Sale bonus-point win over Toulon secures Round of 16 spot

A second-half blitz helped Sale Sharks take down RC Toulon, earning a bonus point to secure knockout qualification.

It took 39 minutes to break the deadlock, but Tom Roebuck was on the end of some slick Sale Sharks hands to whip it wide and open the scoring against RC Toulon.

Needing a bonus-point win, they managed a second early in the second half to keep their hopes alive, with Ben Curry gloriously grubbering through and collecting his own kick to extend the hosts' lead, and George Ford getting his second conversion to make it 14-0.

Bevan Rodd was first on the scoresheet in the second half, before Tom O'Flaherty picked up a loose ball to race in from the halfway line for the bonus point.

Roebuck doubled his tally for the evening with the final flourish for Sale, meaning they leapfrog DHL Stormers and Racing 92 to steal the last Round of 16 spot in Pool 4.

Stade Toulousain hit 80 to secure home knockout

Doubles from Antoine Dupont, Ange Capuozzo, Emmanuel Meafou and Thibaud Flament secured an impressive 80-12 win for reigning champions Stade Toulousain against Leicester Tigers.

The hosts secured the bonus-point in the first half without reply from the visitors, but Tigers did get two back in the second half through Jack van Poortvliet and Will Hurd.

Dimitri Delibes, Julien Marchand, Thomas Ramos and Matthis Lebel also got on the scoresheet for the French side, who secured second spot in Pool 1 with 19 points to confirm a home Round of 16 tie in April, while Tigers finish in third.

Toulouse were at their best today, a dominant performance by the side from France.#TOUvLEI pic.twitter.com/WXuhc5vjQd

— Ultimate Rugby (@ultimaterugby) January 19, 2025

Castres see off Saracens for first Investec Champions Cup away win since 2012

A double from Adrien Seguret gave Castres Olympique an historic win on the road, their first in the competition in more than 10 years.

Two tries apiece for Theo Dan and Ben Earl weren't enough to overturn the French side, with Theo Chabouni and Feibyan Tukino adding to their score in the second half, and a late penalty from Louis le Brun to secure the win.

With the bonus-point win, Castres moved up into second in Pool 3 and will have a home Round of 16 tie, while Saracens will play away.

Damian Penaud scores SIX tries to help Union Bordeaux-Bègles secure the top ranking in the knockouts

After a first-half hat-trick for Damian Penaud, the winger dotted down another three times in the second half as Union Bordeaux-Bègles completed a perfect pool stage with another bonus-point win taking them to 20 points in total.

Hollywoodbets Sharks started fast with two early tries from Siya Masuku and Hakeem Kunene, but Bordeaux put their foot down in style in the second half.

Maxime Lucu, Ugo Boniface and Yoram Moefana added the first three scores in the second period, before Penaud just kept going to secure a double hat-trick, and Jacques Nguimbous put the cherry on top as they ran out 66-12 winners in France.

With UBB looking for a fourth bonus-point win aiming for the highest ranking in the knockouts, it was the visitors who started fastest.

Siya Masuku was on the end of a flowing break through the middle for Hollywoodbets Sharks just three minutes in, before Hakeem Kunene - brought into the starting XV following an injury on matchday - flew over in the corner for a second four minutes later.

But the hosts came alive after that, with Damian Penaud crossing in the corner following quick hands, then intercepted an offload on the other wing to run in unchallenged.

On the stroke of half time the winger got over for his hat-trick from close range to put UBB 19-12 up at the break.

Full time and Bordeaux have ran in 10 tries, Damian Penaud scoring SIX of them 🔥🔥🔥🔥#ChampionsCup #BORvSHA pic.twitter.com/tvB98WHFKg

— Ultimate Rugby (@ultimaterugby) January 19, 2025

Mouth-watering match-ups to conclude pool stage

Following the opener on Sunday, three thrillers finish off the pool stage as reigning champions Stade Toulousain host Leicester Tigers, Saracens welcome Castres Olympique and RC Toulon head to Sale Sharks.

Starting at the back, Thomas Ramos and Freddie Steward go head to head at 15, with Romain Ntamack and Handré Pollard clashing at fly-half; in the forwards, Julien Marchand takes on Julian Montoya at hooker, Emmanual Meafou and George Martin battle it out, and Jack Willis and Tommy Reffell are both at 7.

In the last game of the pool stage, Sale Sharks welcome Toulon with more huge head-to-heads as George Ford and Dan Biggar meet at 10, while former England teammates Tom Curry and Lewis Ludlam are on the flank.