EPCR Season Launch: Lyon sets the stage for a bigger, more competitive season

The countdown to the 2026/27 EPCR season is well and truly on, as players from all 24 Investec Champions Cup clubs gathered in Lyon on Wednesday (30 September) to celebrate the launch of a new campaign that promises greater jeopardy, more intense competition and more high-stakes rugby from the first whistle to the last.

Hosted at Tour APICIL, the headquarters of EPCR partner Groupe APICIL, the Season Launch brought together some of the biggest names in club rugby alongside media representatives and broadcast partners, as attention turned towards the opening round of matches on 16-18 October.

The new season will introduce important tournament rule changes designed to keep matches competitive for longer, placing greater emphasis on attacking rugby across the full 80 minutes. Teams will have more to play for in every match, creating additional jeopardy, intensifying the race for qualification and adding another layer of excitement for players and supporters alike.

For the players, the prospect of testing themselves against the best in the business, renewing rivalries and competing on some of rugby's biggest stages is a major part of what makes the Investec Champions Cup so special, with added excitement around the prospect of even more competitive matches.

Representing Investec Champions Cup title holders Union Bordeaux Bègles was Ben Tameifuna, who is relishing the challenge of defending the title and believes the rule changes will make for a compelling season.

“Having to score more tries right up to the 80 minutes is going to be huge for all teams, and it's going to make the tournament more interesting to watch as well,” he said.

“It's a huge competition. I've played in Super Rugby, the TOP 14 and the Champions Cup, and I think it's one of the best competitions I've played in. It's pretty much a test match but in club colours. What better way to test yourself than playing against the best in the world.

“When it’s Investec Champions Cup week, the boys tune in better. There’s a different kind of buzz in and around the city - it goes to show how much this competition means to the people of Bordeaux.”

Montpellier Hérault Rugby's Jordan Uelese, whose club won the EPCR Challenge Cup last season, is preparing for a return to the Investec Champions Cup.

“You're competing against the best. That's exciting - playing against the best of the best,” he said.

“With the new rule changes, I think games will be more enjoyable and exciting, and they'll push players to play more and play right to the final whistle.”

For Saracens' Andy Onyeama-Christie, the combination of the competition's history, fierce rivalries and new challenges continues to set it apart.

“The history of the competition and the opportunity to play against teams and reignite past rivalries make it special. With the inclusion of South African teams as well, there's another element. I don't think there's really any competition like it.”

Onyeama-Christie also highlighted the occasions that make the competition memorable.

“Going to Toulouse away is the kind of occasion that you tell your kids about. There'll be a few big games in there. I think you go to some of the French grounds in particular and their fans are so passionate and you can see it really gives them an edge. Home advantage is always what you make it. I think we're lucky, we've got some incredible supporters, some incredible fans.”

Bristol Bears' Viliame Mata is looking forward to the intensity of a campaign that gets underway earlier in the season.

“The build-up is going to be great - we're straight into it (with an October start),” he said. “The best thing is travelling to different countries. Playing at home is great, but away, the fans are on your ears throughout the game, and that's intense.

“With the rule changes, it's going to be like a Test-match competition from week one to the final.”

The revised scoring incentives are also expected to keep supporters invested in the action until the very end, says DHL Stormers' Riley Norton.

“I think it will be more competitive and more enjoyable for fans, because a team can either get the bonus point or stop the other team getting one for 80 minutes. It's going to keep teams on their toes and keep the entertainment much higher,” he said.

“Bordeaux away is going to be special. They're an unbelievable team, and it's a chance to test ourselves against the best. It's a hostile environment, and one the whole team is really looking forward to. It's why we play rugby - for games like that.”

Former England internationals Lawrence Dallaglio and Anthony Watson were also present at the Launch, representing Premier Sports, which will broadcast every Investec Champions Cup match live, alongside selected EPCR Challenge Cup fixtures, throughout the season across the UK and Ireland.

Former England captain Dallaglio, who also led Wasps to a Champions Cup win in 2004, believes the changes will add another dimension to an already compelling competition.

“The qualification changes should give us a fairer way of identifying the strongest teams across the pools. You want progression to reflect how well teams have performed throughout the pool stage.

“I also like the thinking behind the new try bonus-point system. It keeps teams playing on both sides of the ball.

“You want both teams to keep competing. Anything that encourages that, and keeps the game alive for longer, is a positive.”

“My participation in this competition gave me some of the highlights of my career and I’m sure the players involved now will feel exactly the same.”

With the opening round now less than two weeks away, Watson, said: “I think having the opening round in October is brilliant. You want the best players available and playing in the biggest competition and this gives them a really significant test early in the season.

“Some of these fixtures only happen every five or six years and that makes those occasions feel special when they come around.

“There’s so much history and tradition behind the individual fixtures, as well as within the competition itself. That brings everyone out and gives the games a real sense of occasion.

“You’re watching international players in games that can feel like international fixtures. It’s the very top of professional rugby, and you get to see some of the best moments and highlights the sport can offer.”

With both the Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup kicking off on 16 October, the stage is set for a season in which every try, every bonus point and every result could prove crucial in the race to Lyon.

Lyon, which will host the EPCR Finals Weekend at OL Stadium on 21 and 22 May 2027, provided the backdrop for the event, with demand already building for the season's showpiece occasion. Half of all tickets for the 2027 Finals Weekend have already been sold, underlining the excitement ahead of another season of elite club rugby.