2021 sees a change to the way the Champions Cup is structured. The competition will consist of 2 Pool of 12 teams. The 24 teams, 8 from each league – the Premiership, The Top 14 and the Pro 14 have been put into 4 tiers. A draw was held to decide which team from each tier went into which pool.

Each pool has been split into groups of 3 who will play each other home and away. Those groups have been set up to ensure clubs from the same home league will not play each other. Tier 1 clubs play Tier 4, Tier 2 play Tier 3 The Top 4 from the 2 pools will go forward to the Quarter Finals of the Champions Cup, those quarter finals will be played across 2 legs. The clubs ranked 5 to 8 will go into round 16 of the Challenge Cup.

Complicated much! Perhaps listing each pool with the groups will make it easier to see?

Pool A Opposition 1 Opposition 2
Wasps T1 Dragons Montpellier
Leinster Rugby T1MontpellierNorthampton Saints
Bordeaux Begles T1Dragons Northampton Saints
Bath T2La Rochelle Scarlets
Edinburgh Rugby T2La Rochelle Sale Sharks
RC Toulon T2Sale Sharks Scarlets
Sale Sharks T3Edinburgh RC Toulon
Scarlets T3Bath Rugby RC Toulon
La Rochelle T3Bath RugbyEdinburgh Rugby
Montpellier T4Leinster Rugby Wasps
Northampton Saints T4Bordeaux Begles Leinster Rugby
Dragons T4Bordeaux Begles Wasps
POOL A
Pool B
Exeter Chiefs T1Toulouse Glasgow
Lyon T1Glasgow Warriors Gloucester Rugby
Ulster Rugby T1Gloucester Rugby Toulouse
Bristol Bears T2ASM ClermontConnacht Rugby
Munster T2ASM ClermontHarlequins
Racing 92 T2Connacht Rugby Harlequins
Harlequins T3Munster Rugby Racing 92
Connacht Rugby T3Racing 92 Bristol Bears
ASM Clermont T3Bristol Bears Munster Rugby
Glasgow Warriors T4Exeter Chiefs Lyon
Gloucester Rugby T4Lyon Ulster Rugby
Toulouse T4Exeter Chiefs Ulster Rugby
POOL B

As a Saracens fan my team clearly won’t feature, but I am a big fan of European rugby and should crowds be allowed I’ll definitely be watching some live games. There are some very tasty match ups and the move to 2 leg quarter finals will remove the benefit of home advantage.

  • Round 1 – 11-13 December 2020
  • Round 2 – 18-20 December 2020
  • Round 3 – 15-17 January 2021
  • Round 4 – 22-24 January 2021
  • Quarter Finals 1st Leg – 2-4 April 2021
  • Quarter Finals 2nd Leg – 9-11 April 2021
  • Semi-Finals – 30 April 1/2 May
  • Final – 22 May – Stade velodrome Marseille
A Welsh Male Voice Choir at Saracens for a Champions Cup Fixture

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