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Next year's Champions Cup and Challenge Cup pools revealed
By RugbyPass
Saracens and Clermont Auvergne will meet in a European Rugby Champions Cup final rematch in next season's group stage.
Premiership giants Saracens secured consecutive continental crowns with a 28-17 victory over the French club at Murrayfield last month. It was Clermont's third final defeat in five years as European club rugby's biggest prize continues to elude them.
They will be joined in Pool 2 by Ospreys and Northampton Saints.
Sarries were denied back-to-back doubles by Exeter Chiefs in the Premiership final and Rob Baxter's men were drawn in Pool 3 alongside three-time champions Leinster, Montpellier and Glasgow Warriors.
Munster and Leicester Tigers will meet in a rematch of the 2002 final in Pool 4, with Racing 92's presence ensuring a hotly anticipated set of fixtures.
Pool 1 is comprised of Wasps, La Rochelle, Harlequins and Ulster, while Scarlets, Toulon, Bath and Bennetton Treviso were drawn in Pool 5.
In the Challenge Cup, four-time Heineken Cup winners Toulouse were drawn with Cardiff Blues, Sale Sharks and Lyon in an intriguing Pool 2.
Challenge Cup draw in full:
Pool 1: Newcastle Falcons, Newport Gwent Dragons, Bordeaux Begles, Yenisey-STM Krasnoyarsk
Pool 2: Cardiff Blues, Sale Sharks, Lyon, Toulouse
Pool 3: Gloucester, Pau, Zebre, Agen
Pool 4: Stade Francais, Edinburgh, London Irish, Krasny Yar Krasnoyarsk
Pool 5: Brive, Connacht, Worcestor Warriors, Oyonnax
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Latest Comments
I'd rate the brothers Hendricks a point or two lower. Jaden has really not delivered on his early promise and Jordan's kicking at posts was quite erratic. Amongst other things.
I was really surprised that DuhDuh was replaced and not Jordan. DuhDuh had a great game and just underlined his class in a backline that was not firing on all cylinders.
Damian Willemse was missed. Hopefully he'll be back to full fitness and have an injury free 2025 (and '26 and '27 and so on until he decides to retire to spend time with his grandchildren).
RG was great. What an athlete.
Very happy that Hanekom made his debut at last. He gave a good account of himself and will hopefully grow into his role on the international stage.
All things considered, this was another frustrating Bok performance. Even though it was a comfortable win, it wasn't a commanding win. This Welsh team should've been put away by a far larger margin.
But I have faith in Dr Rassie. He knows more than I do. Bring on 2027 😁
Go to commentsGo the AB's .. Probs win by about 30 I reckon ... Cheers ..
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