Premiership teams gear up for round 2 of the Champions Cup
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The Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup returns with a strong Anglo-French feel to this weekend’s fixtures.
Across both competitions, five Premiership Rugby sides are in action against French teams, while three are in action against South African opposition.
It all kicks off on Friday with Sale Sharks seeking to kickstart their European campaign against Racing 92, who edged out Harlequins in Round 1.
Champions Cup
Friday
SALE SHARKS v Racing 92
Alex Sanderson has called on his side to ‘up the levels’ ahead of the visit of the Parisian giants.
Sharks lost out to a rampant Glasgow Warriors side last Friday and will likely need a result here to advance with games against the Stormers and Toulon to come.
They were always behind the 8-ball at Scotstoun, undone by a George Horne first-half hat-trick, with the high point for Sharks undoubtedly Joe Carpenter’s solo try as the 23-year-old continues to go from strength to strength.
Unfortunately there will be no return to England for Owen Farrell, who is sidelined following groin surgery and therefore denied the prospect of a head-to-head with former teammate and childhood friend George Ford.
Saturday
Bulls v NORTHAMPTON SAINTS
Fresh from a morale-boosting win against Castres, Northampton Saints travel to Cape Town for a first ever away match with the Bulls.
The sides met at the quarter-final stage of last season’s competition at cinch Stadium @ Franklin’s Gardens, as Saints ran out 59-22 winners.
But the Bulls are expected to be much stronger this time around, despite having lost to Saracens in their opening fixture, only their second defeat of the season in all competitions.
George Furbank is in line for a return to the starting XV after sitting out last weekend’s win, while Alex Mitchell will continue at scrum-half, having been lauded as ‘world class’ by Phil Dowson earlier this week.
LEICESTER TIGERS v Sharks
Handre Pollard will welcome a raft of fellow World Cup winners to Mattioli Woods Welford Road in a first ever head-to-head between the sides.
The Sharks saw off Exeter Chiefs in Round 1, with Siya Kolisi among the six starters from that XV who helped the Springboks to victory over England at Allianz Stadium last month.
But don’t expect the Sharks to come fully loaded this weekend with the likes of Eben Etzebeth, Vincent Koch, Lukhanyo Am, James Venter and Vincent Tshituka all out injured.
Tigers battled hard to secure a deserved bonus-point in Bordeaux last weekend and will smell blood here against a weakened Sharks outfit.
La Rochelle v BRISTOL BEARS
A fiercely tough start for Bristol Bears continues with a trip to two-time winners La Rochelle.
Bears went to toe-to-toe with Leinster last weekend but four tries in 11 minutes curbed their hopes of a memorable Ashton Gate win.
Next up is a trip to Stade Marcel Deflandre, with Bears seeking to avoid back-to-back defeats for the first time since January.
HARLEQUINS v Stormers
Buoyed by the announcement of Marcus Smith’s new deal, Harlequins take on the Stormers in a Saturday evening spectacular.
Smith has extended his stay with Quins until at least 2028 and will want to mark his new deal with a victory to put Quins back in the driving seat in Pool 4.
Smith’s fly-half counterpart Mannie Libbok will not be making the trip, having suffered a concussion in the defeat to Toulon last week.
Sunday
Benetton v BATH RUGBY
Louis Schreuder and Orlando Bailey are in line to start in the half-back positions for Bath Rugby as they travel to Benetton on Sunday lunchtime.
Both Ben Spencer and Finn Russell have been ruled out for this weekend, with Johann van Graan set to rotate his side.
Full back Matt could feature against his former club, having left Bath in the summer after two seasons at The Rec.
The sides have met just twice previously, with Bath running out winners on both occasions during the 2017/18 pool stages.
Stade Francais v SARACENS
Saracens travel to Stade Francais for the first time in their history on Sunday.
It’s a tricky assignment for Mark McCall’s side, with last year’s Top 14 runners-up having won 12 of their 13 home games last term and have already put 40 points past Racing 92 this season.
A bonus-point victory over the Bulls has at least put Saracens in a strong position and a win away in France would leave them well placed for a home tie in the round of 16.
EXETER CHIEFS v Toulouse
Antoine Dupont will be in town as six-time winners Toulouse travel to Sandy Park in the final Champions Cup game of the weekend.
Toulouse are top of both their European and domestic tables, looking formidable in their quest for a record-extending seventh crown.
Although Chiefs have Henry Slade and Dafydd Jenkins to call upon again, a win this weekend would surely rank amongst their greatest days in Europe.
Challenge Cup
Saturday
Vannes v GLOUCESTER RUGBY
Another first time head-to-head sees Gloucester travel to the home of last year’s Pro D2 champions.
It’s been a tough start for Vannes in their maiden season at the top table, having won just three of their 11 Top 14 games.
They made a losing start in the EPCR Challenge Cup, going down 22-19 to Black Lion, who Gloucester themselves beat last season.
The Cherry & Whites will be full of confidence after a gutsy win over Edinburgh, vying to continue their fine form with a sixth win in seven games in all competitions.
Sunday
NEWCASTLE FALCONS v Dragons
Newcastle Falcons are bidding to bounce back to winning ways at home to the Dragons, having had their four-game winning streak ended by Pau.
Falcons were in that contest until the final play, with a late try denying them a losing bonus-point.
They will fancy their charges at Kingston Park against the Dragons who sit bottom of the URC table, with their only win this season having come back in September.
