Saracens drawn with three European winners in brutal Champions Cup pool for 2026/27

Saracens have been handed one of the most demanding pool draws in the 2026/27 Investec Champions Cup, placed alongside six-time European champions Toulouse, two-time winners La Rochelle and 2020 champions Exeter Chiefs in Pool 2.

Mark McCall’s side will also face the Lions and Connacht — both quarter-finalists in this season’s United Rugby Championship — making their group arguably the most formidable of any Gallagher Premiership club in the draw.

English champions Northampton Saints headline another heavyweight section in Pool 4, where they have been grouped with Premiership rivals Bath. The two clubs met in a memorable quarter-final this season but will not face each other during the pool stage. They are joined by Cardiff Rugby, Challenge Cup winners and Top 14 runners-up Montpellier, Stade Français and the Vodacom Bulls.

Pool 1 is headed by Leinster, losing finalists in this season’s Champions Cup and URC champions, who will face Glasgow Warriors, Section Paloise, Sale Sharks, Leicester Tigers and ASM Clermont Auvergne.

Reigning champions Bordeaux-Bègles have been placed in Pool 3 alongside Munster, DHL Stormers, Racing 92, Bristol Bears and Gloucester Rugby.

Champions Cup Pools — 2026/27

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

Pool 2: Saracens, Toulouse, La Rochelle, Exeter Chiefs, Lions, Connacht

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

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