point win keeps them in contention

14 January 2024 0 comments

By TOM SHEEDY Toulon ……………18pts Tries: Paia’aua 23, de Preez 55 Conversion: Jaminet 25 Penalties: Jaminet 16, 35 Munster …………29pts Tries: Nankivell 31, Zebo 37, […]

Pearson hat-trick helps Saints seal last 16 spot

14 January 2024 0 comments

By ROGER PANTING Northampton………………..61pts Tries: Freeman 1, Pearson 13, 20, 44; Lawes 27, Langdon 32, Waller 39, 48 James 70 Conversions: Smith 1, 13, 20, […]

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