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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Brendan Gallagher
/ 8 months agoBrendan Gallagher: Northampton Saints win over Leinster is the best win on the road I’ve seen
I’ve been reporting on this Heineken Cup, European Cup, Investec Champions Cup – call it what you want – since the...
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Champions Cup
/ 8 months agoBordeaux vs Toulouse Preview: Injury problems put Toulouse on the back foot
By Ben Jaycock Bordeaux v Toulouse Today. Kick-off 3pm, Stade Velodrome, Marseille An injury-plagued Toulouse are up against it today when...
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Champions Cup
/ 8 months agoBenjamin Kayser: Gap between Premiership and Top 14 is huge
By Paul Rees The top two sides in the Top 14 meet in today’s Champions Cup semi-final at the Matmut Atlantique...
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Champions Cup
/ 8 months agoNick Cain: At last! Welcome words reinforce value of jeopardy
One of the few signs of clear-thinking rugby union sanity this week came from Simon Gillham, the chairman of the Tier...
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British and Irish Lions
/ 8 months agoHenry Pollock’s energy could give British and Irish Lions that extra boost
By Nick Cain The likelihood of any uncapped young “bolters”, who were a feature of Lions squad announcements in the amateur...
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Champions Cup
/ 8 months agoNick Cain: Backing of franchise rugby is myopic, hypocritical and self-serving …
The parallel universe which some of the main movers and shakers in the RFU/ Premiership currently inhabit has revealed itself in...
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Champions Cup
/ 8 months agoWe are delighted to make Challenge Cup final, says Johann van Graan
Bath boss Johann van Graan was delighted to secure a place in the final at Cardiff's Principality Stadium. He said: “We...
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Champions Cup
/ 8 months agoChampions Cup semi-finals: Best head-to-head matchups
The Champions Cup semi-finals take place this weekend, and the squad lists look more like Test squads than club ones. Leinster...
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Champions Cup
/ 8 months agoChampions Cup and Challenge Cup semi-finals: Fixtures, Where to Watch and Previews
European rugby is well and truly back, with the semi-finals of both major competitions in continental rugby taking place over the...
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Champions Cup
/ 8 months agoChampions Cup: Rory Hutchinson eying Leinster surprise
By Paul Rees Rory Hutchinson says Northampton regard Saturday’s Champions Cup semifinal against Leinster at the Aviva Stadium as an opportunity...
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Champions Cup
/ 8 months agoMission Impossible: How Northampton Saints can beat Leinster
By Peter Jackson - The man truly in the know Phil Dowson only has to press a button anytime during the...
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Champions Cup
/ 8 months agoToo many teams in Champions Cup, says Mark McCall
By Jon Newcombe Mark McCall believes cutting the number of teams will help the Investec Champions Cup regain its elite status....
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Brendan Gallagher
/ 8 months agoBrendan Gallagher: 20 years ago, we had games worth seeing in the Champions Cup
Rugby Matters - A weekly look at the game’s other talking points, by Brendan Gallagher I have no great wish to...
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Champions Cup
/ 8 months agoSunday Round Up: Bath still on for treble after West Country demolition
By Charlie Elliott For exclusive stories and all the detailed rugby news you need, subscribe to The Rugby Paper website, digital edition, or...
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Champions Cup
/ 8 months agoChampions Cup Team of the Week: Seven Leinster players included after dominant display
By Charlie Elliott For exclusive stories and all the detailed rugby news you need, subscribe to The Rugby Paper website, digital edition, or...
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Champions Cup
/ 8 months agoRampaging Northampton Saints set up Leinster showdown
Beating Leinster in Dublin might sound like Mission Impossible but Northampton Saints fly-half Fin Smith insists playing the ‘Saints’ way is...
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Champions Cup
/ 8 months agoNorthampton Saints 51-16 Castres: Job done! Alex Mitchell makes it simple for Saints
Northampton Saints, putting their foot down after the break, breezed past Castres to book a repeat of last year’s Champions Cup...
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Champions Cup
/ 8 months agoChampions Cup: Damian Penaud is back to his best to guide Bordeaux into the semi-finals
By Gary Fitzgerald Bordeaux ......... 47pts Tries: Penaud 5, Lucu 12, Samu 25, Echegaray 34, Lamothe 57, Bielle-Biarrey 78 Conversions: Jalibert...
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Champions Cup
/ 8 months agoToulon v Toulouse preview: France’s big two collide in battle of the heavyweights
The weather in Toulon is normally mild, but the Stade Mayol will reverberate this afternoon to the sound of thunder as...
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Champions Cup
/ 8 months agoLeinster 52-0 Glasgow Warriors: Ruthless Leinster demolish Warriors
Leinster may have lost the last three Champions Cup finals, but this was another ruthless demonstration of their intent to avoid...
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Champions Cup
/ 8 months agoGlasgow Warriors were bullied in every aspect of the game, admits Franco Smith
Glasgow head coach Franco Smith admitted his side were taught a lesson in Dublin. “Leinster were brilliant,” he said. “I’m not...
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Champions Cup
/ 9 months agoChampions Cup Quarter-Finals: Fixtures, Where to Watch and Previews
By Charlie Elliott For exclusive stories and all the detailed rugby news you need, subscribe to The Rugby Paper website, digital edition, or...
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Champions Cup
/ 9 months agoChampions Cup Team of the Week: Munster trio shock Ronan O’Gara’s La Rochelle
For exclusive stories and all the detailed rugby news you need, subscribe to The Rugby Paper website, digital edition, or newspaper from as...
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Champions Cup
/ 9 months agoCai Griffiths: Worcester Warriors return to second tier ‘is not fair’
By Ben Jaycock The decision to give Worcester Warriors a place in next season’s Championship has sparked an angry response from...
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Champions Cup
/ 9 months agoDanny Wilson: Leinster have got an All Black – on the bench!
Harlequins boss Danny Wilson highlighted the difference in strength in depth between his side and Leinster in the wake of their...
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Champions Cup
/ 9 months agoJeremy Guscott: Champions Cup still has a role to play
By Jeremy Guscott - Outspoken and unmissable every week... The European Cup is as big as the clubs involved want to...
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Champions Cup
/ 9 months agoChampions Cup: Toulon’s power too much for Saracens
By Paul Rees Toulon ............................... 72pts Tries: Wainiqolo 5, Isa 35, 55, 59; Jaminet 39, 70; Alainu’uese 44, Fainga’anuku 62, Serin...
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Champions Cup
/ 9 months agoMark McCall: We gave it a good go but Toulon were hard to stop
Mark McCall expects to provide a springboard for his young side in the Champions Cup in the coming seasons. Sarries conceded...
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Champions Cup
/ 9 months agoLeinster 62-0 Harlequins: From Bloodgate to a blood bath for Quins
By Adam Hathaway Leinster ............................. 62pts Harlequins .......................... 0pts Tries: Prendergast 14, J McCarthy 17, Osborne 27, van der Flier 44,...
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Champions Cup
/ 9 months agoJosh Van der Flier: Leinster can do better
Man of the match Josh van der Flier urged his Leinster side not to rest on their laurels after the humiliation...
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Champions Cup
/ 9 months agoLa Rochelle 24-25 Munster: Cool-head Jack Crowley has the drop on Ronan O’Gara’s side
By Kevin Fallon La Rochelle ..... 24pts Tries: Botia 10, Penalty 65, Bosmorin 76 Conversions: West 11, Hastoy 76 Penalty: West...
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Champions Cup
/ 9 months agoGlasgow Warriors 43-19 Leicester Tigers: Tigers blown away by spirited Warriors
By Bryn Palmer Glasgow Warriors 43pts Tries: Venter 13, 74; Vailanu 18, 41; Hastings 49, Horne 50 Conversions: Hastings 14, 19,...
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Champions Cup
/ 9 months agoNorthampton Saints 46-24 Clermont: Tommy Freeman’s hat-trick steers Saints home
By Rob Wildman Northampton Saints ..... 46pts Tries: Smith 18, Freeman 23, 29, 60; Augustus 40, 46; Pollock 71 Conversions: Smith...
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Champions Cup
/ 9 months agoFraser Dingwall: Players took charge for Northampton Saints
Saints acting captain Fraser Dingwall put Friday night’s win down partly to a players’ meeting held without the team’s coaches present....
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Champions Cup
/ 9 months agoBordeaux vs Ulster Preview: Zac Ward on alert for Damian Penaud battle
By Ben Jaycock Ulster winger Zac Ward is chomping at the bit to be facing off against France star Damian Penaud...
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Champions Cup
/ 9 months agoToulouse vs Sale Sharks Preview: We’re out to beat the odds, says Alex Sanderson
By Jon Newcombe Sale's French intelligence network has revealed how seriously defending champions Toulouse are taking their English opponents in the...
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Champions Cup
/ 9 months agoCastres 39-37 Benetton: Ill-disciplined hosts win it at the death
By Ben Jaycock Castres ............39 Benetton .........37 An ill-disciplined Castres were forced to play with 13 men for a 10-minute spell...
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Champions Cup
/ 9 months agoOspreys set for Scarlets repeat
Preview ■By BEN JAYCOCK Ospreys v Scarlets Today. 5.30pm OSPREYS head coach Mark Jones has rung the changes for the last...
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Champions Cup
/ 9 months agoChallenge Cup: Cardiff have no answers as Connacht charge home
By John Fallon Connacht .........35pts Tries: Devine 2, Jansen 40, Treacy 41, Bolton 66, Boyle 76 Conversions: Hanrahan 3, 40, 42;...
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Challenge Cup
/ 9 months agoChallenge Cup: Gloucester stay strong to set up Bath clash
By Gary Fitzgerald Montpellier ..... 17pts Tries: Bouthier 4, Reus 10 Conversions: Reus 5, 11 Penalty: Reus 40 Gloucester ...... 24pts...
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Champions Cup
/ 9 months agoPau 24-49 Bath: Premiership’s table-toppers book Challenge Cup quarter-final spot
By Ben Jaycock Pau ....................... 24pts Tries: Tuipulotu 27, Brau Boirie 62, 69 Conversions: Desperes 28, 62, 69 Penalty: Dsperes 20...
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Challenge Cup
/ 9 months agoPerpignan 18-24 Racing 92: Owen Farrell steers Parisians to quarter-finals in return
Owen Farrell scored five points on his return to action as his Racing 92 side gained some much-needed positivity in their...
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Champions Cup
/ 9 months agoChallenge Cup: Bulls travel well to beat rotated Bayonne side
Jake White’s Bulls overcame a hostile crowd in Bayonne to reach the Challenge Cup quarter-finals for the first time. Leading 15-8...
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Challenge Cup
/ 9 months agoChallenge Cup: Edinburgh battle it out against Lions to book quarter-final spot
Edinburgh avenged their 55-21 humiliation in Johannesburg back in October to book their place in the last eight. Sean Everitt’s side...
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Champions Cup
/ 9 months agoWhy Saracens are not going full-strength in the Champions Cup: Explained
By Charlie Elliott For exclusive stories and all the detailed rugby news you need, subscribe to The Rugby Paper website, digital edition, or...
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Champions Cup
/ 9 months agoChampions Cup Round of 16: Best head-to-head matchups
By Charlie Elliott The Champions Cup Round of 16 is finally upon us, and with it comes some of the most...
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Champions Cup
/ 9 months agoChampions Cup: Five Things to Watch in the Round of 16
By Charlie Elliott For exclusive stories and all the detailed rugby news you need, subscribe to The Rugby Paper website, digital edition, or...
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Champions Cup
/ 9 months agoChampions Cup Round of 16: Fixtures, Where to Watch and Previews
By Charlie Elliott For exclusive stories and all the detailed rugby news you need, subscribe to The Rugby Paper website, digital edition, or...
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Champions Cup
/ 11 months agoChampions Challenge Cup Sunday roundup: All the action from the last day of pool stage fixtures
By Charlie Elliott The teams playing their games on Sunday in the Champions and Challenge Cups had the advantage of knowing...
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Champions Cup
/ 11 months agoChampions Cup Team of the Week: Toulouse stars shine and Damian Penaud runs riot
The pool stage of the Champions Cup reached a close, with teams now knowing their fate in either the round of...
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