Set an alarm for 5:30pm on Saturday, settle in, pour yourself a brew or glass of wine, put on the dual screens and enjoy what will be the standout matches of the second weekend of Investec Champions Cup action. Because Leicester – having been forced to rest a number of players for their huge clash out in Bordeaux – will face the Durban Sharks, who ripped apart Exeter Chiefs in round one despite being down to 12 men for the final 10 minutes. Meanwhile four-time winners Leinster, who are this year’s Galacticos, face French giants Clermont at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
The two fixtures represent the new and old of the Champions Cup – where traditional powerhouses in Leinster, Clermont and Leicester entertain relative newbies the Sharks – while offering circumstances where the ties will be evenly matched. There are so many good fixtures across round two but these are my ones to watch, and it is a shame they clash. In Leinster versus Clermont you get the bride versus the bridesmaid.
While Leinster have history in reaching finals and losing them – four in total – they also have four victories to their name, making them the second most successful side in the tournament’s 30-year history. But in Clermont you have a powerhouse side who have reached three finals and lost them all in agonising fashion – to Saracens and then Toulon, twice. Both have hugely passionate fanbases and iconic stadiums – with Leinster this year operating out of Dublin’s national stadium .
