Saints to face South African, French and Welsh opposition in Champions Cup

Joining them will be Bath, who Saints won’t play against during the pool stages as teams from the same league do not meet before the knockout stages, Cardiff Rugby and French sides Montpellier Hérault and Stade Français.

Saints, who were among the top seeds in Wednesday’s Dublin draw thanks to winning the Gallagher PREM last season, will be facing the Bulls for the fourth successive campaign in the Champions Cup.

They beat them 59-22 in a quarter-final at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens in April 2024.

They then won 31-20 against them at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in the following campaign’s pool stages and beat them 50-5 at the Gardens during the pool stages last season.

Saints also have recent history against Stade Français, having lost to them 45-35 in a pool-stage clash in Paris in January 2025.

Back then, JJ van der Mescht was the star man for the Parisians, but he is now a Saints player.

Saints have not faced Montpellier since 2017 and they have not played against Cardiff since back in 2010.

The Champions Cup draw took place in Dublin on Wednesday afternoon, and these are the pools that were drawn…

Pool 1: Leinster Rugby, Glasgow Warriors, Section Paloise, Sale Sharks, Leicester Tigers, ASM Clermont Auvergne.

Pool 2: Stade Toulousain, Lions, Saracens, Stade Rochelais, Exeter Chiefs, Connacht Rugby.

Pool 3: Union Bordeaux Bègles, DHL Stormers, Racing 92, Munster Rugby, Bristol Bears, Gloucester Rugby.

Pool 4: Northampton Saints, Bath Rugby, Cardiff Rugby, Montpellier Herault Rugby, Stade Français Rugby, Vodacom Bulls.

The Champions Cup will kick off in October with the second round of action scheduled for December, followed by rounds three and four on consecutive weekends in January 2027.

EPCR will now begin working on the fixture schedule, with exact dates, kick-off times and TV coverage to be announced in the coming weeks.