2023–24 European Rugby Champions Cup

Rugby union competition

Not to be confused with 2023–24 EPCR Challenge Cup.

2023–24 European Rugby Champions Cup

Tournament details
Countries|  England
France
Ireland
Scotland
South Africa
Wales
Tournament format(s)| Modified round-robin and knockout
Date| 8 December 2023 – 25 May 2024
Tournament statistics
Final
Venue|  Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London

<- 2022–23 (Previous)

(Next) 2024–25 ->

The 2023–24 European Rugby Champions Cup is the tenth season of the European Rugby Champions Cup, the annual club rugby union competition run by European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) for teams from the top five nations in European rugby and South Africa. It is the 29th season of pan-European professional club rugby competition.

This is the second time the tournament features the top teams from South Africa, following the second United Rugby Championship season.

The final will be played at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England, United Kingdom.[1] La Rochelle are the defending champions, having won their second European Cup title in the previous edition.[1]

## Teams[edit]

Twenty-four clubs from the three major European domestic and regional leagues qualified to compete in the 2023–24 edition of the Champions Cup.

The distribution of teams is:

* England: eight clubs
* The top eight clubs from Premiership Rugby[a]
* France: eight clubs
* The top eight clubs from the Top 14
* Ireland, Italy, Scotland, South Africa, Wales: eight clubs
* The top side in each of the four regional shields from the United Rugby Championship (one Irish, one Welsh, one South African and one either Scottish or Italian), along with the remaining top four ranked clubs regardless of nation, within the league, that didn't win their respective shield. If the club that wins the championship has not qualified by the methods above then that club, the four shield winners and the remaining top three ranked clubs regardless of nation, within the league, that didn't win their respective shield will qualify.

Premiership | Top 14 | United Rugby Championship

|
|

England  |  France  |  Ireland  |  South Africa  |  Scotland  |  Wales

* Bath
* Bristol Bears[a]
* Exeter Chiefs
* Harlequins
* Leicester Tigers
* Northampton Saints
* Sale Sharks
* Saracens

* Bayonne
* Bordeaux-Bègles
* La Rochelle
* Lyon
* Racing 92
* Stade Français
* Toulon
* Toulouse

* Connacht
* Leinster
* Munster
* Ulster

* Bulls
* Stormers

* Glasgow Warriors

* Cardiff

### Team details[edit]

Below is the list of coaches, captain and stadiums with their method of qualification for each team.

Note: Placing shown in brackets, denotes standing at the end of the regular season for their respective leagues, with their end of season positioning shown through CH for Champions, RU for Runner-up, SF for losing Semi-finalist, and QF for losing Quarter-finalist.

Team  | Coach(es) /
Director of Rugby  | Captain  | Stadium  | Capacity  | Method of qualification

|
|
|
|
|

Bayonne |  Grégory Patat  |  Denis Marchois  | Stade Jean-Dauger | 14,370  | Top 14 top 8 (8th)
Bath |  Johann van Graan |  Ben Spencer | The Recreation Ground | 14,509  | Premiership top 8 (8th)
Bordeaux Bègles |  Yannick Bru |  Mahamadou Diaby  | Stade Chaban-Delmas | 34,694  | Top 14 top 8 (6th) (SF)
Bristol Bears |  Pat Lam |  Steve Luatua | Ashton Gate | 27,000  | Premiership top 8 (9th)[a]
Bulls |  Jake White |  Marcell Coetzee | Loftus Versfeld Stadium | 51,762  | URC table rankings (6th) (QF)
Cardiff |  Matt Sherratt |  Josh Turnbull | Cardiff Arms Park | 12,125  | URC Welsh Shield winner (10th)
Connacht |  Peter Wilkins |  Jack Carty | Galway Sportsgrounds | 8,129  | URC table rankings (7th) (SF)
Exeter Chiefs |  Rob Baxter |  Jack Yeandle | Sandy Park | 13,593  | Premiership top 8 (7th)
Glasgow Warriors |  Franco Smith |  Kyle Steyn | Scotstoun Stadium | 7,351  | URC Scottish/Italian Shield winner (4th) (QF)
Harlequins |  Tabai Matson |  Stephan Lewies | Twickenham Stoop | 14,800  | Premiership top 8 (6th)
La Rochelle |  Ronan O'Gara |  Grégory Alldritt | Stade Marcel-Deflandre | 16,700  | Top 14 top 8 (2nd) (RU)
Leicester Tigers |  Dan McKellar |  Julián Montoya | Mattioli Woods Welford Road | 25,849  | Premiership top 8 (3rd) (SF)
Leinster |  Leo Cullen |  James Ryan
Garry Ringrose | RDS Arena
Aviva Stadium | 18,500
51,700  | URC Irish Shield winner (1st) (SF)
Lyon |  Fabien Gengenbacher  |  Baptiste Couilloud | Matmut Stadium de Gerland | 35,029  | Top 14 top 8 (3rd) (QF)
Munster |  Graham Rowntree |  Peter O'Mahony | Thomond Park | 25,600  | URC table rankings (5th) (CH)
Northampton Saints |  Phil Dowson |  Lewis Ludlam | cinch Stadium at Franklin's Gardens | 15,200  | Premiership top 8 (4th) (SF)
Racing 92 |  Stuart Lancaster |  Henry Chavancy | Paris La Défense Arena | 32,000  | Top 14 top 8 (5th) (SF)
Sale Sharks |  Alex Sanderson |  Ben Curry | AJ Bell Stadium | 12,000  | Premiership top 8 (2nd) (RU)
Saracens |  Mark McCall |  Owen Farrell | StoneX Stadium | 10,500  | Premiership top 8 (1st) (CH)
Stade Français |  Laurent Labit
Karim Ghezal  |  Paul Gabrillagues | Stade Jean-Bouin | 20,000  | Top 14 top 8 (4th) (QF)
Stormers |  John Dobson |  Salmaan Moerat | Cape Town Stadium | 55,000  | URC South African Shield winner (3rd) (RU)
Toulon |  Pierre Mignoni |  Charles Ollivon | Stade Mayol | 17,500  | Top 14 top 8 (7th)
Toulouse |  Ugo Mola |  Antoine Dupont
Julien Marchand | Stade Ernest-Wallon | 19,500  | Top 14 top 8 (1st) (CH)
Ulster |  Dan McFarland |  Iain Henderson | Ravenhill Stadium | 18,196  | URC table rankings (2th) (QF)

Notes

1. ^ a b c London Irish originally qualified as one of the top 8 Premiership teams, after finishing 5th in the 2022–23 season. However, the club was officially suspended from all professional competitions on 6 June 2023, due to financial insolvency.[2] As a consequence, their spot in the Champions Cup was awarded to Bristol Bears, the highest ranked team outside the top 8.[3]

## Pool stage[edit]

[[File:

Bath

Bristol

Exeter

Leicester

Northampton

Sale

London
(see map below)

Toulon

Stade Français

Bayonne

Racing 92

La Rochelle

Toulouse

Bordeaux

Lyon

Connacht

Leinster

Munster

Ulster

Glasgow

Cardiff

class=notpageimage|

Locations

|1300px|alt=Locations of European teams of the 2023–24 European Rugby Champions Cup group stage.
Red: Pool A;  Blue: Pool B;  Green: Pool C;  Purple: Pool D.]]

[[:File:

Bath

Bristol

Exeter

Leicester

Northampton

Sale

London
(see map below)

Toulon

Stade Français

Bayonne

Racing 92

La Rochelle

Toulouse

Bordeaux

Lyon

Connacht

Leinster

Munster

Ulster

Glasgow

Cardiff

class=notpageimage|

Locations

| ]]

Locations of European teams of the 2023–24 European Rugby Champions Cup group stage.
Red: Pool A;  Blue: Pool B;  Green: Pool C;  Purple: Pool D.

Harlequins

Saracens

class=notpageimage|

Locations of London teams of the 2023–24 European Rugby Champions Cup group stage.
Red: Pool A;  Blue: Pool B.

Bulls

Stormers

class=notpageimage|

Locations of South African teams of the 2023–24 European Rugby Champions Cup group stage.
Red: Pool A;  Purple: Pool D.

Main article: 2023–24 European Rugby Champions Cup pool stage

Teams are awarded four points for a win, two for a draw, one bonus point for scoring four tries in a game, and one bonus point for losing by less than eight points.

The draw for the pool stage took place on 21 June 2023.[4] Unlike the previous season, the format consisted of four pools with six teams in each. The rules of the draw stipulated that the 2022–23 champions of the three European domestic leagues (Saracens, Toulouse and Munster) and the 2022–23 Champions Cup winners (La Rochelle) would each be drawn into separate pools. The remaining 20 teams were then drawn at random, with the only condition being that no more than two teams from the same domestic league could be placed into each pool.

### Pool A[edit]

2023–24 European Rugby Champions Cup Pool A

Team

* v
* t
* e

| P | W | D | L | PF | PA | Diff | TF | TA | TB | LB | Pts
Bordeaux | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 5 | +36 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5
Bristol Bears | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 34 | +2 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5
Bulls | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 16 | +11 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4
Lyon | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 34 | 36 | –2 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2
Saracens | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 27 | –11 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0
Connacht | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 41 | –36 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0
Green background (rows 1 to 4) indicates qualification places for the Champions Cup round of 16.
Blue background (row 5) indicates qualification place for the Challenge Cup round of 16.
Plain background (row 6) indicates elimination from 2023–24 European competition.
Starting table — source: European Professional Club Rugby

### Pool B[edit]

2023–24 European Rugby Champions Cup Pool B

Team

* v
* t
* e

| P | W | D | L | PF | PA | Diff | TF | TA | TB | LB | Pts
Toulouse | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 52 | 7 | +45 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5
Bath | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 14 | +23 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5
Harlequins | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 28 | +3 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 5
Racing 92 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 28 | 31 | –3 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2
Ulster | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 37 | –23 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0
Cardiff | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 52 | –45 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0
Green background (rows 1 to 4) indicates qualification places for the Champions Cup round of 16.
Blue background (row 5) indicates qualification place for the Challenge Cup round of 16.
Plain background (row 6) indicates elimination from 2023–24 European competition.
Starting table — source: European Professional Club Rugby

### Pool C[edit]

2023–24 European Rugby Champions Cup Pool C

Team

* v
* t
* e

| P | W | D | L | PF | PA | Diff | TF | TA | TB | LB | Pts
Northampton Saints | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 19 | +9 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4
Exeter Chiefs | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 18 | +1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4
Bayonne | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 17 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2
Munster | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 17 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2
Toulon | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 18 | 19 | –1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1
Glasgow Warriors | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 19 | 28 | –9 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0
Green background (rows 1 to 4) indicates qualification places for the Champions Cup round of 16.
Blue background (row 5) indicates qualification place for the Challenge Cup round of 16.
Plain background (row 6) indicates elimination from 2023–24 European competition.
Starting table — source: European Professional Club Rugby

### Pool D[edit]

2023–24 European Rugby Champions Cup Pool D

Team

* v
* t
* e

| P | W | D | L | PF | PA | Diff | TF | TA | TB | LB | Pts
Leicester Tigers | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 26 | +9 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5
Sale Sharks | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 5 | +23 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4
Leinster | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 9 | +7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4
La Rochelle | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 16 | –7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1
Stormers | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 26 | 35 | –9 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0
Stade Français | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 28 | –23 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0
Green background (rows 1 to 4) indicates qualification places for the Champions Cup round of 16.
Blue background (row 5) indicates qualification place for the Challenge Cup round of 16.
Plain background (row 6) indicates elimination from 2023–24 European competition.
Starting table — source: European Professional Club Rugby

## See also[edit]

* 2023–24 EPCR Challenge Cup

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b "EPCR pool draws for 2023/24 season". EPCR. 16 June 2023. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
2. ^ "London Irish file for administration after being suspended from Gallagher Premiership and all leagues by RFU". Sky Sports. 7 June 2023. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
3. ^ "Bristol Bears to replace London Irish in Champions Cup, EPCR confirm". BBC Sport. 9 June 2023. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
4. ^ "Heavyweight clashes to savour for 2023/24 season as EPCR pool draws completed". EPCR. 21 June 2023. Retrieved 27 June 2023.

* v
* t
* e

European Rugby Champions Cup

Organised by European Professional Club Rugby
Formerly the Heineken Cup, organised by European Rugby Cup

2023–24 teams|

* Bath
* Bayonne
* Bordeaux Bègles
* Bristol Bears
* Bulls
* Cardiff
* Connacht
* Exeter Chiefs
* Glasgow Warriors
* Harlequins
* La Rochelle
* Leicester Tigers
* Leinster
* Lyon
* Munster
* Northampton Saints
* Racing 92
* Sale Sharks
* Saracens
* Stade Français
* Stormers
* Toulon
* Toulouse
* Ulster

Heineken Cup
(1995–2014)|

| Seasons|

* 1995–96
* 1996–97
* 1997–98
* 1998–99
* 1999–2000
* 2000–01
* 2001–02
* 2002–03
* 2003–04
* 2004–05
* 2005–06
* 2006–07
* 2007–08
* 2008–09
* 2009–10
* 2010–11
* 2011–12
* 2012–13
* 2013–14

|

Pool stages|

* 1995–96
* 1996–97
* 1997–98
* 1998–99
* 1999–2000
* 2000–01
* 2001–02
* 2002–03
* 2003–04
* 2004–05
* 2005–06
* 2006–07
* 2007–08
* 2008–09
* 2009–10
* 2010–11
* 2011–12
* 2012–13
* 2013–14

Finals|

* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 1999
* 2000
* 2001
* 2002
* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014

European Rugby
Champions Cup
(2014–present)|

| Seasons|

* 2014–15
* 2015–16
* 2016–17
* 2017–18
* 2018–19
* 2019–20
* 2020–21
* 2021–22
* 2022–23
* 2023–24

|

Pool stages|

* 2014–15
* 2015–16
* 2016–17
* 2017–18
* 2018–19
* 2019–20
* 2020–21
* 2021–22
* 2022–23
* 2023–24

Finals|

* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2020
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023

Qualification play-off|

* Heineken Cup Play-off (2004–09)
* 2014–15
* 2015–16
* 2017–18

* v
* t
* e

2023–24 European club competitions

Football|

* Men
* Champions League
* Europa League
* Europa Conference League
* Super Cup
* Youth League
* Women
* Champions League

Football variants|

* Futsal
* Champions League
* Women's European Champions
* Beach soccer
* Euro Winners Cup
* Women's Euro Winners Cup

Basketball|

* Men
* EuroLeague
* EuroCup
* Champions League
* FIBA Europe Cup
* Women
* EuroLeague
* EuroCup
* SuperCup

Volleyball|

* Men
* Champions League
* CEV Cup
* Challenge Cup
* Women
* Champions League
* CEV Cup
* Challenge Cup

Handball|

* Men
* Champions League
* European League
* European Cup
* Women
* Champions League
* European League
* European Cup

Water polo|

* Men
* Champions League
* Euro Cup
* Challenger Cup
* Super Cup
* Women
* Champions League
* Euro Cup
* Challenger Cup
* Super Cup

Rugby union|

* Men
* Champions Cup
* Challenge Cup
* Super Cup

Ice hockey|

* Men
* Champions Hockey League
* Continental Cup

Indoor hockey|

* Men
* EuroHockey Indoor Club Cup
* Women
* EuroHockey Indoor Club Cup

Field hockey|

* Men
* Euro Hockey League
* Trophy I
* Trophy II
* Women
* Euro Hockey League
* Trophy I
* Trophy II

Roller hockey|

* Men
* Champions League
* World Skate Europe Cup
* Continental Cup
* Women
* European League

Lacrosse|

* Men
* Ken Galluccio Cup

Korfball|

* Mixed
* Champions League

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template
*[P]: Matches played
*[W]: Matches won (wins are worth 4 points in the final pool standings)
*[D]: Matches drawn (draws are worth 2 points in the final pool standings)
*[L]: Matches lost (losses are worth 0 points in the final pool standings)
*[PF]: Points scored for
*[PA]: Points scored against
*[Diff]: Points difference
*[TF]: Tries scored for
*[TA]: Tries scored against
*[TB]: Try bonus points (awarded when a team scores 4 or more tries in a match)
*[LB]: Losing bonus points (awarded when a team loses a match by 7 points or less)
*[Pts]: Points in the final pool standings