Champions Cup and Challenge Cup Round 1: Five key games to watch

Form, depth and travel demands will all play major roles as clubs look to establish themselves in what promises to be a tightly contested continental campaign.

Both Sale and Glasgow enter this match on the back of defeats. Sale suffered a disappointing home loss to Exeter Chiefs after letting a substantial lead slip, while Glasgow were comprehensively beaten 23–0 by Scarlets on the road.

Home advantage often carries weight in European fixtures, but in practical terms Glasgow are only a short trip from Salford, making this an away game the Warriors may feel is within their reach. Sale, hampered by injuries, will need to lean on their typically strong home form as they look to respond positively to their recent setback.

Leicester Tigers find themselves in a challenging Pool 3 alongside Aviron Bayonnais, Leinster Rugby, the DHL Stormers and Harlequins, meaning they may need to secure an away win at some stage — and this fixture could be one they target. La Rochelle sit 10th in the Top 14 despite boasting a strong squad on paper, making them look potentially vulnerable.

Former Exeter star Jack Nowell features for the French side and will be a familiar name to many Tigers supporters. All told, it promises to be an intriguing contest and one that could produce a rare English victory on French soil.

Another regional clash, much like Sale v Glasgow, sees Llanelli and Bristol separated by only a short journey — and the familiar cross-border edge should add some spice to the encounter.

Scarlets halted their poor run of form with a commanding win over Glasgow last week, while Bristol have shown patches of inconsistency in the Premiership, due largely to an extensive injury list. This fixture will challenge the Bears’ depth, and competing on multiple fronts may prove difficult, but in true Pat Lam style, the game should still offer plenty of entertainment.

The Cherry and Whites finally secured their first Premiership victory of the season and now welcome a Castres side that often falters on the road in Europe — last year’s 32–24 win at Saracens being a rare exception. Despite home advantage, Gloucester face a capable opponent: Castres recently defeated La Rochelle away and comfortably dispatched Perpignan at the weekend.

Encouragingly for the hosts, Lewis Ludlow, Seb Atkinson and Will Joseph all came through last week’s domestic match unscathed, with the trio fully fit and ready for action.

Ulster return to the Affidea Stadium on Friday night to kick off their EPCR Challenge Cup campaign, hosting French heavyweights Racing 92 in Belfast. Spirits are high after last week’s commanding 47–13 bonus-point win over Benetton — a performance marked by sharp attacking play and a resolute defence.

The sides last met in December 2023, when Ulster delivered a composed display to claim a 31–15 bonus-point victory. This matchup brings together two of the strongest teams in this year’s Challenge Cup, promising a high-quality encounter.