The 2024-25 Investec European Rugby Champions Cup will kick off on 6 December as Bath host La Rochelle at the Rec.
The season is scheduled to run until 24 May 2025. The defending champions, France’s Toulouse, will look to defend their crown against the best teams from their Top 14, England’s Premiership and the United Rugby Championship (URC) featuring clubs from South Africa, Ireland, Scotland and Italy.
Previously the Heineken Cup, it is effectively the top-tier European rugby tournament – similar to football’s UEFA Champions League. However, teams from South Africa have also participated since the 2022-23 season.
Season dates: 6 December 2024 – 24 May 2025
Featuring: The top clubs from England (Premiership), France (Top 14), Ireland, Italy, Scotland, South Africa (all URC)
Number of teams: 24 – See here for all teams
Format: Pool stage & knockout – Four pools of 6 teams each; top 4 advance to round of 16
Many of the top international players from around the world will be in action. We’ve picked out seven for fans to watch.
Siya Kolisi (Sharks/South Africa – Flanker)
Springbok captain Kolisi rejoined the Sharks from France’s Racing 92 in September. Aged 33, his time as one of the world’s best players may be limited, but he is certainly not lacking any of the trademark intensity and leadership that make him such a joy to watch.
Kolisi’s leadership through example was evident in the Springboks’ run to the 2024 Rugby Championship title. Against the All Blacks, he played through a nasal fracture and scored the first try of the game in the 18-12 win in Cape Town.
Maro Itoje (Saracens/England – Lock)
At the time of writing, Itoje is not in the greatest form of his life. In a sense, that is all the more reason to pay attention to one of the greatest locks of his generation as he captains the Saracens.
After a difficult 2024 with England, Saracens captain Itoje will be out to prove that he is still one of the main men to be counted on ahead of the British & Irish Lions tour of Australia.
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (Stormers/South Africa – Flyhalf)
Feinberg-Mngomezulu has become a new fan favourite for the Springboks, drawing cheers from Cape Town crowds comparable to Kolisi, who also spent his formative years at the Stormers.
The likely long-term successor to Handrè Pollard at flyhalf for the Springboks, Feinberg-Mngomezulu got his international career off to a strong start. However, he irked Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus by playing through a knee injury against the All Blacks which he did not report to his team.
Feinberg-Mngomezulu appears to be back to full health now and will be looking to cement his grip on South Africa’s no.10 jersey with a strong showing in the Champions Cup.
Antoine Dupont (Toulouse/France – Scrumhalf)
Toulouse won the 2024 Champions Cup with a 31-22 win over Leinster after extra time. Captaining the French club was their national team’s star player and arguably the hottest prospect in world rugby at present, mercurial scrumhalf Antoine Dupont.
Dupont was superb in last season’s final and will be eager to get his hands on more silverware. France have won three of the last four U20 World Championships but their dominance at that level has yet to translate to world rugby at senior level. At both club and international level, Dupont is the player they will count on to lead the revolution.
Caelan Doris (Leinster/Ireland – Eighth man)
Ireland captain Doris made the World Rugby Men’s 15s Dream Team of the Year for the second year in a row at the recent World Rugby Awards.
He has won Pro14 titles in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 and Six Nations championships in 2023 and 2024. However, he has yet to win a Champions Cup or World Cup – two trophies which would validate his status as one of the greatest eighth men of all time.
Leinster have recruited well with the likes of RG Snyman (lock, South Africa), Jordie Barrett (centre/fullback, New Zealand) and Rabah Slimani (prop, France) joining for this season. At the time of writing, they have a perfect six wins from six in the URC. They will be looking to convert that form into a Champions Cup win.
Leinster’s last Champions Cup trophy was in 2017-18 and Doris will be one of the key players leading the charge to bring it back home. With the British & Irish Lions captaincy up for grabs, he will be looking to claim his stake.
Julián Montoya (Leicester/Argentina – Hooker)
Argentina are emerging as a genuine force in world rugby. At the recent Rugby Championship, they only narrowly missed out on second place to the All Blacks.
Hooker Montoya has been one of the key players behind their success. Aged 31, he still likely has plenty to give. The Leicester Tigers have benefitted hugely from his presence since signing him in 2021. Having been instrumental in their 2021-22 Premiership title domestically, Montoya will be out to bring home European honours.
Jordie Barrett (Leinster/New Zealand – Centre/Fullback)
One of the most explosive and exciting players in world rugby, Barrett is the youngest of three brothers who have defined a generation in All Blacks rugby – the others being Beauden and Scott Barrett.
At international level, the World Cup has been elusive, although there have been several Rugby Championship triumphs even after the golden era of Riche McCaw and Dan Carter came to an end.
Particularly after losing the Rugby Championship to the Springboks in 2024, Barrett will have an insatiable hunger for more silverware. The Champions Cup campaign with one of the best teams in the tournament provides the perfect opportunity.
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