Historic Investec Champions Cup Round of 16 ‘brilliant for English game’
- EPCR Media
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
Impressive pool stage campaigns see seven English sides through to the knockout stages of the Investec Champions Cup – an all-time high.
Bath Rugby, Northampton Saints, Harlequins, Bristol Bears, Sale Sharks, Saracens and Leicester Tigers form a special group as they head into this weekend’s Round of 16. It’s the first time that seven English clubs have qualified for the knockout stages of the Champions Cup, with PREM Rugby boasting the most representatives out of the three participating leagues.
Two all-time English heavyweights lock horns this Saturday when 2025 EPCR Challenge Cup winners Bath Rugby host three-time Champions Cup winners Saracens, before Harlequins host Sale Sharks in the day’s second all-English affair.
And with at least two English sides guaranteed a spot in the quarter-finals, this year’s competition is exactly what the country’s rugby needs at the moment, according to Sale Sharks’ George Ford: “It’s brilliant for the English game.
“We’re coming off the back of a disappointing Six Nations, so it’s an opportunity for the English teams and players to achieve success,” he said.
Echoing his brother’s words, Sale’s attack coach Joe Ford sent a strong message to the rest of the sides involved in the competition.
“It’s brilliant, isn’t it?
“Everyone’s talking about how strong French rugby is but we know we can beat anyone.
“The English teams have a big part to play in the competition this year,” he explained.
The PREM’s top three sides, Bath Rugby, Northampton Saints and Leicester Tigers, are all in the Round of 16, while Harlequins, Sale Sharks, Saracens and Bristol Bears also make the cut despite more turbulent domestic performances.
But as all PREM clubs know from results this season, no side can be discounted.
“Anyone can beat anyone in the PREM,” Bristol Bears’ Louis Rees-Zammit said.
“The top seven sides are really competitive. So, to push for the top four, you have to focus every week,” the fullback explained.
Following a two-year hiatus stateside, the Welshman – who has made the shift from wing to fullback appear straightforward this season – has slotted back into the English top flight seamlessly.
The Investec Champions Cup knockout stages represent the start of the home straight for Rees-Zammit, with much still at stake for Bristol Bears.
“I’m really excited for the second half of the season, pushing for the PREM and being in the knockouts of the Investec Champions Cup,” he said.
Finalists last year, Northampton Saints have backed up their run from last season in impressive fashion. As well as sitting top of the domestic league, they benefit from home advantage this Friday as they welcome French side Castres Olympique.
Loosehead prop Emmanuel Iyogun, who played a vital role in that memorable Final run, has come a long way with the side since his academy days. And so has English rugby, according to the 25-year-old:
“When I was starting out, to think there’d be seven teams in the knockouts would’ve been unheard of! It speaks to the effort the boys are putting in to compete with these bigger clubs,” he said.
If Saints progress this weekend, a quarter-final against either Bath or Saracens is on the cards.
“We rarely get the chance to play English teams in knockout games. It’s a unique experience and would be a real opportunity to relish,” Iyogun explained, ambitious to go one further this season.
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