Summary

  • RESULT: Northampton 28-12 Cardiff - Saints were only English club to win their opening pool fixture

  • RESULT: Toulouse 43-40 Exeter - Henry Slade missed late penalty that would have earned draw for Chiefs

  • Toulouse prop Rodrigue Neti sent off in first half

  • RESULT: Pau 41-17 Leicester - late burst helped French club to bonus-point win over Tigers

  1. Listen livepublished at 13:00 BST 18 October

    BBC Local Radio

    You can listen to BBC radio commentary of all three Champions Cup games today via the "Watch & listen" tab:

    • Pau v Leicester - BBC Radio Leicester
    • Toulouse v Exeter - BBC Radio Devon
    • Northampton v Cardiff - BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra and BBC Radio Northampton
  2. Postpublished at 12:58 BST 18 October

    Pau v Leicester (13:00 BST)

    A reminder that a moment's silence will be observed at all the opening round's fixtures.

    This comes after former Sale second row Hyron Andrews died on Friday at his Johannesburg Lions' team hotel before their Champions Cup match at La Rochelle.

  3. New rulespublished at 12:57 BST 18 October

    Pau v Leicester (13:00 BST)

    Try-scoring bonus points in this season's Champions Cup pool stage will be awarded only to teams who cross at least three more times than their opponents - rather than for simply scoring four or more tries.

    It has been felt that losing teams could pick up a four-try bonus point too easily as opponents with a comfortable lead ease off in the final quarter.

    There will also be a change in qualification criteria for the last-16 stage.

    Previously the top four teams from each of the four six-strong pools would progress, with home advantage in the knockouts decided by a seeding based on group-stage records.

    Only three teams from each of the four pools will now go through automatically, with the remaining four last-16 spots allocated on the basis of table points collected.

  4. Beware of Paupublished at 12:55 BST 18 October

    Pau v Leicester (13:00 BST)

    Pau, who played in the Champions Cup for the first time in 25 years last season, have won five of their six Top 14 games this season.

    They are second, behind Toulouse.

    On paper, are they tournament dark horses?

  5. Postpublished at 12:54 BST 18 October

    Pau v Leicester (13:00 BST)

    Two-time European Cup winners Leicester Tigers last won the tournament in 2002.

    Can they get back to being the best of the best?

    Geoff Parling's team selection shows he wants to.

    Leicester Tigers 2002 lifting European CupImage source, Getty Images
  6. Team newspublished at 12:51 BST 18 October

    Pau v Leicester (13:00 BST)

    Leicester Tigers, captained by England second row Ollie Chessum, have named a strong side away to Pau.

    One of the key battles will be France international Theo Attissogbe up against England full-back Freddie Steward.

    A late change sees flanker Finn Carnduff replace Aaron Wainwright, with Osian Thomas coming onto the bench.

    Pau: Attissogbe; Laporte, Marta, Brau-Boirie, Grandidier Nkanang; Desperes Souverbie; Etchebehere, Delhommel, Zabala, Jolmes, Capelli, Zegueur, Credoz (capt), Vergnes-Taillefer.

    Replacements: Caperaa, Parrou, Papidze, Picquette, Grondona, Isa, Garcia, Valentino.

    Leicester Tigers: Steward; Radwan, Wand, Bailey, Hassell-Collins; Searle, Whiteley; Van der Flier, Blamire, Sclavi, Henderson, Chessum (capt), Carnduff, Moro, Cracknell.

    Replacements: Moli, Vunipola, Hurd, Thompson, Thomas, Van Poortvliet, Woodward, Hamer-Webb.

  7. Champions Cup fixtures & resultspublished at 12:47 BST 18 October

    All kick-off times BST

    It has been a brilliant weekend of rugby so far:

    Friday

    • Gloucester 36-36 Bordeaux Begles

    Saturday

    • Sale 27-47 Glasgow
    • Bulls 56-20 Stade Francais
    • Stormers 49-12 Bristol
    • Clermont Auvergne 23-48 Leinster
    • Connacht 45-36 Saracens
    • La Rochelle 31-14 Lions
    • Bath 14-32 Montpellier
    • Munster 33-25 Racing 92

    Sunday

    • Pau v Leicester (13:00)
    • Toulouse v Exeter (15:15)
    • Northampton v Cardiff (17:30)
  8. Champions Cup Sundaypublished at 12:45 BST 18 October

    Pau v Leicester (13:00 BST)

    Hello, ready for more Investec Champions Cup rugby?

    Up first today, Leicester Tigers are in France and will need to be at their best to defeat an impressive Pau side.

    Shall we take a look at the weekend's results?