English teams Harlequins and Northampton Saints underdogs in Champions Cup May 3, 2024 Like most people, I will look at this weekend’s Investec Champions Cup fixtures and go on to predict a final between four-time champions Leinster and five-time winners Toulouse. The two clubs are European powerhouses and it would take some upset by either Harlequins across the English Channel or Northampton Saints across the Irish Sea to [...]
Champions Cup final could be bumped from ITV1 to make room for FA Cup April 23, 2024 Broadcaster ITV is facing a scheduling conundrum next month with the FA Cup final and the Champions Cup rugby final set to take place on the same day at the same time. Due to the derby between Manchester United and Manchester City being one requiring heightened security, the kick-off was moved to 3pm. But the [...]
Ollie Phillips: Harlequins play rugby fans deserve to watch April 19, 2024 When I watched Harlequins just about get past Bordeaux last weekend in the Investec Champions Cup, I understood why the south London club get such good crowds week in, week out at both the Stoop and Twickenham. They play a style of game that is just so addictive and attractive, and it is something other [...]
Benetton can silence Italian rugby doomsayers with Challenge Cup run April 16, 2024 Italy has been a focus of rugby discussion for a number of years. While many believe they shouldn’t be afforded the privileges of a tier one country, others think they just need time to succeed. But in Benetton Rugby Italy has a sturdy foundation on which to build. The team formerly known as Benetton Treviso, [...]
Toulouse too good as they book Investec Champions Cup home semi April 14, 2024 A second-half surge saw Toulouse cruise past Exeter Chiefs 64-26 to book themselves a place in the Investec Champions Cup semi-finals today. The French Top 14 side are on the hunt for a record-extending sixth title in the most prestigious club rugby competition in the world. Les Rouge et Noir, as they’re known locally, put [...]
Harlequins to face Toulouse in hope of first Champions Cup final appearance April 14, 2024 If Londoners Harlequins are to reach their first ever Investec Champions Cup final next month they’ll need to do it by beating five-times winners Toulouse in their own back yard. Director of rugby Billy Millard’s men pulled off the shock of the weekend, beating Bordeaux-Begles 42-41 on the Atlantic coast on Sunday, in a match [...]
Gloucester and Ospreys to battle in hope of finding consistency April 12, 2024 If, at the turn of the new year, you thought Gloucester would win one of the three competitions they were competing in, many would have laughed. They were on a rotten run in the Premiership but unbeaten in the domestic and European cup competitions. A season of inconsistency. That has continued, in part, through until [...]
Vodacom Bulls have chance at shock Champions Cup upset April 12, 2024 And then there were eight. The Investec Champions Cup round of 16 threw up a couple of incredible ties as those with hopes of lifting club rugby’s most prestigious trophy were tested to the nines. So with four tantalising quarter-final ties ahead of us here are my predictions for the quarter-finals, as well my outside [...]
Champions Cup sponsors Investec team up with School of Hard Knocks charity April 11, 2024 Investec, the leading financial services group and title sponsor of the Investec Champions Cup, has today announced a three-year partnership with School of Hard Knocks (SOHK), a social inclusion charity that uses sport to teach valuable skills to underprivileged people. Through the partnership, Investec will provide participating children with career insights and development days. It [...]
Champions Cup loss end of era for Saracens with Farrell leaving April 8, 2024 For Owen Farrell, and likely the Vunipola brothers Mako and Billy, the curtain fell on a glittering Investec Champions Cup career with Saracens at the weekend. Because the trio of stalwart players – with over 600 Saracens, 250 England and 16 British and Irish Lions appearances between them – were dumped out of the continental [...]