Champions Cup: holders have never won at Kingsholm

The Top 14 takes a break until 24 October: Europe takes centre stage.

Eight French clubs are in action, four of them away from home. Here is what the head-to-head records say.

Friday: Bordeaux-Begles face their bogey side

Crowned in May against Leinster (41-19), Bordeaux-Begles start their title defence at Gloucester (21:00 CET). The English side lead the head-to-head 4-1, and the French club have lost both their trips to Kingsholm (25-13 in 2012, 22-17 in 2022). Their only win came at home in 2015 (23-22).

Saturday: Stade Francais in Pretoria, Racing at Munster

Stade Francais, without Noah Nene and Lucas Peyresblanques, take on the Bulls at 14:00 CET. The only previous meeting, in January 2025 in Pretoria, ended in a heavy Parisian defeat (48-7).

Clermont host Leinster at 16:15. In ten meetings the Irish have won six, but Clermont still have the 2017 semi-final (27-22). La Rochelle face the Lions at 18:30: it is the first ever meeting between the two clubs.

At 21:00, Racing 92 travel to Munster. The record is perfectly level: four wins each and a draw (21-21 in 2019). But the Parisians have never won at Munster, with three defeats and that draw. At the same time, Montpellier go to Bath, who lead the head-to-head 5-2.

Sunday: Pau and Toulouse at home

Pau host Leicester at 14:00. The Tigers lead 4-2, and Pau’s last win came in January 2020 in the Challenge Cup (24-17). Top 14 leaders Toulouse close the weekend against Exeter at 16:15. On the pitch, Toulouse lead 2-1: beaten in the 2020 semi-final (28-18), they then scored 64 points in each of the last two meetings (64-26 in the 2024 quarter-final, 64-21 at Exeter in December 2024).