Vodacom Bulls vs Union Bordeaux Bègles, Bath Rugby vs Munster Rugby and Stade Toulousain vs Hollywoodbets Sharks to open the Investec Champions Cup 2025/26. With the countdown to the Investec Champions Cup 2025/26 season well underway, we unpick some of the key ties from Round 1.
Vodacom Bulls vs Union Bordeaux Bègles, Loftus Versfeld, Saturday 6 December 2025
What better way to get a title defence up and running than a test against one of the competition’s best? That’s exactly the challenge that awaits 2025 champions Union Bordeaux Bègles as they head down to South Africa to take on Vodacom Bulls on Round 1, matchday two.
Only a win will do for Yannick Bru’s men as they head to the South African sun looking to become just the sixth side in the competition’s history to go back-to-back following their exploits last May.
As for the Bulls, the pain of a recent United Rugby Championship final defeat to Leinster Rugby will serve as ideal motivation as they look to get their Investec Champions Cup campaign off to the perfect start.
It won’t be the first time the two have locked horns, with the Bulls having hosted UBB for the pair’s only past meeting.
The South African side were the ones to get the better of the French outfit at Loftus Versfeld 46-40 in 2023/24's pool stage, a result the reigning champions will be looking to reverse this time around.
Bath Rugby vs Munster Rugby, The Rec, Saturday 6 December 2025
Last year's EPCR Challenge Cup champions Bath Rugby get their Investec Champions Cup 2025/26 campaign underway with a fascinating match-up at home to Munster.
While they come into this year’s tournament buoyed by a historic treble last season, Bath's first task at hand is to better their Investec Champions Cup pool stage elimination from last year.
And a win over Ireland's Munster on day two of Round 1 will be the first step in that quest. But coming up against a side who have won the competition twice, the Irish heavyweights promise to ask questions of Johann van Graan’s men.
Having seen off Stade Rochelais late on in last season’s Round of 16 thanks to a heroic Jack Crowley drop goal in what became an instant classic as well, Munster are looking to go deep once more and prove why they’re always a force to be reckoned with in this competition.
Stade Toulousain vs Hollywoodbets Sharks, Stade Ernest Wallon, Sunday 7 December 2025
Six-time champions Stade Toulousain get their bid for another Investec Champions Cup crown underway with an intriguing test against the Hollywoodbets Sharks.
Ugo Mola’s men will play host to their South African visitors on Round 1, matchday three, as the Stade Ernest Wallon crowd will bring the heat on December 7.
Already more than familiar with each other, the pair have met twice before in recent seasons, including in last year’s edition.
First meeting at the quarter-final stage of the competition in 2023, it was the French side that came out on top to hit the Sharks for 50 (54-20) as they booked their spot in the final four.
It was then a second win in as many outings for the Toulousains last season, as the ‘Les Rouge et Noir’ overcame the Durban side 8-20 in a memorable pool stage match-up thanks to tries from Emmanuel Meafou and Blair Kinghorn.
As South Africa's Sharks look to make it third time lucky, Stade Toulousain will be eyeing the dream start to life in Pool 1 as their quest for a record-extending seventh star continues.
