The Champions Cup is well underway, with the teams having a three week break till the next round of fixtures. In round one of the Champions Cup Leinster produced a big result against La Rochelle but it was an otherwise disappointing performance from the other three Irish provinces.
The second round of fixtures saw a slight improvement in the Irish provinces success in the Champions Cup, Leinster won 37-28 against the Sale Sharks whilst Ulster registered their first win of this Champions Cup campaign against Racing 92.
Munster faced a tricky trip to Exeter, where they lost 32 to 24. Connacht also lost thier second game in a row in the competition away to the Saracens.
Saracens battered Connacht with a strong second half showing..
Here are the results so far for the Irish provinces and a look at how the tables stand after one week.
The 2023/24 Champions Cup Fixtures - Irish provinces
Round 3 of the 2023/24 Champions Cup
| Date & Time | Team | Venue | Where to Watch |
| Saturday, 13/1 at 2pm | Lyon v Connacht Rugby | Matmut Stadium de Gerland | beIN Sports, TNT Sports, SuperSport, FloRugby |
| Saturday, 13/1 at 4.15pm | RC Toulon v Munster Rugby |
Stade Felix-Mayol
|
beIN Sports, France TV, TNT Sports, SuperSport, FloRugby |
| Saturday, 13/1 at 5.30pm | Leinster Rugby v Stade Français Paris | Aviva Stadium | RTE, TNT Sports, beIN Sports, SuperSport, FloRugby |
| Saturday 13/1 at 8pm | Ulster Rugby v Stade Toulousain | Kingspan Stadium | TNT Sports, beIN Sports, SuperSport, FloRugby |
READ HERE: La Rochelle Called Out For Cynical Performance In Leinster Loss
Champions Cup Standings
(last update 21.15, 16/12/23)
Pool 1 Champions Cup Table (Connacht)
| Teams | P | W | D | L | TB | LB | PD | PTS |
| Union Bordeaux-Bègles | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | +55 | 10 |
| Lyon | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | -1 | 7 |
| Bulls | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | +10 | 5 |
| Saracens | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | +8 | 5 |
| Bristol Bears | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | -17 | 5 |
| Connacht Rugby | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | -55 | 1 |
Pool 2 Champions Cup Table (Ulster)
| Teams | P | W | D | L | TB | LB | PD | PTS |
| Stade Toulousain | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | +73 | 10 |
| Bath Rugby | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | +30 | 10 |
| Ulster Rugby | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | -7 | 5 |
| Harlequins | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | -25 | 5 |
| Racing 92 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | -19 | 2 |
| Cardiff Rugby | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | -52 | 2 |
Pool 3 Champions Cup Table (Munster)
| Teams | P | W | D | L | TB | LB | PD | PTS |
| Northampton Saints | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +12 | 9 |
| Exeter Chiefs | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +9 | 9 |
| Glasgow | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -8 | 4 |
| Aviron Bayonne | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 3 |
| Munster Rugby | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | -8 | 3 |
| RC Toulon | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | -4 | 2 |
Pool 4 Champions Cup Table (Leinster)
| Teams | P | W | D | L | TB | LB | PD | PTS |
| Leinster Rugby | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +17 | 9 |
| Leicester Tigers | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +12 | 9 |
| Sale Sharks | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +13 | 4 |
| DHL Stormers | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -8 | 4 |
| Stade Rochelais (La Rochelle) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | -8 | 2 |
| Stade Français Paris | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | -26 | 1 |
The 2023/24 Champions Cup Fixtures - Irish provinces
Round 4 of the 2023/24 Champions Cup
| Date & Time | Team | Venue | Where to Watch |
| Friday, 19/1 at 8pm | Connacht Rugby v Bristol Bears | The Sportsground | TNT Sports, beIN Sports, SuperSport, FloRugby |
| Saturday, 20/1 at 1pm | Harlequins v Ulster Rugby |
Twickenham Stoop
|
TNT Sports, beIN Sports, SuperSport, FloRugby |
| Saturday, 13/1 at 3.15pm | Leicester Tigers v Leinster Rugby | Mattioli Woods Welford Road | TNT Sports, beIN Sports, SuperSport, FloRugby |
| Saturday 13/1 at 8pm | Munster Rugby v Northampton Saints |
Thomond Park
|
RTÉ, TNT Sports, beIN Sports, SuperSport, FloRugby |
2023/24 Champions Cup Knockout Stage
Quarter-finals
Qualification for the Champions Cup quarter-finals will be as follows, each team that finished in the top two of each group will be ranked from 1 to 8 based on their group performances. Once the rankings are chosen, the quarter-finals will be played over one match, either on 12/13/14 of April with the higher-ranked team given home advantage.
The quarter-finals will be played over one match.
The fixtures will be as follows:
- Team ranked 1 v Team ranked 8
- Team ranked 2 v Team ranked 7
- Team ranked 3 v Team ranked 6
- Team ranked 4 v Team ranked 5
- Semi-finals – 3/4/5 May 2024
- EPCR Challenge Cup final – Friday 24 May 2024, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
- Champions Cup final – Saturday 25 May 2024, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
READ HERE: Munster Fan Grabs Jersey Of Bayonne Player During Scrap Near Touchline
The 2023/24 Champions Cup Results - Irish provinces
Round 1 of the 2023/24 Champions Cup
| Date & Time | Team | Score |
| Friday, 8/12 at 8pm | Connacht Rugby v Union Bordeaux-Bègles | 5-41 |
| Saturday, 9/12 at 3.15pm | Bath Rugby v Ulster Rugby | 37-14 |
| Saturday, 9/12 at 5.30pm | Munster Rugby v Aviron Bayonne | 17-17 |
| Sunday 10/12 at 4.15pm | Stade Rochelais v Leinster Rugby | 16-9 |
Round 2 of the 2023/24 Champions Cup
| Date & Time | Team | Score |
| Saturday, 16/12 at 1pm | Saracens v Connacht Rugby | 55-36 |
| Saturday, 16/12 at 5.30pm | Leinster Rugby v Sale Sharks | 37-27 |
| Saturday, 16/12 at 8pm | Ulster Rugby v Racing 92 | 31-15 |
| Sunday 17/12 at 1pm | Exeter Chiefs v Munster Rugby | 32-24 |
The 2023/24 Champions Cup and Challenge Cup draw
Munster, having won the URC, are feeling the positive effects of being a Tier 1 seed, after being drawn in a favourable pool alongside Bayonne, Glasgow Warriors, Exeter Chiefs, Toulon, and Northampton.
Ulster have it tougher, with Toulouse and Racing 92 both in Pool 2, as well as Cardiff, Harlequins, and Bath.
Saracens complete Connacht's pool, where a losing bonus point would be as a huge result against the Gallagher Premiership Champions.
Champions Cup Draw Sees Leinster In 'Pool Of Death'
In this year's pool of death, Leinster will meet La Rochelle for a fourth time in a row, as they look for their first win over the reigning Champion Cup champions.
Stade Francais, Leicester Tigers, the Stormers, and Sale Sharks make up the rest of Pool 4.
2023/24 Champions Cup Pools
| Pool 1 | Pool 2 | Pool 3 | Pool 4 |
| Saracens | Stade Toulousain | Munster Rugby | Stade Rochelais |
| Union Bordeaux-Bègles | Cardiff Rugby | Aviron Bayonne | Stade Français Paris |
| Vodacom Bulls | Bath Rugby | Glasgow Warriors | Leicester Tigers |
| Bristol Bears | Racing 92 | Exeter Chiefs | DHL Stormers |
| Connacht Rugby | Harlequins | RC Toulon | Leinster Rugby |
| Lyon | Ulster Rugby | Northampton Saints | Sale Sharks |
2023/24 EPCR Challenge Cup
| Pool 1 | Pool 2 | Pool 3 |
| Invitee 1 | Ospreys | Edinburgh Rugby |
| Section Paloise | USAP | Castres Olympique |
| Dragons RFC | Newcastle Falcons | ASM Clermont Auvergne |
| Zebre Parma | Emirates Lions | Invitee 2 |
| Oyonnax Rugby | Montpellier Hérault Rugby | Gloucester Rugby |
| Cell C Sharks | Benetton Rugby | Scarlets |
Champions Cup New Format
READ HERE: Fans Dismayed As New And Confusing Champions Cup Format Announced
The new format will see six teams per pool, with clubs playing four matches against teams not in the same domestic league.
This will benefit Connacht in Pool 1 of thr Champions Cup as it means that they will avoid having to face a strong Bulls outfit - and they will fancy their chances against Bordeaux, Bristol Bears, and Lyon.
The new Champions Cup format also sees teams play just one game against their group opponents, rather than the usual home and away fixtures.
SEE ALSO: Ciarán Frawley Fooled Everyone With Insane Kick To Help Leinster End La Rochelle Hoodoo
