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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Champions Cup
/ 1 week agoChampions Cup & Challenge Cup: Nine British teams make it through to Round of 16
Bath will host Saracens in the Champions Cup Round of 16, while Harlequins have earned a home tie against Sale Sharks...
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Champions Cup
/ 2 weeks agoChampions Cup Sunday review: Harlequins shine, Bristol Bears struggle and last 16 draw confirmed
Sunday’s Champions Cup action featured four English sides going into battle looking to secure their spots in the final 16, truly...
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Champions Cup
/ 2 weeks agoLeinster late to the party – Leo Cullen’s new plan or still a work in progress?
In previous seasons of the United Rugby Championship and the Champions Cup, we have seen a consistency with Leinster in which,...
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Champions Cup
/ 2 weeks agoLa Rochelle vs Harlequins: We need a repeat performance, says Quins coach Jason Gilmore
Jason Gilmore is not getting carried away by the way Harlequins ended their losing run by blowing away the Stormers last...
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Champions Cup
/ 2 weeks agoNorthampton Saints vs Scarlets: Phil Dowson tells his side to keep calm
Phil Dowson will tell his Northampton Saints players to focus on beating the Scarlets at Franklin’s Gardens rather than get ahead...
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Champions Cup
/ 2 weeks agoBristol Bears vs Bordeaux-Begles: Most important game ever – Pat Lam
Pat Lam has billed Bristol Bears’ Champions Cup clash against holders Bordeaux-Begles at Ashton Gate today as the most important in...
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Champions Cup
/ 2 weeks agoSale Sharks humiliated as Toulouse inflict record defeat
Sale Sharks last night suffered a record 77-7 defeat at the hands of Toulouse as the French team avoided a shock...
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Champions Cup
/ 2 weeks agoHarlequins full-back Tyrone Green – We will need to be at our best for second half of season
Tyrone Green made a timely return from injury last weekend to help Harlequins out of their slump with a big performance...
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Champions Cup
/ 2 weeks agoToulouse 77-7 Sale Sharks: That drubbing really hurts, says Alex Sanderson
France’s superstar captain Antoine Dupont put any watching England fans on high alert ahead of the Six Nations after showing that...
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Champions Cup
/ 2 weeks agoGlasgow Warriors vs Saracens: Scottish side will be a tougher challenge – Fergus Burke
Fergus Burke helped guide Saracens to an epic 20-14 win over six-time Champions Cup winners Toulouse last weekend, but predicts they...
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Champions Cup
/ 2 weeks agoBath 63-10 Edinburgh: Alfie Barbeary powers hosts into last 16
England don’t exactly lack for back-row candidates at present, but a rampaging Alfie Barbeary must come into the Six Nations equation...
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Champions Cup
/ 2 weeks agoGloucester 14-31 Toulon: Cherry and Whites are taught a lesson in French style
Gloucester’s hopes of further involvement in European rugby this season were easily extinguished by a talented Toulon last night.
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Champions Cup
/ 2 weeks agoStormers 39-26 Leicester Tigers: Geoff Parling’s visiting side put up a fight
Leicester Tigers look destined for the Challenge Cup, but a much-changed side made the Stormers battle for victory to the very...
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Champions Cup
/ 2 weeks agoBayonne 13-22 Leinster: Another late show makes sure of top spot for the Irish province
Leinster ensured top spot in Pool 3 and secured a home last 16 tie by grinding out a hard-fought victory over...
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Champions Cup
/ 2 weeks agoBring on Bordeaux-Begles monsters – Bristol Bears back rower Fitz Harding
Bristol Bears were the talk of the Champions Cup last weekend after sticking 61 points on the Bulls at altitude in...
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Champions Cup
/ 2 weeks agoA frozen farce with no hint of an apology
THE credibility of European Professional Club Rugby Ltd took another bashing last weekend over a botched attempt to stage the Cheetahs-Ulster...
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Champions Cup
/ 3 weeks agoChampions Cup review: Sunday’s action shows no-one is the favourite
Sunday’s Champions Cup action was bigger proof than ever that league form means nothing in the mixing pot of Europe.
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Champions Cup
/ 3 weeks agoBristol Bears hit new heights to stun Bulls in Champions Cup victory
Bristol Bears boss Pat Lam hailed a “fearless” and fully connected performance after his side produced a statement 61-49 victory against...
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Champions Cup
/ 3 weeks agoSale Sharks chief Alex Sanderson insists new coaching team will fire his side up
Alex Sanderson believes Sale Sharks’ realigned coaching set-up will lead to improved results after a disappointing first half of the campaign.
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Champions Cup
/ 3 weeks agoCastres 20-43 Bath: Johann van Graan’s side find their feet and race to the top
Bath made a reassuring return to top form in the south of France to take charge of their pool and, with...
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Champions Cup
/ 3 weeks agoHarlequins vs Stormers: Jason Gilmore – We still have a lot to play for this season
Jason Gilmore is looking for the resumption of the Champions Cup to provide a reset for Harlequins, accepting they will need...
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Champions Cup
/ 3 weeks agoBordeaux-Begles vs Northampton Saints: Phil Dowson plays down talk of hostile clash
Phil Dowson says that revenge is not on Northampton Saints’ mind in France today after losing last season’s Champions Cup final...
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Champions Cup
/ 3 weeks agoTommy Freeman: I just want Northampton Saints to keep on winning
Tommy Freeman has yet to taste defeat this season for Northampton Saints and is looking to keep it that way today...
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Champions Cup
/ 3 weeks agoHarlequins flanker Jack Kenningham – ‘Prepare to face a storm at The Stoop’
Jack Kenningham has told the Stormers to be prepared for a storm at The Stoop this afternoon, with Harlequins set on...
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Champions Cup
/ 3 weeks agoSaracens vs Toulouse: Sarries putting their faith in youth
Mark McCall has backed his current crop of Saracens kids to emulate the Class of 2008 and take the club back...
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Champions Cup
/ 3 weeks agoEdinburgh 26-24 Gloucester: Ewan Ashman keen to get one over his Scottish mates
Scotland hooker Ewan Ashman insists Edinburgh will head to The Rec on Friday intent on “throwing some punches” against Bath and...
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Champions Cup
/ 3 weeks agoLeinster 25-24 La Rochelle: Harry Byrne comes on to win it with last kick of the match
Substitute Harry Byrne kicked a last-gasp penalty for Leinster against La Rochelle to settle a thriller that will take some beating...
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Champions Cup
/ 3 weeks agoBulls 49-61 Bristol Bears: Nine-try visitors vanquish Bulls
Bristol Bears hit the heights at altitude against the Bulls. It sounds crazy to say in a game of 16 tries...
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Champions Cup
/ 3 weeks agoSale Sharks 26-10 Durban Sharks: Northern outfit give their southern rivals a lesson
South African Sharks owner Marco Masotti may have to eat a tuna-lined humble pie after Sale confirmed there’s only one true...
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Champions Cup
/ 3 weeks agoToulon vs Munster: Red Army looking to get things back on track as they prepare to enter the French cauldron
Having started the season as the URC’s pacesetters, Munster enter today’s Pool 2 clash in Toulon after suffering disappointing back-to-back defeats.
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Champions Cup
/ 3 weeks agoLeicester Tigers 57-14 Bayonne: Billy Searle hat-trick puts Geoff Parling’s side on the right track
Billy Searle was red hot for Leicester Tigers on a freezing night as returning Bayonne centre Manu Tuilagi endured a miserable...
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Champions Cup
/ 4 weeks agoLeinster vs La Rochelle: Europe’s modern rivalry reaches its next chapter
With the return of the Champions Cup, a series of new rivalries will reignite, including the rematch between last season’s finalists...
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Champions Cup
/ 1 month agoAlex Sanderson: Champions Cup is no distraction for Sale Sharks
Alex Sanderson admits it would “take something special” for Sale Sharks to rule Europe, but that’s not stopping him from having...
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Champions Cup
/ 1 month agoBordeaux-Begles will be a tough test says Northampton Saints prop Emmanuel Iyogun
Northampton Saints face a repeat of last season’s Champions Cup final when they travel to Bordeaux-Begles next Sunday, with Emmanuel Iyogun...
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Champions Cup
/ 2 months agoPaul Rees: Champions Cup must return to its elite status
Paul Rees sees too many mismatches in last weekend’s European games… while problems mount for the men in red
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Champions Cup
/ 2 months agoGeoff Parling: Champions Cup should revert to the old system
Leicester Tigers boss Geoff Parling reckons European chiefs should turn back time to revive the Champions Cup and revert to their...
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Champions Cup
/ 2 months agoSanti Carreras: I’ll play where I’m needed for Bath
Santi Carreras has settled in quickly at Bath even though he is not guaranteed a place or a position in the...
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Champions Cup
/ 2 months agoNorthampton Saints second row Alex Coles out to seize his chance for England
Alex Coles has enjoyed a stand-out year with club and country, but is not getting ahead of himself as 2026 and...
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Champions Cup
/ 2 months agoClermont 14-35 Sale Sharks: Alex Sanderson’s side turn on the power to topple European giants
Alex Sanderson saw his Sale Sharks dismantle European giants Clermont in their own backyard and kick-start their latest European crusade in...
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Champions Cup
/ 2 months agoGlasgow Warriors 28-21 Toulouse: Rampaging Warriors fight back to stun Antoine Dupont & co
A stunning second-half comeback from 21-0 down saw Glasgow Warriors topple six-time European champions Toulouse in a thunderous Champions Cup encounter...
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Champions Cup
/ 2 months agoSharks 28-23 Saracens: Sarries looking good but fail to take chances
This was a game Saracens could and should have won despite travelling to Durban with a much-changed team after putting Clermont...
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Champions Cup
/ 2 months agoToulon vs Bath: Billy Sela handed Will Stuart role as Johann van Graan’s side take on French flyers
Billy Sela has been tasked with locking out the Bath scrum against Toulon in the absence of the injured Will Stuart.
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Champions Cup
/ 2 months agoMunster 31-3 Gloucester: The Red Army take their time to dispatch Cherry and Whites
A largely reserve Gloucester side frustrated Munster for 67 minutes before a yellow card broke their resistance and they conceded three...
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Champions Cup
/ 2 months agoHarlequins vs Bayonne: Oscar Beard – I want to test myself against the best out there
Marcus Smith returns against Bayonne as Harlequins look to build on an impressive display against Leinster at the Aviva Stadium.
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Champions Cup
/ 2 months agoLeicester Tigers 15-23 Leinster: Adam Radwan told to force England to pick him
Geoff Parling had some straight advice for try-scoring Adam Radwan after the wing had raised hopes of a first Leicester Tigers...
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Champions Cup
/ 2 months agoNorthampton Saints vs Pretoria Bulls: We’re ready for a battle, says George Hendy
Buoyed by their impressive win in Pau last Sunday, Northampton Saints boss Phil Dowson has made only two changes to the...
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Champions Cup
/ 2 months agoBristol Bears vs Pau: Pat Lam says victory would be huge for his side
Bristol Bears director of rugby Pat Lam has named a strong team for today’s clash against French high-flyers Pau, saying a...
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Champions Cup
/ 2 months agoPaul Rees: Lawrence Dallaglio’s reasons to cheer for Prem clubs in Europe
Paul Rees talks to England’s World Cup winner about the Champions Cup – and Steve Borthwick’s selection choices
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Champions Cup
/ 2 months agoLeo Cullen on why perfection isn’t realistic after Leinster’s seven-try Champions Cup win over Harlequins
For many in the Leinster camp, it feels like the start of the season with the return of the international players...
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Champions Cup
/ 2 months agoNorthampton Saints full-back George Furbank fighting fit on his new fish diet
George Furbank has put the frustrations of the last year behind him as he looks to regain his place in the...












