We dive into each Investec Champions Cup pool to find out how all the sides of the competition are doing mid-way through the pool stages.
Pool 1 – Stade Toulousain and Union Bordeaux-Bègles’ perfect starts
Sitting pretty at the top of Pool 1 are reigning champions Stade Toulousain and compatriots Union Bordeaux-Bègles, both with 10 points. Having both secured bonus-point wins in each of their opening two games, they are flying the flag high for the TOP 14 sides in the competition. Stade Toulousain edge UBB at the top as their +83 points difference is almost 50 higher than Bordeaux’s 35.
In third and with one bonus-point win and a losing bonus point under their belts, England’s Leicester Tigers have six points with Ulster Rugby and Stade Toulousain left to play, while South Africa’s Hollywoodbets Sharks sit behind them in fourth. On five points, Sharks' opening round bonus-point win over the Exeter Chiefs stands them in good stead ahead of the second half of the pool stage.
Having had two challenging encounters in the opening rounds in the Hollywoodbets Sharks and Stade Toulousain, Exeter Chiefs remain point-less in fifth place, ready to face UBB and Ulster in the remaining two matchdays. As for Ulster, sixth, they match Chiefs’ numbers across the board after their Stade Toulousain and UBB openers, with nothing to separate them other than alphabetical order, setting up a tasty Round 4 clash between the two.
Pool 2 – Stade Rochelais and Leinster Rugby lead the pack
Both with two wins, including one bonus-point victory, Stade Rochelais and Leinster Rugby are leading the Pool 2 pack with nine points apiece. The French outfit edged the Irish giants thanks to their extra try and extra net point. It will be a real clash of the titans when the two face off in Round 3 in January, another chapter in a classic modern rivalry after Leinster knocked the French side out last season having fallen to them in the previous two Finals.
Tied on points in third and fourth are ASM Clermont Auvergne and Benetton Rugby respectively. Having impressed against Benetton and Leinster, Clermont will aim to secure at least one win out of their upcoming English tests against Bath Rugby and Bristol Bears. As for Benetton, their impressive last-gasp win over Bath stands them in good stead ahead of their final two pool games against Bristol Bears and Stade Rochelais.
It's the two English contingents that make up the remaining spots in Pool 2, with Bath and Bristol Bears separated by two points. Bath, fifth and with two losing bonus points, will target the Clermont tie at their formidable home ground before they head to Ireland to take on Leinster. As for Bears, sixth, with Benetton and ASM Clermont left to play, qualification will be a challenge, but not impossible.
Pool 3 – England’s Northampton Saints and Saracens show how it’s done
Impressive in their opening two matchdays with two bonus-point wins over Castres Olympique and away to the Vodacom Bulls, last year’s Investec Champions Cup semi-finalists Northampton Saints top the table with 10 points and look to their games against Stade Français Paris and Munster Rugby with confidence. Right on the reigning Gallagher Premiership champions' heels is the pool’s second English side, Saracens. The Londoners' opening-round win over the Bulls, backed up by their win last weekend over Stade Français Paris in France, puts them on nine points and in second place heading into January.
Not far behind are Munster Rugby and Castres Olympique. With one win and a defeat apiece, the Irish side edge Castres thanks to their bonus-point win over Stade Français Paris as well as their losing bonus point against Castres. As for the TOP 14 outfit, they are fourth with four points thanks to their Munster win and they have a home tie against the Bulls before a trip to Saracens to look forward to.
South Africa’s Pool 3 representation sit fifth as the Bulls have come second best in their opening two games of this Investec Champions Cup. With Castres Olympique and Stade Français Paris lying in wait in January, the Bulls will need points quickly if they are to qualify for the knockouts. Similarly poised in sixth is Stade Français. Affected with red cards in their opening two games, the Parisian outfit will have to dig deep if they are to overcome Northampton Saints or the Bulls in Rounds 3 and 4.
Pool 4 – RC Toulon going strong for fourth title
Sitting top after two wins from two, RC Toulon’s quest for a coveted fourth star has got off to a promising start. However, with ties against Harlequins and Sale Sharks to come, the French side will have to have their wits about them if they are to remain first and fend off a threatening Glasgow Warriors side. As for the Warriors, who are one point behind Toulon on seven, they've claimed one win along with two bonus points so far as they prepare for upcoming January ties which don’t promise to get any easier. Racing 92 and Harlequins lie in wait for the Scottish outfit in Rounds 3 and 4.
England’s representation of the group sit in third and fourth in Pool 4, with Harlequins and Sale Sharks tied on five points. Qualification is far from achieved for both ‘Quins and Sale Sharks as the London side are yet to play the pool’s top two in their next fixtures, while the Mancunians head to South Africa to take on the DHL Stormers before returning home to host the group’s current leaders, RC Toulon.
With one point separating Racing 92, fifth, and Harlequins, third, the French side still have very real possibilities of qualifying. First a trip to Glasgow to take on the Warriors before heading south to the Stormers, Racing will be targeting to take as many points as possible to guarantee their ticket to the knockouts. At the bottom of the pool, the DHL Stormers remain point-less after two tricky opening rounds against RC Toulon and Harlequins. They go into their Sale Sharks and Racing 92 group-closing ties with their objectives firmly set on claiming as many points as possible.