Pool 4 Preview: Champions Cup Stakes Rise for Bulls, Bristol And Saints

Pool 4 offers a sharp contrast in form, as Round 3 brings together sides moving in opposite directions. 

The Vodacom Bulls return home desperate to halt a five-match skid that has bled into their European campaign. Despite flashes of attacking promise, heavy defeats to Bordeaux and the Lions have exposed defensive cracks. 

The Bristol Bears arrive in ruthless form, unbeaten in five matches and brimming with confidence after emphatic Champions Cup wins over Scarlets and Pau. The Bears will be wary, however, of a Bulls side that claimed this fixture last January and now plays with nothing to lose.

In Llanelli, the Scarlets and Pau square off in a contest defined by urgency. 

The Scarlets have struggled to translate domestic grit into European success, while Pau’s own Champions Cup outings have been punishing. 

With both teams anchored near the bottom of the pool, discipline and composure could prove decisive.

The round culminates in a marquee clash between Union Bordeaux Bègles and the Northampton Saints. 

Both sides are perfect through two European rounds and riding dominant domestic momentum. 

Bordeaux’s explosive attack meets Northampton’s relentless pace in a matchup that could shape the entire pool.

How To Watch The Investec Champions Cup 2025-2026

Stream all Champions Cup games, live and archived, on FloRugby and the FloSports app. 

Investec Champions Cup Round 3 Friday, Jan. 93 p.m. ET: Castres Olympique vs. Bath Rugby, Stade Pierre-Fabre3 p.m. ET: Edinburgh Rugby vs. Gloucester Rugby, TBDSaturday, Jan. 108 a.m. ET: Vodacom Bulls vs. Bristol Bears, Loftus Versfeld10:15 a.m. ET: Clermont Auvergne vs. Glasgow Warriors, Stade Marcel-Michelin12:30 p.m. ET: Leinster Rugby vs. La Rochelle, TBD12:30 p.m. ET: Sale Sharks vs. Hollywoodbets Sharks, Salford Community Stadium3 p.m. ET: Scarlets vs. Pau, Parc y Scarlets3 p.m. ET: Leicester Tigers vs. Bayonne, Mattioli Woods Welford RoadSunday, Jan. 118 a.m. ET: Harlequins vs. DHL Stormers, Twickenham Stoop8 a.m. ET: Toulon vs. Munster Rugby, Stade Félix Mayol10:15 a.m. ET: Bordeaux-Bègles vs. Northampton Saints, Stade Chaban-Delmas12:30 p.m. ET: Saracens vs. Toulouse, StoneX StadiumInvestec Champions Cup Pool 4Round 1 Saturday, Dec. 6 – 10:15 a.m. ET: Vodacom Bulls vs. Bordeaux-Bègles, Loftus VersfeldSaturday, Dec. 6 – 3 p.m. ET: Scarlets vs. Bristol Bears, Parc y ScarletsSunday, Dec. 7 – 8 a.m. ET: Pau vs. Northampton Saints, Stade du HameauRound 2Saturday, Dec. 13 – 12:30 p.m. ET: Bordeaux-Bègles vs. Scarlets, Stade Chaban-DelmasSunday, Dec. 14 – 10:15 a.m. ET: Northampton Saints vs. Vodacom Bulls, cinch Stadium @ Franklin’s GardensSunday, Dec. 14 – 12:30 p.m. ET: Bristol Bears vs. Pau, Ashton GateRound 3 Saturday, Jan. 10 – 8 a.m. ET: Vodacom Bulls vs. Bristol Bears, Loftus VersfeldSaturday, Jan. 10 – 3 p.m. ET: Scarlets vs. Pau, Parc y ScarletsSunday, Jan. 11 – 10:15 a.m. ET: Bordeaux-Bègles vs. Northampton Saints, Stade Chaban-DelmasRound 4Friday, Jan. 16 – 3 p.m. ET: Pau vs. Vodacom Bulls, Stade du HameauSunday, Jan. 18 – 8 a.m. ET: Bristol Bears vs. Bordeaux-Bègles, Ashton GateSunday, Jan. 18 – 10:15 a.m. ET: Northampton Saints vs. Scarlets, cinch Stadium @ Franklin’s GardensHow To Watch Rugby Matches In The United States On FloRugby

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