Champions Cup team news for Saturday and Sunday
BBC | 16.01.2026 23:37
The Champions Cup pool stage reaches its final round of matches this weekend with teams aiming to secure the remaining nine places left in the knockout stage.
Glasgow Warriors, Sale Sharks, Leinster, Harlequins, Bordeaux, Bristol Bears and Northampton Saints have all made it into the last 16 already.
English champions Bath, who host Edinburgh on Friday, Saracens, Gloucester, Leicester and Scarlets are among the sides aiming to finish in the top four of their pools to confirm their places in the draw.
Teams will also be looking to finish in the top two of their pool to guarantee a home tie in the last 16.
Fifth-placed sides will go into the Challenge Cup while the bottom team will be eliminated from all European competition.
It's four points for a win, with bonus points available for scoring four tries and losing by seven points or fewer.
As well as live text commentary on key matches this weekend, there is live radio commentary on BBC Sounds, the BBC Sport website and the BBC Sport app - keep reading for kick-off times.
All the team news and line-ups for Saturday and Sunday's matches featuring sides from the English Prem can be found below.
Wales international Olly Cracknell captains a much-changed Leicester Tigers outfit for their must-win Pool 3 game against the Stormers in Cape Town.
Injured winger Adam Radwan and England full-back Freddie Steward are among those who have not travelled and are replaced by Ollie Hassell-Collins and George Pearson.
In-form fly-half Billy Searle is among a handful of players to keep their place and will be partnered in the half-backs by Tom Whiteley as Jack van Poortvliet drops out of the squad. There is an all new front row as well, with Tarek Haffar, Jamie Blamire and Will Hurd starting.
The Stormers know a win will earn them qualification to the last 16 and are led by Springbok fly-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, with Warrick Gelant and Damian Willemse ruled out by concussion protocols.
Stormers: Simelane; Maart, Hartzenberg, Roche, Zas; Feinberg-Mngomezulu (capt), Ungerer; Mchunu, Venter, Fouche, Schickerling, van Heerden, de Villiers, Dixon, Roos.
Replacements: Kotze, Matongo, Porthen, Evans, Theunissen, Khan, Burger, Mars.
Leicester: Pearson; Hamer-Webb, Wand, Woodward, Hassell-Collins; Searle, Whiteley; Haffar, Blamire, Hurd, Thompson, Wells, Moro, Williams Cracknell (capt).
Replacements: Theobald-Thomas, van der Flier, Loman, Manz, Ilione, Allan, Bailey, Crowley.
Referee: Jeremy Rozier (Fra),
Assistant referees: Pierre Brousset (Fra), Benjamin Hernandez (Fra)
TMO: Denis Grenouillet (Fra)
England stars George Ford and Tom Curry are not included as already qualified Sale make nine changes for their Pool 1 trip to play the six-time champions.
The duo are replaced by Tom Curtis and Sam Dugdale respectively, while academy players Ollie Davies and Jos Gilmore will make their first Champions Cup starts.
Alex Sanderson keeps faith with the front row that helped Sale beat the Sharks last Saturday, but the second row has been refreshed with Tom Burrow and Hyron Andrews coming in.
Gus Warr keeps his place at scrum-half and Obi Ene starts again on the wing after his Champions Cup debut last week.
Toulouse, who have lost two of their three pool games and need a win to ensure their progress, have named Antoine Dupont at scrum-half, with Scotland international Blair Kinghorn again at fly-half.
Toulouse: Ramos; Delibes, Gourgues, Chocobares, Lebel; Kinghorn, Dupont (capt); Baille, Marchand, Aldegheri, Flament, Meafou, Banos, Willis, Jelonch.
Replacements: Mauvaka, Neti, Mallez, Brennan, Roumat, Cros, Graou, Thomas.
Sale: Davies; Ene, Ma'asi-White, Louw (capt), Wills; Curtis, Warr; Rodd, Jibulu, Harper, Burrow, Andrews, Gilmore, Woodman, Dugdale.
Replacements: Caine, McIntyre, Bell, Hogg, Logan, Hanson, Bedlow, Grace.
Referee: Andrew Brace (Ire)
Assistant referees: Peter Martin (Ire), Padraic Reidy (Ire)
TMO: Olly Hodges (Ire)
Wales international Tomos Williams returns from injury to captain Gloucester at scrum-half and will partner Charlie Atkinson in the half-backs as the home side seek to qualify by beating their Pool 2 rivals.
George Barton is at full-back, Josh Hathaway and Jack Cotgreave are on the wings, with Will Butler and Seb Atkinson forming the centre partnership.
Dian Bleuler comes in for Val Rapava-Ruskin in the front row, Danny Eite replaces Freddie Thomas at lock and Will Trenholm is picked ahead of Deian Gwynne in the back row.
France international Charles Ollivon captains Toulon who include England's Kyle Sinckler, David Ribbans, Lewis Ludlam and former Cherry and White Zach Mercer in the forward pack, as well as Scotland's Ben White at scrum-half.
Gloucester: Barton; Hathaway, Butler, S Atkinson, Cotgreave; C Atkinson, Williams (capt); Bleuler, Crane, Laulala, Eite, Alemanno, Trenholm, Ludlow, Clement.
Replacements: Knowles, Rapava Ruskin, Knight, Gwynne, Venter, Austin, Byrne, Morris.
Toulon: Domon; Drean, Brex, Cowie, Ferte; Albornoz, White; Gros, Baubigny, Sinckler, Ribbans, Alainu'uese, Ludlam, Ollivon (capt), Mercer.
Replacements: Toevalu, Ametlla, Priso, Javakhia, Abadie, Serin, Garcia, Sinzelle.
Referee: Eoghan Cross (Ire)
Assistant referees: Andrew Cole (Ire), Keane Davison (Ire)
TMO: Leo Colgan (Ire)
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