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
/ 5 days agoBath scrum-half Ben Spencer gunning for European glory
Ben Spencer has seen the lot in the Champions Cup and insists his Bath side are primed to challenge Europe’s best...
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Autumn Internationals
/ 5 days agoPaul Rees: Springboks are setting the standard
Paul Rees reflects on the Autumn Tests and what the implications might be for the Champions Cup and beyond.
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Champions Cup
/ 6 months agoDamian Penaud and Louis Bielle-Biarrey: A pair of aces who fill our hearts with joy
If the level of mastery is unusually high, the depth of mystery is unfathomable.
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Champions Cup
/ 6 months agoPeter Jackson: Barmy to downgrade the Champions Cup
According to its promoters, the ‘wonderful’ Champions Cup stands on a pinnacle above everything else as ‘the greatest club competition in...
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Champions Cup
/ 6 months agoJeff Probyn: Another battling show by Bordeaux
What a great game last weekend’s Champions Cup final turned out to be with both of the finalists, Northampton and Bordeaux...
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Champions Cup
/ 6 months agoCharlie Elliott: The Best Moments of the 2024/25 Champions Cup
The Champions Cup has concluded, and European rugby’s premier competition delivered some great moments. We saw plenty of drama in the pool stages, a lot of shocks...
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Champions Cup
/ 6 months agoRugby’s Social Media Moments of the Week: Matthieu Jalibert gives it back to Henry Pollock
Rugby saw the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup finals take place this weekend, with Bordeaux-Begles beating Northampton Saints and Bath beating...
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Champions Cup
/ 6 months agoChampions Cup Team of the Season: Bordeaux Begles dominate after earning their first star
The Champions Cup concluded with Bordeaux Begles winning the competition for the first time in their history, with a 28-20 win...
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Champions Cup
/ 6 months agoBordeaux Begles accused of Henry Pollock vendetta
Fin Smith accused Bordeaux Begles of having a vendetta against Henry Pollock as Northampton Saints’ 28-20 Champions Cup final defeat ended...
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Champions Cup
/ 6 months agoNorthampton Saints 20-28 Bordeaux Begles: Saints’ warriors battle to the very end
Fraser Dingwall’s Northampton Saints saw their European adventure end in acrimony and heroism in equal measure as they went out on...
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Champions Cup
/ 6 months agoBrave Northampton Saints didn’t have enough in reserve
Injuries have cursed Northampton Saints’ season and there was no relief on their biggest day of the decade.
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Challenge Cup
/ 7 months agoCharlie Elliott: Best head-to-head matchups in the European Finals
The Champions Cup and Challenge Cup finals will both take place this weekend in Cardiff, providing an opportunity to determine the European champions. Both will see Premiership...
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Champions Cup
/ 7 months agoChampions Cup Final Preview: Can Northampton Saints pick up their second star?
“It’s not an individual sport, it’s a team sport, and we need everybody, and that includes support staff and everybody on...
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Champions Cup
/ 7 months agoLawrence Dallaglio: Race for British and Irish Lions spots starts in European Finals
The race for British & Irish Lions Test places begins in Cardiff this weekend as Northampton Saints‘ quartet of tourists get...
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Champions Cup
/ 7 months agoNorthampton Saints in race to get stars fit for Champions Cup final
Northampton's last-minute victory over Saracens yesterday came at a cost, with four players left on the treatment table ahead of Saturday’s...
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Champions Cup
/ 7 months agoBordeaux have a point to prove in Champions Cup final says Adam Coleman
Adam Coleman believes Saturday’s Champions Cup final in Cardiff between Bordeaux Begles and Northampton will be a meeting of like minds....
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Champions Cup
/ 7 months agoJeremy Guscott: Northampton Saints need team effort to stifle ‘electric’ Louis Bielle-Biarrey
Northampton and Bordeaux-Begles are great attacking sides, and that is what makes the European Cup final on Saturday at the Principality...
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Challenge Cup
/ 7 months agoEuropean Finals Preview: Northampton Saints and Bath shape up to face the French
Paul Rees sets the scene ahead of this weekend's grand finale to European competition in Cardiff As the Premiership hacks through...
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Brendan Gallagher
/ 7 months agoBrendan Gallagher: European Cup’s given us some real pearlers
So this weekend in Cardiff will be the 30th European Cup Final, a pearl anniversary of sorts. Where did the time...
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Champions Cup
/ 7 months agoChris Collyer: Leinster need to reset and restart from the ground up
By Chris Collyer 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
/ 7 months agoSocial Media Moments of the Week: Henry Pollock divides opinion with try celebration
By Charlie Elliott As the weekend of rugby draws to a close, the discourse around the sport continues to bubble away. The...
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Champions Cup
/ 7 months agoChampions Cup Team of the Week: Northampton Saints’ Lions hopefuls help deliver historic upset
By Charlie Elliott The Champions Cup played host to two of the best semi-finals we have seen in the competition, as the two favourites were...
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Champions Cup
/ 7 months agoNorthampton Saints stun Leinster in Champions Cup semi and sweep into final
By Adam Hathaway in Dublin Northampton captain Fraser Dingwall hailed the spirit of his side as they pulled off one of...
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Champions Cup
/ 7 months agoPhil Dowson: Henry Pollock is buzzing for every chance he gets
By Adam Hathaway Henry Pollock has been smashing it out of the ballpark this season, and that has led to calls...
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Champions Cup
/ 7 months agoLeinster 34-37 Northampton Saints: Tommy Freeman hat-trick ignites stunning Saints
By Adam Hathaway Leinster ...........................34pts Tries: O’Brien 17, Van der Flier 25, 58; Doris 58, Lowe 69 Conversions: Prendergast 25, 47,...
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Brendan Gallagher
/ 7 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
/ 7 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
/ 7 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
/ 7 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
/ 7 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
/ 7 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
/ 7 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
/ 7 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
/ 7 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
/ 7 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
/ 7 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
/ 8 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
/ 8 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
/ 8 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
/ 8 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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