Match Facts

Castres Olympique have won each of their previous two Champions Cup matches against Benetton Rugby, beating the Italian side both home and away in the pool stages of the 2006/07 edition by margins of exactly 19 points on both occasions.

Benetton Rugby have won two of their last three Champions Cup matches (L1), as many as in their preceding 31 games combined (L29), but have lost each of their last 33 away games in the competition and haven’t won in France since October 2004 (34-0 v Bourgoin); Castres Olympique are aiming to reach their second ever quarter-final (also 2001/02), while Benetton will be the first Italian side ever to participate in a Champions Cup knockout tie.

49% of Castres Olympique’s points in this season’s Champions Cup have been scored after the 60-minute mark, the highest rate of any side, however, just 6% of Benetton Rugby’s points conceded have come in the final quarter, the lowest rate of any team this term.

Castres Olympique made 139 kicks in play during the pool stages of this season’s Champions Cup, more than any other side, while Benetton Rugby made just 91, the joint-fewest of any side to reach the Round of 16 (also Glasgow); furthermore, Castres retained possession from 17% of their kicks compared to Benetton’s 14% rate.

Only Damian Penaud (16) made more line breaks than Benetton’s Rhyno Smith (7) in the pool stage of the 2024/25 Champions Cup, Smith also scored three tries and landed five of his six shots at goal.