2024–25 European Rugby Champions Cup pool stage

The 2024–25 European Rugby Champions Cup pool stage will be the first stage of the 30th season of the pan-European professional club rugby union competition, and the eleventh under the European Rugby Champions Cup format. Twenty-four clubs from three major domestic and regional leagues competed over four rounds of pool fixtures, with 16 teams progressing to the knockout stages.

Structure

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The pool stage draw took place on 2 July 2024.[1] The complete fixture list was then announced on 12 July 2024.[2] The fixtures will be played out across four weekends between 6 December 2024 and 19 January 2025.[3]

Teams play other teams in the same pool, except the other team from their own league, with two games at home and two away. The top four teams in each pool progress to the round of 16, whilst the teams ranked 5th progress to the knockout stages of the 2023–24 EPCR Challenge Cup.

Teams are awarded points based on match performances; four points for a win, two points for a draw, one attacking bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match and one defensive bonus point for losing a match by seven points or fewer.[4]

If two or more clubs in the same pool are equal on match points, their ranking will be determined as follows:

  1. the best aggregate points difference from the pool stage; or
  2. if equal, the number of tries scored in the pool stage; or
  3. if equal, the club with the fewest number of players suspended for disciplinary incidents in the pool stage; or
  4. if still equal, by drawing lots.

Pools

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Pool 1

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European Rugby Champions Cup Pool 1
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts Qualification
1   Bordeaux 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Home Champions Cup round of 16.
2   Exeter Chiefs 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3   Leicester Tigers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Away Champions Cup round of 16.
4   Sharks 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5   Toulouse 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Away Challenge Cup round of 16.
6   Ulster 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Source: EPCR[5]
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers for teams tied on points: 1) Number of matches won; 2) Difference between points for and against; 3) Total number of points for; 4) Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams; 5) Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled.

Round 1

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8 December 2024
15:15
Toulouse  v  Ulster
Stade Ernest-Wallon, Toulouse

Round 2

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14 December 2024
15:15
Ulster  v  Bordeaux Bègles
Kingspan Stadium, Belfast
15 December 2024
17:30
Exeter Chiefs  v  Toulouse
Sandy Park, Exeter

Round 3

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11 January 2025
15:15
Exeter Chiefs  v  Bordeaux Bègles
Sandy Park, Exeter
11 January 2025
15:15
Sharks  v  Toulouse
Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban

Round 4

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17 January 2025
20:00
Ulster  v  Exeter Chiefs
Kingspan Stadium, Belfast
19 January 2025
13:00
Bordeaux Bègles  v  Sharks
Stade Chaban-Delmas, Bordeaux
19 January 2025
15:15
Toulouse  v  Leicester Tigers
Stade Ernest-Wallon, Toulouse

Pool 2

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European Rugby Champions Cup Pool 2
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts Qualification
1   Bath 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Home Champions Cup round of 16.
2   Benetton 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3   Bristol Bears 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Away Champions Cup round of 16.
4   Clermont 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5   La Rochelle 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Away Challenge Cup round of 16.
6   Leinster 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Source: EPCR[5]
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers for teams tied on points: 1) Number of matches won; 2) Difference between points for and against; 3) Total number of points for; 4) Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams; 5) Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled.

Round 1

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6 December 2024
20:00
Bath  v  La Rochelle
The Recreation Ground, Bath
7 December 2024
13:00
Clermont  v  Benetton
Stade Marcel-Michelin, Clermont
8 December 2024
17:30
Bristol Bears  v  Leinster
Ashton Gate, Bristol

Round 2

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14 December 2024
17:30
Leinster  v  Clermont
Aviva Stadium, Dublin[6]
14 December 2024
20:00
La Rochelle  v  Bristol Bears
Stade Marcel-Deflandre, La Rochelle
15 December 2024
13:00
Benetton  v  Bath
Stadio Comunale di Monigo, Treviso

Round 3

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12 January 2025
15:15
La Rochelle  v  Leinster
Stade Marcel-Deflandre, La Rochelle
12 January 2025
15:15
Bristol Bears  v  Benetton
Ashton Gate, Bristol
12 January 2025
17:30
Bath  v  Clermont
The Recreation Ground, Bath

Round 4

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18 January 2025
15:15
Clermont  v  Bristol Bears
Stade Marcel-Michelin, Clermont
18 January 2025
17:30
Benetton  v  La Rochelle
Stadio Comunale di Monigo, Treviso
18 January 2025
17:30
Leinster  v  Bath
Aviva Stadium, Dublin[6]

Pool 3

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European Rugby Champions Cup Pool 3
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts Qualification
1   Bulls 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Home Champions Cup round of 16.
2   Castres 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3   Munster 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Away Champions Cup round of 16.
4   Northampton Saints 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5   Saracens 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Away Challenge Cup round of 16.
6   Stade Français 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Source: EPCR[5]
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers for teams tied on points: 1) Number of matches won; 2) Difference between points for and against; 3) Total number of points for; 4) Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams; 5) Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled.

Round 1

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7 December 2024
17:30
Munster  v  Stade Français
Thomond Park, Limerick
7 December 2024
17:30
Saracens  v  Bulls
StoneX Stadium, London

Round 2

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13 December 2024
20:00
Castres  v  Munster
Stade Pierre-Fabre, Castres
14 December 2024
13:00
Bulls  v  Northampton Saints
Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
15 December 2024
15:15
Stade Français  v  Saracens
Stade Jean-Bouin, Paris

Round 3

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11 January 2025
17:30
Munster  v  Saracens
Thomond Park, Limerick
11 January 2025
20:00
Castres  v  Bulls
Stade Pierre-Fabre, Castres

Round 4

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18 January 2025
13:00
Bulls  v  Stade Français
Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
19 January 2025
15:15
Saracens  v  Castres
StoneX Stadium, London

Pool 4

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European Rugby Champions Cup Pool 4
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts Qualification
1   Glasgow Warriors 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Home Champions Cup round of 16.
2   Harlequins 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3   Racing 92 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Away Champions Cup round of 16.
4   Sale Sharks 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5   Stormers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Away Challenge Cup round of 16.
6   Toulon 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Source: EPCR[5]
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers for teams tied on points: 1) Number of matches won; 2) Difference between points for and against; 3) Total number of points for; 4) Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams; 5) Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled.

Round 1

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7 December 2024
15:15
Stormers  v  Toulon
DHL Stadium, Cape Town
7 December 2024
20:00
Glasgow Warriors  v  Sale Sharks
Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow

Round 2

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13 December 2024
20:00
Sale Sharks  v  Racing 92
Salford Community Stadium, Manchester
14 December 2024
20:00
Harlequins  v  Stormers
Twickenham Stoop, London
15 December 2024
13:00
Toulon  v  Glasgow Warriors
Stade Mayol, Toulon

Round 3

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10 January 2025
20:00
Glasgow Warriors  v  Racing 92
Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow
11 January 2025
13:00
Stormers  v  Sale Sharks
DHL Stadium, Cape Town
12 January 2025
13:00
Toulon  v  Harlequins
Stade Mayol, Toulon

Round 4

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18 January 2025
20:00
Harlequins  v  Glasgow Warriors
Twickenham Stoop, London
18 January 2025
20:00
Racing 92  v  Stormers
Paris La Défense Arena, Nanterre
19 January 2025
17:30
Sale Sharks  v  Toulon
Salford Community Stadium, Manchester

References

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  1. ^ "Investec Champions Cup pools 2024/25: All you need to know". www.epcrugby.com. European Professional Club Rugby. 2 July 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  2. ^ "Investec Champions Cup fixtures 2024/25: Huge clashes set in pool stages". www.epcrugby.com. European Professional Club Rugby. 12 July 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  3. ^ "Investec Champions Cup – Fixtures & Results". www.epcrugby.com. European Professional Club Rugby. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  4. ^ "European Professional Club Rugby – Investec Champions Cup – Rules". www.epcrugby.com. European Professional Club Rugby. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d "Pool Tables | Investec Champions Cup". www.epcrugby.com. European Professional Club Rugby. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  6. ^ a b "Leinster Rugby: Irish province to use Aviva Stadium for Champions Cup pool games". www.bbc.co.uk/sport. BBC Sport. 20 August 2024. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
  7. ^ "Le Racing 92 délocalise ses matchs au stade Dominique Duvauchelle de Créteil" [Racing 92 relocates its matches to the Dominique Duvauchelle stadium in Créteil]. www.parisladefense-arena.com (in French). Paris La Défense Arena. Retrieved 4 September 2024.