Champions Cup today: kick-offs, TV and team news for Sunday

The Champions Cup today starts with Leicester’s trip to Pau at 1pm, before Exeter face Toulouse at 3.15pm and Northampton host Cardiff at 5.30pm. All three matches are live on Premier Sports in the UK on Sunday 18 October.

Ollie Chessum returns to captain Leicester, Antoine Dupont leads Toulouse and Northampton rest four England players as Cardiff welcome back Taulupe Faletau.

There are also three Challenge Cup fixtures, including Harlequins against Vannes at the same time as Leicester’s opener. Here are the kick-off times, viewing options and the main team-news decisions.

Champions Cup today: kick-off times and TV channels

All times are UK time, BST.

Match	Kick-off	Venue	UK broadcaster
Pau v Leicester Tigers	1pm	Stade du Hameau, Pau	Premier Sports
Toulouse v Exeter Chiefs	3.15pm	Stadium de Toulouse	Premier Sports
Northampton Saints v Cardiff	5.30pm	DPD Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens	Premier Sports

Premier Sports lists coverage beginning at 12.30pm for Pau v Leicester, 3.05pm for Toulouse v Exeter and 5pm for Northampton v Cardiff. Those are programme start times; the kick-offs are listed above. rugbyworld.com

A Premier Sports subscription is required for the UK coverage, with television and online streaming options available through the broadcaster’s website.

Toulouse v Exeter is also free-to-air on France 2 in France, starting at 4.15pm local time. The match takes place at the Stadium de Toulouse. premiersports.com

Challenge Cup today

Match	Kick-off	UK television or streaming
Harlequins v Vannes	1pm	Premier Sports
Bayonne v Cheetahs	1pm	EPCR TV
Castres v Benetton	5.30pm	EPCR TV

Harlequins and Leicester both kick off at 1pm. Premier Sports lists the Harlequins programme from 12.45pm, so viewers should select the relevant match in its listings.

Bayonne v Cheetahs and Castres v Benetton are listed on EPCR TV, where a separate pass may be required. RugbyLAD’s weekend viewing guide lists both streams for UK viewers. premiersports.com

Harlequins and the Cheetahs have already published their selections. Their Harlequins team announcement and Cheetahs team announcement provide the confirmed names. Harlequins FC

Pau v Leicester team news

Pau v Leicester kicks off at 1pm, with Chessum making his first appearance of the season after a foot injury.

The England lock captains Leicester and partners Cameron Henderson in the second row. Geoff Parling makes five changes from the victory over Gloucester, bringing in Chessum, Joaquin Moro, Joel Sclavi, Tom Whiteley and Adam Radwan.

Freddie Steward keeps his place at full-back. Whiteley starts alongside Billy Searle at half-back, with Jack van Poortvliet on the bench. www.leicestertigers.com

Pau are captained by Loïc Credoz and enter the game after three successive Top 14 wins. They sit second in the French league, making this a demanding examination of Leicester’s own recovery after victories over Newcastle and Gloucester.

Chessum’s return strengthens Leicester’s leadership and line-out options, but the challenge is to turn those improvements into sustained control away from home. www.leicestertigers.com

Toulouse v Exeter team news

Toulouse v Exeter is live on Premier Sports at 3.15pm. Dupont captains the hosts alongside Romain Ntamack at fly-half. Théo Ntamack starts at number eight, with Ange Capuozzo on the wing.

Hollie Davidson takes charge of the match. www.planetrugby.com

Exeter are without Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, who is managing a hamstring injury. Zack Wimbush starts in his place, joining Tommy Wyatt and full-back Sam Harris in the back three.

Tom Hooper partners captain Dafydd Jenkins in the second row, while Henry Slade starts alongside Will Butt in midfield. Will Goodrick-Clarke makes his first start of the season at loosehead.

The Chiefs beat Newcastle 34–28 last weekend to secure their first league win of the campaign. www.exeterchiefs.co.uk

Rob Baxter has warned that Toulouse’s threat extends beyond their celebrated backs. Their ability to build pressure through the forwards and maul means Exeter must defend more than the space around Dupont.

Baxter wants a greater defensive work-rate than against Newcastle. Exeter showed they can create chances last weekend; keeping themselves close enough to use those opportunities is the bigger test in Toulouse. www.exeterchiefs.co.uk

Northampton v Cardiff team news

Northampton make seven changes, with Henry Pollock, Tommy Freeman, Manny Iyogun and Alex Coles rested.

Callum Chick captains from number eight. Anthony Belleau starts at fly-half alongside Alex Mitchell, while Fin Smith and Fraser Dingwall are among the replacements.

James Pater makes his Champions Cup debut at full-back and Josh Taylor does likewise at openside. Toby Thame returns from injury at inside centre. northamptonchron.co.uk

Saints scored 71 points against Bath last weekend, but conceded 48. With changes across the side, this opener offers a test of both their squad depth and their ability to defend more consistently. www.northamptonsaints.co.uk

Northampton XV: Pater; Sleightholme, Hutchinson, Thame, Hendy; Belleau, Mitchell; Fischetti, Robbie Smith, Kundiona; Lockett, Van der Mescht; Kemeny, Taylor, Chick (captain).

Cardiff make nine changes following their defeat at Leinster. Faletau returns for his first appearance since March, having withdrawn late from last weekend’s game.

Tom Manz makes his competitive club debut at lock and Daf Hughes captains from hooker. Jarrod Evans starts at fly-half, while Josh Adams returns on the bench after recovering from a calf injury.

“We want to compete with the best,” head coach Corniel van Zyl said. Cardiff will need accuracy as well as ambition against a Northampton side with experienced reinforcements available. www.cardiffrugby.wales

Cardiff XV: Young; Grady, Millard, Emanuel, Bowen; Jarrod Evans, Aled Davies; Southworth, Hughes (captain), Wainwright; Manz, Thornton; Paea, Dan Thomas, Faletau.

These are announced starting teams, subject to any late changes.

Catch up with our Saturday Champions Cup roundup and the report on Leinster’s 48–23 win at Clermont.