The Investec Champions Cup is the premier club competition in world rugby today, pitting elite clubs from South Africa, France, Ireland, England, Wales and Scotland against each other over a five month period.
The tournament kicks off in early December, featuring 24 premier teams across four pools of six, and concludes in the third week in May with the final at San Mames Stadium, Balboa.
The Hollywoodbets Sharks have been included in Pool A, alongside Stade Toulousain, ASM Clermont Auvergne, Saracens, Glasgow Warriors and Sale Sharks which is a veritable challenge for the Durban side who are now competing in the tournament for the third time, having won the EPCR Challenge Cup in the 2023/24 season.
Sunday 7 December: Stade Toulousain vs Hollywoodbets Sharks
Stade Toulousain, or Toulouse, are Europe’s most successful club, with six Heineken/Champions Cup titles between 1996 and as most recent as 2024. In France, they are without peer, having secured a record 24 domestic titles.
They play out of Stade Ernest-Wallon, named after their first president between 1907 and 1912, but when the 19500 seater stadium cannot accommodate their big games, they move to 33000-seater Stadium de Toulouse.
Amongst a star-studded squad, they boast the likes of Antoine Dupont, Romain Ntamack, Blair Kinghorn, Thomas Romas and Jack Willis.
Saturday 13 December: Hollywoodbets Sharks vs Saracens
Now in their 149th year of existence, Saracens, from north London in England, are one of the country’s most successful sides, boasting the likes of former Hollywoodbets Sharks Alistair Hargreaves, Brent Russell and Brad Barritt in their former ranks. Ties to South Africa were very strong and at one stage there were nine South Africans in their team, coached by Brendan Venter.
Europeans Champions in 2016, 2017 and 2019 and six-time English Premiership title-holders, Saracens play out of StoneX Stadium but have played fixtures at Twickenham, the home of English rugby.
With the likes of Jamie George, Maro Itoje, Owen Farrell, Eliott Daly and a host of other internationals from around the world, Saracens are a formidable opponent.
Saturday 10 January: Sale Sharks vs Hollywoodbets Sharks
A week later, the Hollywoodbets Sharks are up against another English opponent, Sale Sharks from Manchester. Sale have been one of the most consistent sides in England, having remained in the premier division for an uninterrupted period of 30 years without relegation.
One of the oldest professional clubs, having been established in 1861, they play their rugby out of the 12 000 seater Salford Community Stadium and have on their list of honours the Premiership title in 2005/06, and European Challenge Cup winners in 2001/02 and 2004/05.
Amongst a host of internationals, they too have a strong South African influence, boasting the likes of Hyron Andrews, LeRoux Roets, Dan and Robert du Preez, Jacques Vermeulen and Marius Louw.
Saturday 17 January: Hollywoodbets Sharks vs ASM Clermont Auvergne
Two-time French Champions, having lost the previous 11 finals, Clermont, in Michelin Tyre country of France, the 113-year old club play out of their 19 000 capacity Stade Marcel-Michelin Stadium.
The three-time EPCR Challenge Cup victors (1999, 2007 and 2019) and three-times runners-up in the Champions Cup, they’re a cosmopolitan club of internationals from countries as diverse as Moldova, Fiji, Argentina, New Zealand, Georgia, Tonga, Samoa, Australia and of course, France.
