European Rugby Champions Cup 2016-17

The European Rugby Champions Cup season kicks off with elite teams from the Aviva Premiership, the Top14 and the Pro12 all competing to be champions

POOL STAGE: Winners and three best runners-up advance to quarter-finals

POOL 1                 Best finish
Racing Metro           Final 2016
Glasgow Warriors      Q-final 1998
Leicester Tigers      Winner 2001, 02
Munster               Winner 2006, 08

POOL 3
Saracens           Winner 2016
Toulon             Winner 2013, 14, 15
Scarlets           Semi-final 2007
Sale Sharks        Quarter-final 2006

POOL 5
Exeter            Quarter-final 2016
Clermont          Final 2013, 15
Ulster            Winner 1999
Bordeaux          3-time pool stage

POOL 2
Connacht         3-time pool stage
Wasps            Winner 2004, 07
Toulouse         4-time winner
Zebre            Pool stage 2013, 14

POOL 4
Leinster          Winner 2009, 11, 12
Montpellier       Quarter-final 2013
Northampton Saints Winner 2000
Castres            Semi-final 2002

MATCHDAYS
Oct 14-16, Oct 21-23, Dec 9-11,
Dec 16-18, Jan 13-15, Jan 20-22

Quarter-finals Mar 31-Apr 2

Semi-finals Apr 21-23

Final May 13, Murrayfield

Owen Farrell Saracens Top points scorer in last season’s competition, kicking all 21 points in final
against Racing Metro

MOST TITLES BY COUNTRY

France 8
England 7
Ireland 6

Saracens’ European Cup triumph claimed first title for England since 2007

Source: ERCC

Picture: Getty Images