Indian Clarity

Light. Truth. Clarity.

Loading ad...
Sports

Champions Cup team news and line-ups in one place

Story byManu Tuilagi, who will return to Leicester on Saturday, has impressed since his move to France last season []BBCFri, January 9, 2026 at 6:11 PM UTC·7 min readAll of the Champions Cup team news and line-ups for Saturday and Sunday's matches featuring sides from the English Prem can be found below as clubs tackle their third of four pool matches. Bulls v Bristol BearsRich Lane will make his first start of the season in place of the unavailable Louis Rees-Zammit as Bristol aim to make it three Champions Cup wins out of three. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe Wales winger misses out because of concussion return-to-play protocols, while Kieran Marmion starts ahead of substitute Harry Randall at scrum-half. George Kloska returns to the starting 15 alongside Joe Batley who is back from suspension to partner Pedro Rubiolo in the second row. Open-side flanker Fitz Harding captains the side with England prop Ellis Genge and experienced Argentina international Matias Moroni on the bench for the trip to Pretoria. Former Gloucester coach Johan Ackermann has named 10 Springboks in his starting line-up in what is a must-win match for his side after they lost their opening two games. Handre Pollard and Willie Le Roux start in a side captained by Ruan Nortje. Bulls: Le Roux; de Klerk, Kriel, Vorster, Jacobs; Pollard, Papier; Wessels, Grobbelaar, Louw, Wiese, Nortje (capt), Van Staden, Louw, Rudolph. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementReplacements: Van der Merwe, Steenekamp, Smith, Vermaak, Gumede, Burger, Gans, Petersen. Bristol: Lane; Heward, Janse van Rensburg, Williams, Ravouvou; Jordan, Marmion; Lahiff, Oghre, Kloska, Rubiolo, Batley, S Grondona, Harding (capt), Mata. Replacements: Thacker, Genge, Halliwell, Owen, B Grondona, Randall, Worsley, Moroni. Champions Cup standingsMatch officialsReferee: Pierre Brousset (Fra)Assistant referees: Jeremy Rozier (Fra), Benjamin Hernandez (Fra)TMO: Denis Grenouillet (Fra)Injuries hit Leinster but Munster's Test stars backMurray boosts Scarlets for Pau's visit to LlanelliSale v SharksSale Sharks wing Obi Ene will make his first Champions Cup start on Saturday against South African side Sharks. The 22-year-old has impressed on loan at Champ side Caldy and is one of three changes to the side defeated by Bristol last Friday. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementScotland scrum-half Gus Warr replaces the injured Raffi Quirke, with Nathan Jibulu coming in at hooker for England's Luke Cowan-Dickie. Sharks have opted against bringing the majority of their South Africa internationals, which includes captain Siya Kolisi, over to Manchester. Having lost their opening home game against Glasgow Warriors, Alex Sanderson's side will want to put that right and back up their impressive away win over Clermont Auvergne in round two. Sale: Carpenter; Ene, Du Preez, Ma'asi-White, O'Flaherty; Ford, Warr; Rodd, Jibulu, Harper, Bamber, Van Rhyn (capt), Vermeulen, Dugdale, T Curry. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementReplacements: Caine, McIntyre, John, Burrow, Andrews, Hanson, Louw, Wehr. Sharks: Kunene; Penxe, Venter, Julius, Malan; Masuku, Braude; Mazibuko, Swart, Koch, Rahl, Van Heerden, Mavesere, Tshituka, Hatton (capt). Replacements: Bester, Ganyane, Mdanda, Tshituka, Romao, Everson, Smith, Potgieter. Match officialsReferee: Ben Breakspear (Wal)Assistant referees: Adam Jones (Wal) and Ben Connor (Wal)TMO: Aled Griffiths (Wal)Glasgow go 'all guns blazing' for European successLeicester Tigers v BayonneBayonne centre Manu Tuilagi will return to Mattioli Welford Road to face Leicester TigersDespite his family's 20-year association with Tigers, the 34-year-old left in 2020 after making his debut in 2009. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWales flanker Tommy Reffell replaces Sam Williams in one of three changes to the Leicester starting XV that defeated Saracens. Charlie Clare comes in at hooker for Jamie Blamire, while Gabriel Hamer Webb, who returns from a hamstring injury, is named on the left wing in place of O.

Manu Tuilagi carries the ball

Manu Tuilagi carries the ball

Credit: Yahoo

Key Highlights

  • Experienced Springbok Damian Willemse captains the side at centre. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHarlequins: Green; David, Northmore, Bradley, Murley; Smith, Friday; Kerrod, Walker, Delgado, Petti, Kieran Treadwell, Cunningham-South, Kenningham, Dombrandt (capt). Replacements: Turner, Hobson, H Williams, E Williams, Carr, Lawday, Green, Evans. Stormers: Gelant; Maart, Hartzenberg, Willemse (capt), Burger; Matthee, Duvenage; Kebble, Vokozela, Porthen, Evans, Van Heerden, Nel, Dixon, Theunissen. Replacements: Ntubeni, Matongo, Van Wyk, Groves, Mlaba, Khan, Swart, Ndhlovu. Gilmore puts out-of-form Quins on notice with squad cutsMatch officialsReferee: Nika Amashukeli (Geo)Assistant referees: Shota Tevzadze (Geo), Amber Stamp-Dunstan (Wal)TMO: Ben Whitehouse (Wal)AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBordeaux v NorthamptonSaints director of rugby Phil Dowson makes five changes from last weekend's big win over Harlequins. It is the first meeting of the two sides since last season's Champions Cup final which Bordeaux won 28-20.
  • Both teams have earned maximum points from their opening two pool matches this season. Craig Wright, Trevor Davison, Henry Pollock, Rory Hutchinson and Ollie Sleightholme all come into the starting line-up.
  • Alex Mitchell and Fin Smith start in the half-backs, Tommy Freeman is at centre and George Hendy moves to full-back. Bordeaux make seven changes from their last match with Jefferson Poirot and Adam Coleman returning, while France internationals Matthieu Jalibert, Louis Bielle-Biarrey, Damian Penaud, Yoram Moefana and Cameron Woki all start. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBordeaux: Rayasi; Penaud, Depoortere, Moefana, Bielle-Biarrey; Jalibert, Page-Relo; Poirot, Lamothe (capt), Sadie, Coleman, Cazeaux, Du Preez, Woki, Matiu. Replacements: Barlot, Perchaud, Tameifuna, Palu, Vergnes-Taillefer, Retiere, Carbery, Janse van Rensburg. Northampton: Hendy; Sleightholme, Freeman, Hutchinson, Todaro; Smith, Mitchell; Fischetti, Wright, Davison, Coles, Van der Mescht, Chick (capt), Pearson, Pollock. Replacements: Smith, Iyogun, Millar-Mills, Prowse, Munga, Graham, McParland, Ramm. Match officialsReferee: Gianluca Gnecchi (Ita)Assistant referees: Robbie Jenkinson (Ire), Padraic Reidy (Ire)AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementTMO: Olly Hodges (Ire)Northampton will 'relish' Bordeaux hostilitySaints Show with Alex ColesSaracens v ToulouseFormer England captain Owen Farrell has been named on the bench as Saracens host Toulouse in the final match of the weekend. The 34-year-old returns to the matchday squad after recovering from a minor hamstring injury that kept him out of the loss to Leicester last weekend. Fergus Burke continues at fly-half and captain Maro Itoje, who last started a game in November, is named in the second row. Teenager Noah Caluori, who scored twice in the win over Clermont in round one, starts on the right wing. Six-time European champions Toulouse suffered a surprise loss to Glasgow in round two and have named a strong team that is captained by star scrum-half Antoine Dupont. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementScotland's Blair Kinghorn is at fly-half and Englishman Jack Willis is named on the flank. Saracens: Daly; Caluori, Lozowski, Hartley, Segun; Burke,Van Zyl; Mawi, George, Street, Itoje (capt), Tizard, McFarland, Gonzalez, Willis. Replacements: Hadfield, Carre, Riccioni, Onyeama-Christie,Earl, Bracken, Farrell, Malins. Toulouse: Ramos; Delibes, Costes, Chocobares, Lebel; Kinghorn, Dupont (capt); Ainu'u, Marchand, Aldegheri, Flament, Meafou, Willis, Jelonch, Roumat. Replacements: Mauvaka, Bertrand, Mallez, Brennan, Elias, Banos, Graou, Vigneres. Match officialsReferee: Andrea Piardi (Ita)Assistant referees: Ru Campbell (Sco), Federico Vedovelli (Ita)AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementTMO: Matteo Liperini (Ita)We called a spade, a spade - Saracens clear the air.
Loading ad...

Sources

  1. Champions Cup team news and line-ups in one place

This quick summary is automatically generated using AI based on reports from multiple news sources. The content has not been reviewed or verified by humans. For complete details, accuracy, and context, please refer to the original published articles.

Related Stories

Loading ad...