Bath Rugby In the Investec Champions Cup: Everything To Know
Bath Rugby In the Investec Champions Cup: Everything To Know
Bath Rugby kickoff times, pool placement and how to watch them in the 2024-2025 Investec Champions Cup.
The 30th Investec Champions Cup competition is considered by many to be the best professional rugby tournament in the world and just a level below international test rugby.
The competition features 24 clubs divided into four pools of six clubs. There are four rounds of pool play, and the top 16 clubs advance to the knockout stage with the goal of making it to Cardiff, Wales – which hosted the first Champions Cup Final– and Principality Stadium on May 24.
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One of the teams looking to advance to the EPCR Final is Bath Rugby, which is in Pool 2.
Here are a few things to know about Bath Rugby:
Bath Rugby Results In the Gallagher Premiership in 2024-2025 Season
Bath was at the top of the table after six rounds with a 5-0-1 record in the Premiership and a point ahead of the Leicester Tigers.
Bath blasted the Premiership defending champion Northampton Saints 38-16 to start the season and beat Leicester in a head-to-head match.
The team's only loss through six rounds is to Bristol, 36-26.
What Did Bath Rugby Do In The Champions Cup In 2023-2024?
Bath went 3-0-1 in Pool B play and qualified for the Round of 16 in the 2023-2024 Investec Champions Cup.
Bath lost to English rival Exeter 21-15 in that round.
Has Bath Rugby Ever Won The Champions Cup?
Bath won the Champions Cup in 1998, the third Champions Cup Final in history. Bath has never been back to the Final.
Who Is The Bath Rugby Coach?
The director of rugby and head coach for Bath is Johann van Grann of South Africa.
He was the head coach of Munster from 2017-2022, and before that, he coached forwards for the Springboks. He replaced Rassie Erasmus at Munster. He was elevated to head coach of Bath late in the 2021-2022 season after a 64-0 loss to rival Gloucester.
Where Does Bath Rugby Rank In The FloRugby Team Rankings?
Bath is the second-highest ranked team from England in the FloRugby Top 10 at No. 10 and one of two Gallagher Premiership clubs in the top 10, the other being No. 3 Northampton.
Bath Rugby Is Home To The Highest-Paid Rugby Player On The Planet, Finn Russell
Scottish Rugby star Finn Russell joined Bath prior to last season after playing 105 matches for Racing 92 from 2018-2023. Russell also played with the Glasgow Warriors from 2013-2018.
Who Are The Highest-Ranked FloRugby Players On The Bath Rugby Roster?
- Finn Russell – Bath Rugby & Scotland (No. 20)
- Sam Underhill – Bath Rugby & England (No. 24)
- Ollie Lawrence – Bath Rugby & England (No. 91)
Where Does Bath Rugby Play?
Bath Rugby plays at The Rec, or Recreation Grounds, Bath. The stadium opened in 1894
When Does Bath Rugby Play In The Investec Championship Cup?
Here is the Bath Rugby Champions Cup schedule:
Bath Vs. La Rochelle Kickoff In Round 1
- Round 1: Bath Rugby vs. Stade Rochelais, 3 p.m. ET, Dec. 6, 2024, The Rec
Benetton Vs. Bath Kickoff In Round 2
- Round 2: Benetton Rugby vs. Bath Rugby, 8 a.m. ET, Dec. 15, 2024, Stadio Monigo
Bath Vs. Clermont Kickoff In Round 3
- Round 3: Bath Rugby vs. ASM Clermont Auvergne, 12:30 p.m. ET, Jan. 12, 2025, The Rec
Leinster Vs. Bath Kickoff In Round 4
- Round 4: Leinster Rugby vs. Bath Rugby, 12:30 p.m. ET, Jan. 18, 2025, Aviva Stadium
How To Watch Bath Rugby Play In The Investec Champions Cup?
Every Bath Rugby match in the Investec Champions Cup is streaming live in the United States and Canada on FloRugby and the FloSports app.
Investec Champions Cup Format
Key points of the 2024-2025 Investec Champions Cup:
- A multi-pool format, as launched in the 2023-2024 season
- 24 elite clubs - eight each from the Gallagher Premiership, URC and TOP 14 - in four pools of six
- Sporting jeopardy, with each club playing against four different opponents, home or away, in the pool stage
- Four highest-ranked clubs in each pool qualify for the Round of 16
- The Investec Champions Cup will be played over eight weekends, with four pool rounds and four knockout rounds culminating in the 2025 final, which will be staged at Cardiff's Principality Stadium on Saturday, May 24.
Investec Champions Cup Weekends
- Round 1 – 6/7/8 December 2024
- Round 2 – 13/14/15 December 2024
- Round 3 – 10/11/12 January 2025
- Round 4 – 17/18/19 January 2025
- Round of 16 – 4/5/6 April 2025
- Quarter-finals – 11/12/13 April 2025
- Semi-finals – 2/3/4 May 2025
- 2025 Investec Champions Cup final – Saturday, May 24, Principality Stadium, Cardiff
Champions Cup Qualifications
Twenty-four clubs have qualified for the 2024-2025 Investec Champions Cup as follows:
- United Rugby Championship (8): The eight highest-ranked clubs based on their final finishing positions.
- TOP 14 (8): The eight highest-ranked clubs based on their final finishing positions.
- Gallagher Premiership Rugby (8): The eight highest-ranked clubs based on their final finishing positions.
- If not already qualified, the winner of the 2024 Investec Champions Cup will take the place of the eighth-ranked club in its league.
Investec Champions Cup Qualifiers
- TOP 14 – Stade Toulousain, Union Bordeaux-Bègles, Stade Français Paris, RC Toulon, Stade Rochelais, Racing 92, Castres Olympique, ASM Clermont Auvergne
- GALLAGHER PREMIERSHIP – Northampton Saints, Bath Rugby, Sale Sharks, Saracens, Bristol Bears, Harlequins, Exeter Chiefs, Leicester Tigers
- UNITED RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP – Glasgow Warriors, Vodacom Bulls, Munster Rugby, Leinster Rugby, DHL Stormers, Ulster Rugby, Benetton Rugby, Hollywoodbets Sharks
EPCR Challenge Cup Format
Key points for the 2024-2025 EPCR Challenge Cup:
- A multi-pool format, as launched in the 2023-2024 season
- 18 clubs in three pools of six
- Sporting jeopardy, with each club playing against four different opponents, home or away, in the pool stage
- Four highest-ranked clubs in each pool qualify for the knockout stage
- Eight weekends, with four pool rounds and four knockout rounds culminating in the 2025 final at Cardiff's Principality Stadium on Friday, May 23
EPCR Challenge Cup Weekends
- Round 1 – 6/7/8 December 2024
- Round 2 – 13/14/15 December 2024
- Round 3 – 10/11/12 January 2025
- Round 4 – 17/18/19 January 2025
- Round of 16 – 4/5/6 April 2025
- Quarter-finals – 11/12/13 April 2025
- Semi-finals – 2/3/4 May 2025
- 2025 EPCR Challenge Cup final – Principality Stadium, Cardiff; Friday, May 23
EPCR Challenge Cup Qualifiers
Clubs from the United Rugby Championship, the TOP 14 and the Gallagher Premiership that have not qualified for the 2024-2025 Investec Champions Cup will compete in the 2024-2025 EPCR Challenge Cup.
If not already qualified, the winner of the 2024 EPCR Challenge Cup will secure a place in the 2024-2025 Investec Champions Cup, replacing the eighth-ranked club in its league.
EPCR Challenge Cup Qualifiers
- UNITED RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP – Ospreys, Emirates Lions, Edinburgh Rugby, Connacht Rugby, Cardiff Rugby, Scarlets, Dragons RFC, Zebre Parma
- TOP 14 – Section Paloise, USAP, Lyon Olympique Universitaire, Aviron Bayonnais, Montpellier Hérault Rugby, RC Vannes
- GALLAGHER PREMIERSHIP – Gloucester Rugby, Newcastle Falcons
- INVITED – Black Lion, Toyota Cheetahs
When Does The 2024-2025 Investec Champions Cup Begin? When Is The Champions Cup Final?
The Investec Champions Cup and the EPCR Challenge Cup begin Dec. 6, and the four-round pool-play action ends on Jan. 19, 2025. The Round of 16 starts April 4, while the quarterfinals are April 11-13. The semifinals are May 2-4.
The EPCR Championships weekend is in Cardiff, Wales at Principality Stadium. There are championship games on May 23 (EPCR Challenge Cup) and May 24 (Investec Champions Cup).
What Are The Investec Champions Cup And EPCR Challenge Cup Pools?
Here are the pools:
Investec Champions Cup:
- Toulouse (Stade Toulousain)
- Bordeaux-Bègles (Union Bordeaux-Bègles)
- Hollywoodbets Sharks
- Exeter Chiefs
- Leicester Tigers
- Ulster Rugby
Pool 2:
- Leinster Rugby
- Clermont Auvergne (ASM Clermont Auvergne)
- La Rochelle (Stade Rochelais)
- Bristol Bears
- Benetton Rugby
- Bath Rugby
Pool 3:
- Northampton Saints
- Munster Rugby
- Vodacom Bulls
- Stade Français Paris
- Saracens
- Castres Olympique
Pool 4:
- Glasgow Warriors
- Racing 92
- Sale Sharks
- DHL Stormers
- Toulon (RC Toulon)
- Harlequins
EPCR Challenge Cup
Pool 1:
- Cardiff Rugby
- Connacht Rugby
- Toyota Cheetahs
- Perpignan (USAP)
- Lyon Olympique Universitaire (Lyon O.U.)
- Zebre Parma
Pool 2:
- Montpellier Hérault Rugby
- Pau (Section Paloise)
- Newcastle Falcons
- Dragons RFC
- Emirates Lions
- Ospreys
Pool 3:
- RC Vannes
- Black Lion
- Bayonne (Aviron Bayonnais)
- Scarlets
- Edinburgh Rugby
- Gloucester Rugby
How To Watch Rugby Matches In The United States On FloRugby
FloRugby and FloSports also are the U.S. home to:
FloRugby also is home to match archives and match replays.