Sale Sharks In The Investec Champions Cup: Everything To Know
Sale Sharks In The Investec Champions Cup: Everything To Know
Sale Sharks 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 thoe teams looking to advance to the EPCR Final is the Sale Sharks, who are in Pool 4.
Here are a few things to know about Sale Sharks:
Sale Sharks Results In The Gallagher Premiership In 2024-2025 Season
Through six rounds, the Sharks are 3-0-3 in Premiership play. With Exeter at 0-0-6 and Newcastle at 1-0-5 behind them, Sale has a nine-point cushion between being in the Champions Cup field next year and not.
What Did The Sale Sharks Do In The Champions Cup In 2023-2024?
Sale went 1-0-3 in Champions Cup Pool D play, and though they didn't qualify for the Champions Cup knockout stage, they did move to the Challenge Cup knockout rounds last year. They were the 10th seed and lost to the Ospreys, 23-15, in the Round of 16.
Have The Sale Sharks Ever Won The Champions Cup?
One of the oldest rugby clubs in the world, founded in 1861, the Sale Sharks have never reached the Champions Cup Final.
The club adopted the nickname the "Sharks" in 1999, and the only European Championship they've won is the Challenge Cup in 2002 and 2005.
The club won the Premiership in 2020, but the furthest they have advanced in the Champions Cup is the quarterfinals, which they did in 2021 and 2022.
Who Is The Sale Sharks Rugby Coach?
Alex Sanderson was hired as the Sale head coach on 2021, leaving Saracens, where he was the backs coach.
Sanderson played 90 matches for the Sharks from 1998-2004 and is a former English national team player. He coached at Saracens from 2008-2021.
Where Do The Sale Sharks Rank In The FloRugby Team Rankings?
The Sharks are ranked No. 18 in the FloRugby club rankings.
Twins All Over The Place For The Sale Sharks
In a rare sports oddity, the Sale Sharks have two sets of twins on the roster. Tom Curry and Ben Curry and Jean-Luc du Preez and Dan du Preez - all in the back row.
Who Are The Highest-Ranked FloRugby Players On The Sale Sharks Roster?
- Tom Curry – Sale Sharks & England (No. 53)
Where Do The Sale Sharks Play?
The Sale Sharks call Salford City Community Stadium home and have so since 2012. The stadium opened in 2012, and a Sharks and Leicester Tigers match in 2014 is the record attendance at 11,247.
When Do The Sale Sharks Play In The Investec Championship Cup?
Here is the Sale Sharks Champions Cup schedule:
Glasgow Warriors Vs. Sale Sharks Kickoff In Round 1
- Round 1: Glasgow Warriors vs. Sale Sharks, 9 a.m. ET, Dec. 7, 2024, Scotstoun Stadium
Sale Sharks Vs. Racing 92 Kickoff In Round 2
- Round 2: Sale Sharks vs. Racing 92, 9 a.m. ET, Dec. 13, 2024, Salford Community Stadium
DHL Stormers Vs. Sale Sharks Kickoff In Round 3
- Round 3: DHL Stormers vs. Sale Sharks, 2 a.m. ET, Jan. 11, 2025, DHL Stadium
Sale Sharks Vs. Toulon Kickoff In Round 4
- Round 4: Sale Sharks vs. RC Toulon, 6:30 a.m. ET, Jan. 19, 2025, Salford Community Stadium
How To Watch The Sale Sharks Play In The Investec Champions Cup?
Every Sale Sharks 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.