Bordeaux-Begles failed add a domestic title to their Investec Champions Cup win after a Top 14 final defeat by Toulouse on Saturday Holders Bordeaux-Begles and last season's finalists Northampton Saints have been drawn in Pool 4 for the 2025-26 Investec Champions Cup. In May, Bordeaux defeated Saints28-20 in Cardiffto lift their first Champions Cup title. Premiership semi-finalists Bristol Bears, Scarlets, Top 14 side Pau and United Rugby Championship (URC) runners-up Bulls are also in Pool 4. Three-time winners Saracens are in Pool 1 alongside record six-time champions Toulouse. They are joined by Glasgow Warriors, Sale Sharks, Clermont Auvergne and South African side Sharks. Premiership champions Bath, who won last year'sChallenge Cup,are in Pool 2 with Munster, Gloucester, Edinburgh, Castres and three-time winners Toulon. In Pool 3, Leinster, who lost to Northampton inlast year's semi final,again are drawn in the same pool as Ronan O'Gara's La Rochelle, who defeated the Irish province in back-to-back finals in 2022 and 2023. Leo Cullen's team squeezed past the Top 14 side16-14 in last year's pool stage. Leicester Tigers and Harlequins are also in Pool 3, with Bayonne and South African side Stormers. Each team will play four different opponents in the pool stage, but not teams from their own league, with fixtures still to be announced. In the Challenge Cup, Ulster, who finished 14th in last season's URC have been drawn in the same pool as Parisian rivals Racing 92 and Stade Francais in Pool 3. Ospreys and Connacht have a kinder draw in Pool 1, which contains Georgian side Black Lion. Pool 1:Toulouse, Clermont, Sharks, Saracens, Glasgow Warriors, Sale Sharks Pool 2:Bath, Toulon, Munster, Castres, Edinburgh, Gloucester Pool 3:Leinster, Leicester Tigers, Harlequins, La Rochelle, Bayonne, Stormers Pool 4:Bordeaux-Begles, Scarlets, Bristol, Pau, Northampton, Bulls Pool 1:Ospreys, Connacht, Zebre, Montpellier, US Montauban, Black Lion Pool 2:Newcastle, Dragons, Benetton, Lions, Lyon, USAP Pool 3:Ulster, Cardiff, Exeter Chiefs,Toyota Cheetahs, Racing 92, Stade Francais Round one:5-7 December Round two:12-14 December Round three:9-11 January Round four:16-18 January Last 16:3-5 April Quarter-finals:10-12 April 2026 Semi-finals:1-3 May Challenge Cup final:Friday, 22 May Champions Cup final:Saturday, 23 May Both final venues are at San Mames Stadium, Bilbao.
Bordeaux and Saints drawn in same Champions Cup pool
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"Bordeaux-Begles and Northampton Saints placed in Pool 4 for 2025-26 Champions Cup"
Bbc News
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TruthLens AI Summary
Bordeaux-Begles, the reigning champions of the Investec Champions Cup, faced disappointment in their domestic campaign as they were defeated by Toulouse in the Top 14 final. Following their victory over Northampton Saints in May, where they secured their first Champions Cup title with a score of 28-20, Bordeaux-Begles will now compete in Pool 4 for the upcoming 2025-26 season of the Champions Cup. This pool also includes last season's finalists Northampton Saints, as well as other notable teams such as Bristol Bears, Scarlets, Pau, and the Bulls from the United Rugby Championship. Each team in Pool 4 will play four matches against different opponents, but they will not face teams from their own domestic leagues, with the match schedule yet to be announced.
In the broader context of the tournament, Pool 1 features three-time winners Saracens alongside record six-time champions Toulouse, as well as Glasgow Warriors, Sale Sharks, and Clermont Auvergne. Meanwhile, Pool 2 includes Premiership champions Bath, who triumphed in last year's Challenge Cup, alongside Munster, Gloucester, Edinburgh, Castres, and three-time winners Toulon. Pool 3 is composed of Leinster, who lost to Northampton in the previous semi-final, and La Rochelle, alongside Leicester Tigers, Harlequins, Bayonne, and the Stormers. The tournament's schedule includes round matches taking place from December through January, leading to knockout rounds in April and culminating in the finals set for May 2026 at San Mames Stadium in Bilbao.
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