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Sunday, February 09, 2025

Investec Champions Cup Pools Set for a Dramatic Final Act

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The Vodacom Bulls find themselves as the outlier in a gripping conclusion to the Investec Champions Cup pool stages, where 23 of the 24 teams retain a chance to progress to the knockout rounds.

For Jake White’s men, the only South African team unable to reach the Champions Cup last 16, a victory over Stade Francais at Loftus is critical to secure a place in the EPCR Challenge Cup. However, they need more than just a win—they must claim a bonus point, achieve a significant points differential, and deny their French opponents a bonus point. Even then, their Champions Cup hopes are mathematically out of reach due to Castres’ insurmountable nine-point lead in Pool 3.

Meanwhile, the Hollywoodbets Sharks and DHL Stormers remain firmly in contention for the Champions Cup knockouts. The Sharks’ fate could be decided before their clash against Bordeaux-Begles on Sunday, depending on the outcome of Ulster vs. Exeter Chiefs on Friday. Both teams are yet to score a point in Pool 1 and must win with a bonus point and a large margin to overtake the Sharks’ superior points differential.

The DHL Stormers face a high-stakes encounter against Racing 92 in Paris. With only one point separating the teams, and Harlequins and Sale Sharks also in the mix, Pool 4 is a tightly contested group where every point counts. The Stormers could have been playing for top spot had they converted their chances against Toulon earlier in the competition.

Across the competition, top-seeded teams are vying for crucial home-ground advantage in the knockout stages. Leinster and Stade Rochelais continue their duel in Pool 2, while Bordeaux, Toulouse, Toulon, and Glasgow Warriors fight for supremacy in their respective groups.

This weekend promises a thrilling conclusion to the Champions Cup pools, with nearly every team still in the hunt for glory or survival.

Pool Standings

Pool 1: Bordeaux Begles 15, Toulouse 14, Leicester Tigers 11, Sharks 5, Ulster 0, Exeter Chiefs 0.
Pool 2: Leinster 13, La Rochelle 10, Bath 7, Benetton 7, Clermont-Auvergne 5, Bristol Bears 5.
Pool 3: Northampton Saints 11, Munster 10, Saracens 10, Castres 9, Stade Francais 5, Bulls 0.
Pool 4: Toulon 13, Glasgow Warriors 12, Harlequins 5, Stormers 5, Sale Sharks 5, Racing 92 4.

Photo: Vodacom Bulls
[Submitted by Kevin Rademeyer]

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