Champions Cup Round 3 Preview
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The Champions Cup,Europe’s prestigious club rugby competition, returns to our screens this weekend with a host of mouth-watering fixtures. The next two week’s fixtures push us past the halfway mark of the pool stage of the tournament and with only one team in the pound seat there is still plenty to play for before the knockout stages are defined.
The Weekend’s Fixtures:
This weekend see one fixture on Friday night, six on Saturday and three on Sunday afternoon. Our three stand out matches for round 3 are Northampton vs Leinster , Munster vs Saracens and then Toulouse vs Montpellier.
Here Is How The Pools Are Shaping Up:
This Pool is a two horse race and with Round 3 and 4 having the same fixtures, we could only have an idea on who will win this group by next weekend. Northampton Saints host Leinster this weekend but next weekend we will see them have in Ireland for the reply.
Pool 1 rivals @SaintsRugby and @leinsterrugby are set for a thrilling encounter this weekend ⚔️
— Heineken Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) December 2, 2019
Leinster have looked in ominous form with @MaxDeegan among the standout stars with 28 tackles and this try to his name 🌟 👊
Who’s going to be the key man in this one?? 🔑 pic.twitter.com/bTjEjpUdtF
The Chiefs have just about wrapped up this group but they know they will need to pick up at least one win again Sale in the next two matches. If the Sharks are wanting to secure their place in the next round they will need to beat the Chiefs home and away in the two rounds.
⚡️⚡️ With England stars @nowellsy15 and @Sladey_10 combining like this, @ExeterChiefs pose a frightening threat to ANY side in European Rugby ⚡️⚡️
— Heineken Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) December 3, 2019
Who’s backing them to make it 3 from 3 when they meet @SaleSharksRugby in an all-English Pool 2️⃣ tussle?? ⚔️ pic.twitter.com/WG0FpNtKEv
Pool 3 is a bit tighter than the others and while Ulster do lead the pack they got some stiff competition from Clemont, who are only two points behind them. Harlequins are not completely out of the running just yet, they are currently on four points but will need to pick up points home and away against Ulster.
This is probably the toughest yet closest pool of them all, as you got Racing 92 and Munster on seven points while Saracens are right behind on five. Sarries and Munster face each other in Round three and four, while Racing will have two bites at the Ospreys, who have failed to register a point.
Originally we thought this Pool could well be the Pool of Death but sadly Gloucester haven't quite arrived yet. Gloucester will have two cracks at Connacht in the next two rounds, while Toulouse and Montpellier will try to assert themselves at the top of the pile.
It may have been @StadeToulousain that came out victorious in Round 3, but there were some bigs gaps in their defence 👀
— Heineken Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) November 30, 2019
A slight dummy and Tom Farrell was clean through ⚡️
Will @connachtrugby make it through to the #HeinekenChampionsCup knockouts? pic.twitter.com/CvszdrK3ui
