Saracens In the Investec Champions Cup: Everything To Know
Saracens In the Investec Champions Cup: Everything To Know
Saracens 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 Saracens, which is in Pool 3.
Here are a few things to know about Saracens:
Saracens Results In the Gallagher Premiership in 2024-2025 Season
Saracens is 4-0-2 through six rounds and trailing Bath by two points, but is fourth in the table. That's not a change from last season, when Saracens finished fourth on the table with a 11-0-7 record, losing to the eventual champion Northampton Saints 22-20 in the semifinals.
What Did Saracens Rugby Do In The Champions Cup In 2023-2024?
Saracens advanced out of Pool A play with a 2-0-2 record and landed the 13th seed in the knockout stage. Saracens lost in the Round of 16 to UBB 45-12.
Has Saracens Rugby Ever Won The Champions Cup?
The Wolf Pack have won three Champions Cup titles and been the runners-up once.
Historically the Yankees of the Gallagher Premiership, the North London club has been one of the most dominant teams in Europe since 2000.
They last won the Champions Cup in 2019 and won in 2016 and 2017. They lost in the Final in 2014. They are tied with Toulon for the third-most Champions Cup titles.
Those years also coincided with Saracens having broken Gallagher Cup salary cap restrictions, which led the Sarries to be relegated to the RFU Championship in 2021. They promptly won that league and returned to the top level.
Since 2010, Saracens has won six Premiership titles.
Who Is The Saracens Rugby Coach?
Ireland Rugby star Mark McCall has been the director of rugby for Saracens since 2011 after having been an assistant from 2009-2011. He played for Ulster Rugby from 1989-1998. He was the head coach of Ulster from 2004-2007.
McCall is considered one of the best coaches in the game with six Premiership titles and three Champions Cup wins.
Where Does Saracens Rank In The FloRugby Team Rankings?
Saracens is the No. 13-ranked team in the FloRugby Top 50 rankings.
Maro Itoje Is The Saracens Captain
For 254 matches from 2008-2024, Owen Farrell was the face of Saracens. The England Rugby national star and son of the Ireland Rugby national team coach, Andy, Farrell left Saracens this past offseason to sign with Top 14 club Racing 92.
That has opened the door for Saracen's other superstar, Maro Itoje, the No. 13-ranked player in the world according to FloRugby, to be the captain. Itoje is the highest-ranked player from the Premiership and the star of the English Rugby national team.
Who Are The Highest-Ranked FloRugby Players On The Saracens Roster?
- Maro Itoje – Saracens & England (No. 13)
- Ben Earl – Saracens & England (No. 47)
- Jamie George – Saracens & England (No. 81)
Where Does Saracens Play?
Saracens plays in StoneX Stadium in London. Formerly known as Allianz Park and Copthall Stadium, StoneX Stadium gets expanded to 15,000 seats for Champions Cup matches, up by 5,000 from its normal capacity.
When Does Saracens Play In The Investec Championship Cup?
Here is the Saracens Champions Cup schedule:
Saracens Vs. Bulls Kickoff In Round 1
- Round 1: Saracens vs. Vodacom Bulls, 12:30 p.m. ET, Dec. 7, 2024, StoneX Stadium
Stade Francais Vs. Saracens Kickoff In Round 2
- Round 2: Stade Francais Paris vs. Saracens, 10:15 a.m. ET, Dec. 15, 2024, Stade Jean Bouin
Munster Vs. Saracens Kickoff In Round 3
- Round 3: Munster Rugby vs. Saracens, 12:30 p.m. ET, Jan. 11, 2025, Thomond Park
Saracens Vs. Castres Kickoff In Round 4
- Round 4: Saracens vs. Castres Olympique, 10:15 a.m. ET, Jan. 19, 2025, StoneX Stadium
How To Watch Saracens Play In The Investec Champions Cup
Every Saracens 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.