Champions Cup standings: Who needs what to qualify for knockout stage?
2025-01-16
Category: sports

The final round of the pool stage of the 2024-25 Champions Cup takes place this weekend, giving teams one last chance to secure their place in the knockout rounds.Seven sides, including Glasgow Warriors, Northampton Saints and Leicester Tigers, have already clinched their spots in the last 16 in April.But which clubs are in position to fill the remaining spots? And who will be looking over their shoulder at the chasing pack?
How does qualification work?
The top four sides from each pool qualify, with the top two gaining home advantage in the last 16.The teams finishing fifth in each pool will drop down into the last 16 of the Challenge Cup.If two or more clubs in the same pool are equal on match points, their ranking will be determined by points difference, or if still equal, the number of tries scored in the pool stage.In the unlikely event that both metrics are equal, it will be decided by the drawing of lots.Teams are awarded four points for a win and two for a draw. A bonus point is awarded to a club scoring four or more tries and also to a club losing by seven points or fewer - so a team doing both in a match but losing would still get two points.
Who has already qualified? 
Bordeaux-Begles, Toulouse, Leicester Tigers, Leinster, Northampton Saints, Toulon, Glasgow Warriors.
Pool 1 - can Tigers secure home advantage?
Fixtures:Friday, 17 January - Ulster v Exeter (20:00 GMT)Sunday, 19 January - Bordeaux-Begles v Sharks (13:00 GMT), Toulouse v Leicester Tigers (15:15)Ulster and Exeter Chiefs, the two winless sides in Pool 1, face off on Friday at Kingspan Stadium in a match likely to decide who will finish fifth and secure Challenge Cup qualification.Both sides still have a slim chance of a place in the Champions Cup last 16, but the winning side would need to secure a bonus point fourth try and hope Bordeaux thrash Sharks on Sunday by a big enough margin for them to go through on points difference.Sharks need a point from their final game to reach the last 16, while Leicester Tigers, Toulouse and Bordeaux have all qualified.Leicester face Toulouse on Sunday knowing a win could secure one of the top two seeds and home advantage in the last 16.Maximum points for Bordeaux against Sharks will secure their spot as top seeds. Failure to do so will hand Toulouse or Tigers an opportunity to steal top spot.
Pool 2 - win or bust for Bristol
Fixtures:Saturday, 18 January - Clermont Auvergne v Bristol (15:15 GMT), Benetton v La Rochelle (17:30 GMT), Leinster v Bath (17:30)Leinster have already qualified and know a win at home to Bath on Saturday will secure their spot as number one seeds from Pool 2.Clermont know a home win over Bristol is likely to give them a place in the last 16 because of the difficult games facing Bath and Benetton.Bristol also know a win would probably take them through if those results also go their way.A point for La Rochelle, who face Benetton, will be enough to secure their position in the top four, and a win would secure a top-two seeding.Benetton will qualify with a win, and if they can overtake their opponents - they are three points behind La Rochelle but with a markedly worse points difference - could secure a last-16 home tie, depending on what Bath do. Bath know a win over Leinster would secure enough points to qualify. However, they can still qualify without picking up any points if results go their way.
Pool 3 - top spots still up for grabs
Fixtures:Saturday, 18 January - Bulls v Stade Francais (13:00 GMT), Northampton Saints v Munster (15:15 GMT)Sunday, 19 January - Saracens v Castres (15:15 GMT)Only South African side Bulls are out of the running for the last 16 in Pool 3.Fifth-placed Stade Francais travel to South Africa to face Bulls on Saturday, knowing a bonus-point win is probably needed.Fourth-placed Castres, on nine points, need two points to confirm qualification from their final game at Saracens on Sunday.A point is enough for Saracens or Munster, who travel to Northampton on Saturday.A bonus-point win for Sarries would give them home advantage in the last 16. Similarly, victory for Northampton Saints over Munster would secure a top-two seeding.But a win for the Irish province would secure home advantage for them.
Pool 4 - four into two
Fixtures:Saturday, 18 January - Harlequins v Glasgow Warriors (20:00 GMT), Racing 92 v Stormers (20:00 GMT)Sunday, 19 January - Sale v Toulon (17:30 GMT)Toulon and Glasgow Warriors cannot be caught at the top of Pool 4, meaning both have secured home advantage in the last 16.A bonus-point win for Toulon in their final game at Sale Sharks on Sunday will secure top spot.With one point separating third to sixth, bonus points will probably decide the outcome of the top four.Harlequins face Glasgow on Saturday - and their points difference advantage over fifth-placed Sale means picking up maximum points would probably secure their spot.Stormers, who are away to Racing 92, will probably qualify if they pick up maximum points. Racing 92 themselves need to win and rely on results elsewhere.Sale will probably need a bonus-point win over Toulon - and even then, will need other results to go for them. 