Pool 3 Preview: Leinster vs. La Rochelle Headlines Champions Cup Round 3
Pool 3 Preview: Leinster vs. La Rochelle Headlines Champions Cup Round 3
Pool 3 takes center stage in Round 3 of the Investec Champions Cup, with Leinster vs. La Rochelle, Quins vs. Stormers and the Tigers hosting Bayonne.
Pool 3 ramps up in Round 3 with history, pressure and momentum colliding across three pivotal matchups.
The spotlight falls on Leinster and Stade Rochelais, renewing one of Europe’s defining rivalries.
Leinster has been relentless, rolling through its last five outings and controlling both Champions Cup wins with precision and depth.
La Rochelle arrives bruised but dangerous, fresh off a staggering 66-0 demolition of Toulon that showcased the squad's physical ceiling, even if European inconsistency has followed. Recent meetings lean Leinster’s way, but this fixture rarely follows form.
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The Leicester Tigers and Bayonne meet at Welford Road in a must-win scenario for both sides.
Each sits pointless at the foot of the pool, yet Leicester’s domestic resurgence suggests belief is returning.
Bayonne, meanwhile, must find defensive steel quickly after shipping heavy defeats on both fronts. Pride and survival are at stake.
Sunday’s clash at the Twickenham Stoop pits chaos against control.
Harlequins remains unpredictable—capable of explosive attacking bursts, but vulnerable defensively—while the DHL Stormers arrive on a five-game winning streak, blending discipline with relentless pressure.
With previous meetings swinging both ways, this one promises volatility and consequence.
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Investec Champions Cup Round 3
Friday, Jan. 9
- 3 p.m. ET: Castres Olympique vs. Bath Rugby, Stade Pierre-Fabre
- 3 p.m. ET: Edinburgh Rugby vs. Gloucester Rugby, TBD
Saturday, Jan. 10
- 8 a.m. ET: Vodacom Bulls vs. Bristol Bears, Loftus Versfeld
- 10:15 a.m. ET: Clermont Auvergne vs. Glasgow Warriors, Stade Marcel-Michelin
- 12:30 p.m. ET: Leinster Rugby vs. La Rochelle, TBD
- 12:30 p.m. ET: Sale Sharks vs. Hollywoodbets Sharks, Salford Community Stadium
- 3 p.m. ET: Scarlets vs. Pau, Parc y Scarlets
- 3 p.m. ET: Leicester Tigers vs. Bayonne, Mattioli Woods Welford Road
Sunday, Jan. 11
- 8 a.m. ET: Harlequins vs. DHL Stormers, Twickenham Stoop
- 8 a.m. ET: Toulon vs. Munster Rugby, Stade Félix Mayol
- 10:15 a.m. ET: Bordeaux-Bègles vs. Northampton Saints, Stade Chaban-Delmas
- 12:30 p.m. ET: Saracens vs. Toulouse, StoneX Stadium
Investec Champions Cup Pool 3
Round 1
- Friday, Dec. 5 – 3 p.m. ET: Bayonne vs. DHL Stormers, Stade Jean Dauger
- Saturday, Dec. 6 – 12:30 p.m. ET: La Rochelle vs. Leicester Tigers, Stade Marcel Deflandre
- Saturday, Dec. 6 – 12:30 p.m. ET: Leinster Rugby vs. Harlequins, TBD
Round 2
- Friday, Dec. 12 – 3 p.m. ET: Leicester Tigers vs. Leinster Rugby, Mattioli Woods Welford Road
- Saturday, Dec. 13 – 8 a.m. ET: DHL Stormers vs. La Rochelle, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium
- Sunday, Dec. 14 – 8 a.m. ET: Harlequins vs. Bayonne, Twickenham Stoop
Round 3
- Saturday, Jan. 10 – 12:30 p.m. ET: Leinster Rugby vs. La Rochelle, TBD
- Saturday, Jan. 10 – 3 p.m. ET: Leicester Tigers vs. Bayonne, Mattioli Woods Welford Road
- Sunday, Jan. 11 – 8 a.m. ET: Harlequins vs. DHL Stormers, Twickenham Stoop
Round 4
- Saturday, Jan. 17 – 10:15 a.m. ET: Bayonne vs. Leinster Rugby, Stade Jean Dauger
- Saturday, Jan. 17 – 10:15 a.m. ET: DHL Stormers vs. Leicester Tigers, DHL Stadium
- Sunday, Jan. 18 – 10:15 a.m. ET: La Rochelle vs. Harlequins, Stade Marcel Deflandre
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