Investec Champions Cup: Key dates, schedule, who’s playing, how to watch

The 2src23/24 Investec Champions Cup gets started in December, with La Rochelle bidding to lift the trophy for a third year in a row.

The French side have stamped their mark on the international stage by beating Leinster in the last two finals.

The 2src22 and 2src23 finalists will meet again on the opening weekend of the pool stage, which sees 24 teams from England, France, Ireland, Wales and South Africa competing in four pools of six teams. The four highest-ranked clubs from each pool will qualify for the round of 16.

We run through everything you need to know about the Investec Champions Cup, including who’s playing, who’s in which pool, the schedule, and how to watch and live stream every game on TNT Sports and discovery+…

The Investec Champions Cup starts on the weekend of December 8.

There will be four rounds of pool matches before the knockout stages get under way in April. The final will be played at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on May 25.

The season kicks off on Friday, December 8 as Glasgow Warriors face Northampton Saints and Connacht Rugby take on Union Bordeaux Begles.

Then on Saturday, the competition’s most successful side, Toulouse, begin their quest for a record-extending sixth European crown at home to Cardiff. Saracens travel to Pretoria to take on South Africa’s Bulls, and Bath face Ulster.

La Rochelle kick off their title defence on Sunday, December 1src with a blockbuster clash against Leinster.

The weekend concludes with Harlequins facing Racing 92.

• Glasgow Warriors v Northampton Saints – Friday, December 8, 2src:srcsrc
• Connacht Rugby v Union Bordeaux Begles – Friday, December 8, 2src:srcsrc
• Toulon v Exeter Chiefs – Saturday, December 9, 13:srcsrc
• Bath v Ulster – Saturday, December 9, 15:15
• Toulouse v Cardiff – Saturday, December 9, 15:15
• Bulls v Saracens – Saturday, December 9, 17:3src
• Munster v Bayonne – Saturday, December 9. 17:3src
• Bristol Bears v Lyon – Saturday, December 9, 2src:srcsrc
• Sale Sharks v Stade Francais – Sunday, December 1src, 13:srcsrc
• La Rochelle v Leinster – Sunday, December 1src, 15:15
• Leicester v Stormers – Sunday, December 1src, 15:15
• Racing 92 v Harlequins – Sunday, December 1src, 17:3src

• Bayonne v Glasgow Warriors – Friday, December 15, 2src:srcsrc
• Northampton v Toulon – Friday, December 15, 2src:srcsrc
• Saracens v Connacht Rugby – Satu