Europe’s premier club rugby competition returns this weekend. Will Saracens retain their title from last year? Or will there be a side in Europe that are capable of beating the men from North London?
The final is being held in Edinburgh next May, so we’ve run the rule over all 20 sides competing for the chance to be called European Champions.
Pool 1
Glasgow Warriors
Last Season: Third in Pool 3
Previous Best: Group stage (Never qualified for knockout round)
Captain: Jonny Gray and Henry Pyrgos
Coach: Gregor Townsend
One to watch: Finn Russell
Sitting fourth in the Pro 12, Scotstoun will be an intimidating place for opposition teams to travel to. They’ve been dealt a difficult pool though and their hopes of progression will rest on winning their home games and picking up losing bonus points on their travels.
Tournament Odds: 55/1
Leicester Tigers
Last Season: Semi Finals
Previous Best: Winners (2001 and 2002)
Captain: Tom Youngs
Coach: Richard Cockerill
One to watch: Owen Williams
Tournament Odds: 25/1
The Tigers have got off to a strong start in the Premiership, but their defending has worried Director of Rugby Richard Cockerill and his backroom team. They have a formidable forward pack though which can take anyone on upfront and Aaron Mauger has created an inventive backline.
Munster
Last Season: Third in Pool 4
Previous Best: Winners (2006 and 2008)
Captain: Peter O’Mahony
Coach: Anthony Foley
One to watch: CJ Stander
Munster were shambolic last season and haven’t massively improved under Rassie Erasmus in this campaign. They face a difficult start away in Paris to Racing 92 and it’s fair to say that this is not a classic Munster team. You can never write off the men from Limerick though.
Tournament Odds: 70/1
Racing 92
Last Season: Runners Up
Previous Best: 2016 Runners Up
Captain: Dimitri Szarzewski
Coach: Laurent Labit and Laurent Travers
One to watch: Dan Carter
Last season’s losing finalists are embroiled in off field controversies and they’ve had a mixed start to their Top 14 season, with four wins and four defeats so far. Despite their problems, they do still have Dan Carter in their ranks and there’s more than enough quality for them to top this group.
Tournament Odds: 5/1
Pool 2
Connacht
Last Season: Didn’t qualify
Previous Best: Group stage
Captain: John Muldoon
Coach: Pat Lam
One to watch: Ultan Dillane
Last season’s Pro 12 winners have endured a difficult start to the season and they started off with three defeats from their first three games. They’ve won their last two and you can see them beating Zebre in the group. They’ll have to beat both Toulouse and Wasps at home if they have any chance of qualifying.
Tournament Odds: 225/1
Toulouse
Last Season: Bottom of Pool 1
Previous Best: Winners (1996, 2003, 2005, 2010)
Captain: Thierry Dusautoir
Coach: Ugo Mola
One to watch: Gael Fickou
Toulouse put in a dismal showing in last year’s Champions Cup, with just a win in their final game to show for their efforts. Like Munster, this is by no means a vintage Toulouse side and they’ve shown vulnerability at home over the last few years.
Tournament Odds: 14/1
Wasps
Last Season: Semi finals
Previous Best: Winners (2004 and 2007)
Captain: Joe Launchbury
Coach: Dai Young
One to watch: Elliott Daly
Wasps have lit up the Premiership so far this season and rightly start this pool as favourites to qualify. They’ve got an abundance of star quality and will be even better when Kurtley Beale and Willie Le Roux arrive in Coventry. Expect them to win the pool and progress deep into the competition.
Tournament Odds: 6/1
Zebre
Last Season: Didn’t qualify
Previous Best: Group stage
Captain: George Biagi
Coach: Gianluca Guidi
One to watch: Quintin Geldenhuys
The pool which contains an Italian side usually sees two sides qualify for the knockout stages, so expect Toulouse and Connacht to get bonus point victories against Zebre. They’re the weakest side in the competition and they’ll be playing for pride.
Tournament Odds: 1000/1
Pool 3
Toulon
Last Season: Quarter Finals
Previous Best: Winners (2013, 2014, 2015)
Captain: Juan Smith
Coach: Diego Dominguez
One to watch: François Trinh-Duc
The three-time winners suffered defeat in the quarter final last season and a disappointing start to the season has left many wondering if their era of dominance is now over. Their side is ageing, but it would be foolish to rule them out. They’ve still never lost a European game at home.
Tournament Odds: 4/1
Sale Sharks
Last Season: Didn’t qualify
Previous Best: Group stage
Captain: Josh Beaumont
Coach: Steve Diamond
One to watch: Sam James
Sale don’t have many star names on show and took a pasting from Bath last week, but they’ll be resilient at home. Whether resilient is good enough to challenge for the qualification spots is another matter.
Tournament Odds: 250/1
Saracens
Last Season: Winners
Previous Best: Winners (2016)
Captain: Brad Barritt
Coach: Mark McCall
One to watch: Maro Itoje
Last year’s winners start off this season’s campaign as favourites to retain their European crown and it’ll take a very good performance to beat them. They’re masters of game management and their defence is something to be revered. They could be the first team to win a European game away at Toulon.
Tournament Odds: 9/4
Scarlets
Last Season: Bottom of Pool 3
Previous Best: Semi Final (2007)
Captain: Ken Owens
Coach: Wayne Pivac
One to watch: Gareth Davies
This year’s sole Welsh representatives have endured a mixed start to the season with three wins and three defeats so far. They’ll challenge the superpowers of this pool, but it’s unlikely that they’ll be seen in the knockout stages.
Tournament Odds: 275/1
Pool 4
Castres
Last Season: Didn’t qualify
Previous Best: Group stage
Captain: Rodrigo Capo Ortega
Coach: Christophe Urios
One to watch: Rory Kockott
Castres’ squad doesn’t fill you with optimism for a European campaign and the fact that they’re sat in 10th in the Top 14 doesn’t help either. They’ll be reliant on a traditionally big French forward pack to pressure the opposition, but there’s not much in the backs.
Tournament Odds: 130/1
Leinster
Last Season: Bottom of Pool 5
Previous Best: Winners (2009, 2011, 2012)
Captain: Isa Nacewa
Coach: Leo Cullen
One to watch: Gary Ringrose
Leo Cullen’s side are on the way up and Johnny Sexton has found form in a Lions year. Gary Ringrose is a left-field call for the New Zealand tour at the end of the season and they’re progressing with Stuart Lancaster also on the backroom staff.
Tournament Odds: 33/1
Montpellier
Last Season: Didn’t qualify, won Challenge Cup
Previous Best: Quarter final (2013)
Captain: Fulgence Ouedraogo
Coach: Jake White
One to watch: Nemani Nadolo
Jake White’s side possess a formidable forward unit, spearheaded by the Du Plessis brothers in the front row. They have the strongest squad in this pool, packed with southern hemisphere exports and they should win this group. Like most French teams, they struggle away from home
Tournament Odds: 14/1
Northampton Saints
Last Season: Quarter Finals
Previous Best: Winners (2000)
Captain: Tom Wood
Coach: Jim Mallinder
One to watch: George North
Saints have had a stuttering start to the season and Jim Mallinder and Dorian West have their work cut out to get this side firing. They have enough quality to win the pool and this might be one where two sides qualify. They’ll have to get something from their games against Montpellier.
Tournament Odds: 40/1
Pool 5
Clermont Auvergne
Last Season: Bottom of Pool 2
Previous Best: Runners up (2013 and 2015)
Captain: Damien Chouly
Coach: Franck Azema
One to watch: Nick Abendanon
Clermont supporters will be left wondering what on earth happened in last year’s competition when they were minutes away from winning the pool and they ended up finishing bottom. They’ll be confident in winning their games in le Massif Central and the game at Ravenhill against Ulster will be gripping viewing.
Tournament Odds: 8/1
Bordeaux-Begles
Last Season: Second in Pool 2
Previous Best: Group stage
Captain: Louis-Benoit Madaule
Coach: Raphael Ibanez
One to watch: Ian Madigan
Bordeaux played both Clermont and Exeter in last year’s pool stages and they left the Stade Michelin with a rare away win. They finished second, beating Exeter at home as well and this pool looks likely to come down to bonus points to decide it.
Tournament Odds: 100/1
Exeter Chiefs
Last Season: Quarter Finals
Previous Best: Quarter Finals (2016)
Captain: Jack Yeandle
Coach: Rob Baxter
One to watch: Henry Slade
Exeter will be hoping to progress past the quarter final stage that they reached last season, but they’ll have to leave France with more than just the one bonus point that they gained last year. They won all three games at Sandy Park in last year’s pool. If Henry Slade gets going, he could find himself back in an England starting shirt.
Tournament Odds: 28/1
Ulster
Last Season: Second in Pool 1
Previous Best: Winners (1999)
Captain: Rob Herring/Andrew Trimble
Coach: Les Kiss
One to watch: Ruan Pienaar
Ulster take great pride in the fact that no opposition wants to travel to Ravenhill on a cold, blustery evening. They’re sat atop of the Pro 12 and things are looking up for Rory Best and the Ulstermen. They look the best placed out of the Irish teams to make an impact in this year’s competition.
Tournament Odds: 30/1
