We know the Champions Cup groups for the 2024-2025 season! While Stade Toulousain emerged victorious a few weeks ago against Leinster, in the final, the champion will put his title on the line. The grand final will take place in Cardiff, at the Principality Stadium.
For several seasons now, the format of the Champions Cup has gotten used to changing. But for the 2024-2025 financial year, no changes, the same rules are kept. From then on, the 24 teams qualified for the Champions Cup are separated into four groups of six, and two clubs from the same country maximum can be in the same group, without facing each other.
There are therefore eight French teams, eight English, and eight from the URC including three South African clubs. Remember that the first four in each group will qualify for the last 16 after the four matches. A ranking from 1 to 16 will determine the matches and the clubs that will have the chance to host until the grand final, scheduled at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on May 24, 2025. Finally, let us specify that the Toulouse stadium could not find Leinster in the pool (explanation here).
Group 1
– Toulouse stadium
– Bordeaux-Bègles Union
– Sharks de Durban
– Exeter
– Leicester
– Ulster
Group 2
– Leinster
– Clermont
– Stade Rochelais
– Bristol
– Treviso
– Bath
Group 3
– Northampton
– Munster
– Bulls
– French stadium
– Saracens
– Castres Olympic
Group 4
– Glasgow
– Racing 92
– Sale
– Stormers
– Toulon
– Harlequins
A difficult group for Toulouse, La Rochelle (again) with Leinster
The draw has given its verdict. And we can say that Stade Toulousain and Union Bordeaux-Bègles are inseparable. Already opposed in the Top 14 final, the two clubs find themselves in the same group (1). Toulouse and Bordeaux will not be able to face each other.
Toulouse, who faced Cardiff, Harlequins, Ulster and Bath last season, will have to face Exeter, Leicester, Ulster and also the Durban Sharks. Eben Etzebeth’s teammates won the Challenge Cup last season. We will have to wait a little longer to find out whether Toulouse or Bordeaux will travel to South Africa or host the Sharks.
For La Rochelle, the seasons follow one another and are similar. Once again, Grégory Alldritt’s teammates will have to face the Irish team of Leinster. They find themselves in the same group (2), like last season where we also find Bristol, Treviso and Bath. ASM, who will be making their return to the Champions Cup, accompanies all these great players. For the Maritimes and the Clermontois, they will have to face two big names. Leinster, of course, but also Bath – Finn Russell’s club – finalist of the Premiership but eliminated in the round of 16 against Exeter last season.
Homogeneous hens 3 and 4
Stade Français and Castres Olympique will be placed in Group 3 with Munster, the Bulls, Saracens and Northampton. A fairly homogeneous group even if the two French clubs have not been successful for several seasons in this competition.
Finally, Racing 92 and RC Toulon make up group 4 with Glasgow (winner of the URC), the English from Sale and Harlequins, and the South Africans from Stormers. Once again, we will have to wait for the details of the matches and the calendar to know if the Racingmen and the Toulon players are at an advantage or not. Because in the event of trips to South Africa and London, a good position in the final ranking will be more difficult to achieve…
