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Saturday, December 13, 2025

All the Champions Cup team news and line-ups in one place

This post was originally published on this site.

The second round of pool matches in this season’s Investec Champions Cup takes place across 12-14 December.

On Friday, Leicester Tigers host Leinster in a Pool Three fixture (20:00 GMT).

All of the team news and line-ups for the other 10 games involving clubs from England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland can be found below.

Clermont Auvergne v Sale

Venue: Stade Marcel-Michelin Date: Saturday, 13 December Kick-off: 15:15 GMT

Coverage: Live text updates on BBC Sport website and app

Sale will again be without England fly-half George Ford as they aim to get their Champions Cup campaign back on track after a home defeat by Glasgow in round one.

Ford missed the 26-21 loss after suffering a groin injury in the Prem defeat by Exeter on 28 November. Rob du Preez continues at fly-half in his absence.

Centre Joe Bedlow makes his Champions Cup debut in place of the injured Rekeiti Ma’asi-White and Ben Curry replaces twin brother Tom at number eight to team up with captain Ernst van Rhyn and Jacques Vermeulen in the back row.

After a young Clermont side full of Champions Cup debutants were beaten comfortably by Saracens last week, the Top 14 side make nine changes to their starting line-up.

Sebastien Bezy and Irae Simone form a new half-back partnership and they have added much-needed experience with the return of internationals Alivereti Raka, George Moala, Rob Simmons and Marcos Kremer.

Clermont: Guillaud; Fall, Frier, Moala, Raka; Simone, Bezy; Lotrian, Fourcade, Ojovan, Simmons, Ceyte, Tixeront, Kremer, Tolofua.

Replacements: Lam, Akhaladze, Tutisani, Ratuva, Muarua, Zamora, Plummer, Newsome.

Sale: Reed; O’Flaherty, Bedlow, Louw, Wills; du Preez, Quirke; McIntyre, Jibulu, John, Burrow, Bamber, Vermeulen, van Rhyn, B Curry.

Replacements: Caine, Onasanya, Harper, Andrews, Woodman, Warr, Davies, Wehr.

Sharks v Saracens

Venue: Hollywoodbets Kings Park Date: Saturday, 13 December Kick-off: 15:15 GMT

Coverage: Live text updates on BBC Sport website and app

Scotland flanker Andy Onyeama-Christie will captain Saracens in Durban as they bid to make it two wins out of two in Pool One.

Ben Earl is named on a replacements bench which also includes Alex Lozowski, who has recovered from a long-term Achilles injury and could make his first appearance for Saracens since March.

Former England captain Owen Farrell, who started the win over Clermont Auvergne, and current England skipper Maro Itoje are not included in the matchday squad of 23.

Sharks will be led by Andre Esterhuizen on his 100th appearance for the side.

The former Harlequins star starts at centre and is one of several South Africa internationals included, with Springboks captain Siya Kolisi and scrum-half Grant Williams also among those named in the starting XV.

Sharks: Fassi; Van der Merwe, Hooker, Esterhuizen (capt), Mapimpi; Whitehead, Williams; Ganyane, Mbonambi, Jacobs, Jenkins, Van Heerden, Kolisi, Tshituka, Buthelezi.

Replacements: Swart, Mazibuko, Mdanda, Orie, Romao, Hatton, Jaden Henrikse, Jordan Henrikse.

Saracens: Daly; Segun, Spink, Hartley, Hall; Burke, Bracken; Mawi, Dan, Riccioni, Isiekwe, Wilson, McFarland, Onyeama-Christie (capt), Willis.

Replacements: Hadfield, O’Driscoll, Street, Tizard, Michelow, Earl, Simpson, Losowski.

Munster v Gloucester

Venue: SuperValu Pairc Ui Chaoimh Date: Saturday, 13 December Kick-off: 17:30 GMT

Coverage: Commentary on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2 and BBC Radio Gloucestershire; live text updates on BBC Sport website and app

Ireland international Jack Crowley returns at fly-half for Munster after he missed the defeat at Bath with a leg injury.

Michael Ala’alatoa will make his first start for the club at prop, while captain Tadhg Beirne switches from the back row into the second row.

Gloucester are without backs Max Llewellyn and Will Joseph, who were both injured in the opening win against Castres.

They are boosted, however, by the returns of forwards Arthur Clark and Jack Clement – who will appear for the first time since the opening Prem match of the season in September – as well as prop Jamal Ford-Robinson.

Munster: Haley; Daly, Kelly, Nankivell, O’Connor; Crowley, Casey; Milne, Scannell, Ala’alatoa, Kleyn, Beirne (capt), Ahern, O’Donoghue, Coombes.

Replacements: Barron, Wycherley, Bartley, Edogbo, Quinn, Patterson, Hanrahan, Farrell.

Gloucester: Barton; Hathaway, W Knight, M Knight, Russell; Atkinson, Austin; Bleuler, Innard, Ford-Robinson, Jordan, Clark (capt), Basham, Taylor, Clement.

Replacements: Freeman-Price, C Knight, Fasogbon, Eite, Bokenham, James, Price, Cotgreave.

Bordeaux Begles v Scarlets

Venue: Stade Chaban-Delmas Date: Saturday, 13 December Kick-off: 17:30 GMT

Coverage: Commentary on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra and BBC Radio Wales; live text updates on BBC Sport website and app

Wales duo Blair Murray and Taine Plumtree are still unavailable as Scarlets head coach Dwayne Peel shuffles his side with eight changes from the narrow defeat by Bristol.

Tomi Lewis replaces injured Wales wing Tom Rogers, Joe Roberts comes in to partner Eddie James in the centres and there is a new half-back partnership of Joe Hawkins and Dane Blacker, with scrum-half Archie Hughes named on the bench as Gareth Davies is rested.

The front row changes with the all-international trio of Alec Hepburn, Marnus van der Merwe and Henry Thomas starting. Max Douglas switches from flanker to lock with Dan Davis coming into the back row.

Reigning Champions Cup holders Bordeaux began their title defence in impressive fashion with a 46-33 away win against the Bulls. They have the dangerous Damian Penaud and Louis Bielle-Biarrey on the wings and Matthieu Jalibert at fly-half.

Bordeaux: Mousques; Penaud, Uberti, Moefana, Bielle-Biarrey; Jalibert, Page-Relo; Poirot, Barlot, Falatea, Palu, Coleman, Jacobs, Vergnes-Taillefer, Matiu.

Replacements: Everitt, Perchaud, Tameifuna, Gray, Gardrat, Retiere, Carbery, van Rensburg.

Scarlets: Davies; Lewis, Roberts, James, Mee; Hawkins, Blacker; Hepburn, van der Merwe, Thomas, Douglas, Ball, Macleod, Davis, Anderson.

Replacements: Elias, Mathias, O’Connor, Lousi, Taylor, Hughes, Costelow, Page.

Glasgow v Toulouse

Venue: Scotstoun Stadium Date: Saturday, 13 December Kick-off: 20:00 GMT

Coverage: Live text updates on BBC Sport website and app

Jamie Dobie starts at scrum-half in place of George Horne as Glasgow make one change to the side that beat Sale last Friday as they welcome six-time Champions Cup winners Toulouse to Scotstoun.

Dobie lines up alongside Adam Hastings in the half-backs with Stafford McDowall and Sione Tuipulotu continuing their centre partnership.

Kyle Steyn captains the side from the wing, with Ollie Smith and Josh McKay completing the back three. The forward pack is unchanged with the back row made up of Matt Fagerson, Rory Darge and Jack Dempsey.

Toulouse, who scored eight tries in a 56-19 win over Sharks last week, have reshuffled their back line with Antoine Dupont coming into the starting line-up alongside Romain Ntamack.

Thomas Ramos switches to full-back, Blair Kinghorn is on the wing against his fellow countrymen and England’s Jack Willis starts at blind-side flanker.

Glasgow: McKay; Steyn, McDowall, Tuipulotu, Smith; Hastings, Dobie; McBeth, Hiddleston, Fagerson, Williamson, Cummings, Fagerson, Darge, Dempsey.

Replacements: Stephen, Sutherland, Talakai, Craig, Brown, Miller, Horne, Lancaster.

Toulouse: Ramos; Capuozzo, Costes, Gourgues, Kinghorn; Ntamack, Dupont; Ainu’u, Marchand, Aldegheri, Brennan, Flament, Willis, Banos, Jelonch.

Replacements: Lacombre, Neti, Merkler, Meafou, Castro-Ferreira, Roumat, Graou, Thomas.

Castres v Edinburgh

Venue: Stade Pierre-Fabre Date: Sunday, 14 December Kick-off: 13:00 GMT

Coverage: Live text updates on BBC Sport website and app

Edinburgh have made several changes to the side that gained a bonus-point win against Toulon in their opening pool match.

Wing duo Duhan van der Merwe and Darcy Graham are among the Scotland internationals left out as they follow rest protocols.

Centre Matt Currie will play for the first time this season after overcoming vertigo, while back row Connor Boyle has recovered from a long-term knee injury and is named among the replacements.

New Zealand international Jack Goodhue is recalled at centre by Castres, who were beaten by Gloucester in their first pool fixture.

Castres: Palis; Ambadiang, Botitu, Goodhue, Vargas; Popelin, Fernandez; Walcker, Zarantonello, Azar, Maravat, Staniforth, Delaporte (capt), Ardron, Papali’i.

Replacements: Durand, Guerois, Corato, Nakarawa, Cope, Doubrere, Herve, Karawalevu.

Edinburgh: Brown; McCann, Currie, O’Conor, Wells; Scott, Vellacott (capt); Venter, Morris, Blyth-Lafferty, Hunter-Hill, Young, McConnell, Douglas, Dodd.

Replacements: Ashman, Jones, Hill, Boyle, Watson, Shiel, Lang, Goosen.

Harlequins v Bayonne

Venue: Twickenham Stoop Date: Sunday, 14 December Kick-off: 13:00 GMT

Coverage: BBC Radio London commentary and live text updates on BBC Sport website and app

England’s Marcus Smith starts at fly-half for Harlequins as they bid to get their first Champions Cup win of the campaign.

In all, Quins have made six changes to the starting XV that was beaten by Leinster, with England prop Fin Baxter and Argentina second row Guido Petti also named in the side.

Bayonne have freshened up their half-back partnership after losing at home to Stormers in their opening pool fixture.

Tom Spring switches from the wing to start at fly-half in place of Joris Segonds, while Baptiste Tilloles is in for South African Herschel Jantjies at scrum-half.

Harlequins: David; Cleaves, Beard, Northmore, Murley (capt); Smith, Porter; Baxter, Walker, Delgado, Petti, Lewies, Kenningham, Evans, Carr.

Replacements: Riley, Wenger, Hobson, Treadwell, Cunningham-South, Friday, Benson, Waghorn.

Bayonne: Orabe; Thompson, Maqala, Mori, Hannoun; Spring, Tilloles; Calles, Martin, Setiano, Garcia Iandolino, Paulos, Fischer (capt) Capilla, Ariceta.

Replacements: Guidicelli, Cormenier, Fepulea’i, Heguy, Marchesin, Traversier, Jantjies, Boyle-Tiatia.

Toulon v Bath

Venue: Stade Felix Mayol Date: Sunday, 14 December Kick-off: 15:15 GMT

Coverage: Commentary on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2, BBC Radio Bristol and BBC Radio Somerset; live text updates on BBC Sport website and app

Bath are without England prop Will Stuart who faces a long spell out of the game after sustaining a ruptured Achilles tendon. He is replaced by Vilikesa Sela as Johann van Graan makes a number of changes to his forward pack including an all new back row of Ted Hill, Sam Underhill and Alfie Barbeary

Scrum-half Ben Spencer is not included in the squad and is replaced by European debutant Tom Carr-Smith, with Argentina international Santi Carreras coming in for Tom de Glanville at full-back.

Finn Russell captains the side at fly-half with Henry Arundell and Joe Cokanasiga on the wings and Cam Redpath and Max Ojomoh continuing in the centres.

Toulon’s English contingent of Kyle Sinckler, Lewis Ludlam and Zach Mercer all start in the pack but David Ribbans drops out of the squad after a yellow card in last week’s defeat by Edinburgh.

Scotland scrum-half Ben White is named on the bench with Baptiste Serin coming in to the starting 15.

Toulon: Ferte; Drean, Brex, Sinzelle, Tuicuvu; Garcia, Serin; Gros, Lucchesi, Sinckler, Rebbadj, Alainu’uese, Ludlam, Ollivon Mercer.

Replacements: Baubigny, Ametlla, Priso, Mezou, Abadie, White, Smaili, Karaba.

Bath: Carreras; Cokanasiga, Ojomoh, Redpath, Arundell; Russell Carr-Smith; Obano, Dunn, Sela, Roux, Molony, Hill, Underhill, Barbeary.

Replacements: Tuipulotu, van Wyk, du Toit, Ewels, Reid, le Roux, Hennessey, Green.

Northampton v Bulls

Venue: Franklin’s Gardens Date: Sunday, 14 December Kick-off: 15:15 GMT

Coverage: Commentary on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra and BBC Radio Northampton; live text updates on BBC Sport website and app

Northampton have made two changes to their starting XV after beginning their Champions Cup campaign with an away win against Pau.

England’s Henry Pollock will start at number eight for the Saints, while Ollie Sleightholme has recovered from injury to replace the suspended James Ramm on the wing.

Bulls have rotated their squad following a high-scoring loss to defending champions Bordeaux Begles in their opening pool match.

Fly-half Handre Pollard, back row Marco van Staden and back Canan Moodie – who all featured for the Springboks during the recent Autumn Nations Series – are absent, as is veteran full-back Willie le Roux.

Northampton: Furbank (capt); Sleightholme, Hutchinson, Dingwall, Hendy; F Smith, Mitchell; Fischetti, Wright, Davison, Coles, Van der Mescht, Kemeny, Pearson, Pollock.

Replacements: R Smith, Iyogun, Kundiona, Munga, Prowse, Graham, James, Thame.

Bulls: Williams; Petersen, Gans, Vorster, Jacobs; Wolhuter, Burger; Tshakweni, Van der Merwe, Smith, Wiese, Van Heerden, Coetzee (capt), Ludwig, Louw.

Replacements: Else, Sithole, Mchunu, Gumede, Carr, Papier, Johannes, Van Niekerk.

Bristol v Pau

Venue: Ashton Gate Date: Sunday, 14 December Kick-off: 17:30 GMT

Coverage: Commentary on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra and BBC Radio Bristol; live text updates on BBC Sport website and app

Aidan Boshoff makes his first Champions Cup start as Bristol aim to make it two wins from two when they welcome Pau to Ashton Gate.

The 20-year-old wing replaces Sam Worsley as Louis Rees-Zammit moves to full-back and Tom Jordan switches to fly-half.

Lovejoy Chawatama, Joe Owen and Benjamin Grondona come into the starting 15 and Fitz Harding switches to number eight as Viliame Mata, who scored two tries in the win over Scarlets last week, is ruled out by injury.

Former Wasps and Gloucester scrum-half Dan Robson starts for Top 14 surprise high-flyers Pau, who bring in ex-Saracens forward Joel Kpoku and Welsh number eight Carwyn Tuipulotu.

Bristol: Rees-Zammit; Ravouvou, Van Rensburg, Williams, Boshoff; Jordan, Marmion; Genge, Oghre, Chawatama, Rubiolo, Batley, Owen, B Grondona, Harding.

Replacements: Thacker, Woolmore, Lahiff, S Grondona, Ivanishvili, Wolstenholme, Worsley, Carrington.

Pau: Luc; Grandidier Nkanang, Brau-Boirie, Valentino, Laporte; Mondinat, Robson; Bibi Biziwu, Rey, Tokolahi, Jolmes, Capelli, Kpoku, Paul, Tuipulotu.

Replacements: Delhommel, Parrou, Zabala Arrieta, Picquette, Credoz, Souverbie, Decron, Carol.

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