In the latest round of the Investec Champions Cup, Northampton Saints, featuring Tommy Freeman on the wing and the return of Lawes with a 6/2 split, secured their spot in the knockout stage with a dominant 61-14 victory over Bayonne. The Saints were in fine form, scoring nine tries to take their third pool win, marking their first time reaching the knockout stage since 2020. Tom Pearson of the Saints notably scored a hat-trick in the rout. In other matches, Munster, who were down 19-13, kept their Champions Cup hopes alive with a 29-18 victory over Toulon at Stade Mayol, earning their first win of the tournament. Munster's performance was bolstered by the return of Peter O'Mahony and the scoring prowess of Simon Zebo, with Andrew Conway also contributing a key score. The Vodacom Bulls claimed a win against Bristol Bears on January 13 at Ashton Gate, with the game starting at 17:15 and broadcast on Supersport 211 with BullsEye Commentary. Both Toulon and Munster were seeking their first win, with Toulon fielding an all-international backline and Munster welcoming back James Lowe. Bayonne missed 20 percent of their tackles and were down 35-0 at 32 minutes, with the half-time score at 42-0. Bayonne was level on points with Munster prior to the match. Munster's victory featured tries from Alex Nankivell, Tom Ahern, Calvin Nash, and Jack Crowley contributing 9 points off the tee.
π€€ A thrilling end to the day's rugby! π· Cardiff v Harlequinsπ #CARvHAR βͺοΈ Ulster v Toulouse π΄ #ULSvTOU π΅ Montpellier v Lionsπ¦ #MHRvLIO π’ Follow the #InvestecChampionsCup & #ChallengeCupRugby action, live. π https://t.co/11iuyVSHRG https://t.co/z3Gn4XdXFQ
βοΈ Irish internationals on top of their games! βοΈ Jordan Larmour makes Ireland statement as seven-try Leinster hammer Stade Francais. #InvestecChampionsCup #LEIvSFP https://t.co/QY3VqrhFPZ
βοΈ The Stormers grab a bonus-point in a thrilling clash against Sale Sharks in Cape Town. #STOvSHA #InvestecChampionsCup https://t.co/FAa8E6zxOk
π· LEINSTER HAMMER STADE FRANCAIS TO BOOK THEIR PLACE IN THE LAST 16. #InvestecChampionsCup #LEIvSF https://t.co/wsBJQQNsUR
π Round 3 Champions Cup! 6β£0β£ Minutes before Kick-Off π°Teams News: Ulster face Toulouse π²Download App to watch live π- https://t.co/USAibncXoP
MATCH REPORT: Munster beat Toulon for first Champions Cup win as Connacht lose third #InvestecChampionsCup Click below for more β€΅οΈ https://t.co/LrpJapaQzp
π± MORE ACTION COMING YOUR WAY! π΅ Leinster 17-0 Stade Francais π #LEIvSF π©οΈ Stormers 21-14 Sale Sharksπ¦ π° Edinburgh 5-3 Gloucesterπ π’ Follow the #InvestecChampionsCup & #ChallengeCupRugby action, live. π https://t.co/11iuyVSHRG https://t.co/OdttAsUx9v
π΄ Munster produced a classic Champions Cup performance. #RCTvMUN βοΈ Our report from their #InvestecChampionsCup victory over Toulon. https://t.co/Ci98jj3ZIw
MATCH REPORT: Bristol's knockout hopes in jeopardy after Bulls loss #InvestecChampionsCup Click below for more β€΅οΈ https://t.co/CHwTnfetO0
π΅ Leinster v Stade Francais π«π· π Commentary π€ Insights π Stats #LEIvSFP Follow Live In App ‡οΈ
π± MORE ACTION COMING YOUR WAY! π΅ Leinster v Stade Francais π #LEIvSF π©οΈ Stormers v Sale Sharksπ¦ π° Edinburgh v Gloucesterπ π’ Follow the #InvestecChampionsCup & #ChallengeCupRugby action, live. π https://t.co/11iuyVSHRG https://t.co/9iV05cjqzc
Munster save their Champions Cup season with brilliant bonus-point win in Toulon: https://t.co/OuQKrTTA1h
π A MIXED BULLS SIDE COME AWAY WITH FULL POINTS AWAY AT BRISTOL! #BRIvBUL #InvestecChampionsCup https://t.co/b0l4gVWlVe
π¦ MUNSTER KEEP THEIR CHAMPIONS CUP SEASON ALIVE WITH A STUNNING WIN IN TOULON! #InvestecChampionsCup #RCTvMUN https://t.co/wgnZx3M1Vb
FULL TIME: RC Toulon 18-29 Munster A magnificent BP win to keep us alive in the #InvestecChampionsCup π₯³ A 1st ever win at Stade Mayol with Alex Nankivell, Simon Zebo, Tom Ahern & Calvin Nash scoring the tries. Jack Crowley with 9 points off the tee. #RCTvMUN #SUAF π΄ https://t.co/UZveUJQopW
π Another banging Toulon try! What a game this is turning into. #RCTvMUN #InvestecChampionsCup https://t.co/Qzgps1Z54k
Super game so far. The Toulon fans really adding to the contest too. #RCTvMUN
π Round 3 Champions Cup! 6β£0β£ Minutes before Kick-Off π°Teams News: Stormers welcome Sale π²Download App to watch live π- https://t.co/USAibndven
Simon Zeboβs 35th try in Europe Munster lead Toulon 17-13 at HT Can they close this out? #RCTvMUN https://t.co/hjKoUQYGtI
Both Toulon and Munster need a win with the visitors welcoming back some injury returns. Live updates, stats and more in app π² https://t.co/USAibncXoP https://t.co/00s7GFgj5V
β«οΈ Toulon v Munster π΄ #RCTvMUN π» Bristol Bears v Bullsπ #BRIvBUL π’ Follow the #InvestecChampionsCup action, live. π https://t.co/11iuyVSHRG https://t.co/S2yypVdLhV
Follow the live action as the @Vodacom Bulls face Bristol Bears in an #InvestecChampionsCup clash. #BRIvBUL https://t.co/gb6DpFE4w6
π Round 3 Champions Cup! 6β£0β£ Minutes before Kick-Off π°Teams News: Bristol vs Bulls π²Download App to watch live π- https://t.co/USAibndven
πΆExeter Chiefs v Glasgow WarriorsβοΈ #EXEvGLA πΊ Lyon v Connacht π¦ #LOUvCON π¦ Sharks v Oyonnax π΄ #SHAvOYO π‘ Clermont v Scarlets π΄ #ASMvSCA π’ Follow the #InvestecChampionsCup & #ChallengeCupRugby action here, live. π https://t.co/Rpo6iP3ZB6 https://t.co/SdZXpKqeVV
Northampton Saints 61 Bayonne 14 Saints secured their place in the Champions Cup knockout stage for the first time since 2020, taking their third pool win while scoring nine tries as they sauntered through Read @willgkelleher's report β¬οΈ https://t.co/fGMVa0TJN8
Northampton vs Bayonne: Tom Pearson scores hat-trick in Saints rout. Superb Saints, but you felt it was a fixture the competition could have done without. This was not elite. @TimesSport #ChampionsCup https://t.co/IFkxeZaZBI
π£οΈ "England need backrowers who can score tries, in the modern image of All Black and French loose forwards and in Pearson, they might just have their man." #InvestecChampionsCup 5β£ takeaways from Northampton Saints v Bayonne. βοΈ @jameswhile https://t.co/YIU2jsOJHg
MATCH REPORT: Pearson bags hat-trick as Saints smash Bayonne to book knockout spot #InvestecChampionsCup Click below for more β€΅οΈ https://t.co/nzyt95QTS7
π That was some display from the Saints! #NORvBAY π² βοΈ The report from the #InvestecChampionsCup clash. https://t.co/igfBZZb50W
β±οΈHalf Time. π Northampton Saints 42-0 Bayonne β΅οΈ #NORvBAY π’ Follow the #InvestecChampionsCup action here, live. π https://t.co/D3awLSxlvS https://t.co/ZNkJcbkRnR
Some early (32 mins) stats for you from Saints-Bayonne... Bayonne missed 20 per cent of their 45 attempted tackles so far. 35-0. Au revoir. #statcave #Northampton #Bayonne #ChampionsCup @TimesSport https://t.co/oqzgWaAH5c
Sadly, Bayonne havenβt turned up. Too easy for Saints. Theyβre on a roll at the moment, but dismantling half-hearted opponents tonight. Such a mismatch doesnβt help the credibility of the tournamentβ¦
π₯ The #InvestecChampionsCup & #ChallengeCupRugby returns! π Northampton Saints v Bayonne β΅οΈ #NORvBAY π¦ Newcastle Falcons v Benettonπ¦ #NEWvBEN β«οΈ Ospreys v Perpignanπ #OSPvUSAP π’ Follow the action here, live. π https://t.co/D3awLSxlvS https://t.co/YC2VNY1135
Northampton Saints host Bayonne in the only Champions Cup game of the night https://t.co/79ozJat2Xl
π΅ James Lowe returns to start for Leinster. #LEIvSFP π΄ Peter O'Mahony is back for Munster. #RCTvMUN π― Springboks duo on bench for Leicester. #SRvLEI π Check the #InvestecChampionsCup team news. π https://t.co/6WuYUwJZMt
π΅ ππππ‘π¦π§ππ₯ ππ π¦π§πππ οΏ½οΏ½π₯ππ‘ππππ¦ πΈ As strong as it gets for Leinster - basically an Ireland squad. Going to be a tough afternoon for Stade who have put themselves in a tough spot after throwing away the W against Leicester. #InvestecChampionsCup #LEIvSF https://t.co/vsY8hwvEFt
π΄β«οΈ π§π’π¨ππ’π‘ ππ π π¨π‘π¦π§ππ₯ π¦ Both sides still looking for their first win in the tournament and sit outside of the knockout spots in Pool 3. An all-international backline for Toulon β‘οΈ Peter OβMahony is back for Munster. #InvestecChampionsCup #RCTvMUN https://t.co/wzZpeyT25z
π¨ TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT π¨ Here is your team to take on the Bristol Bears tomorrow π₯ π Bristol Bears v @Vodacom Bulls ποΈ 13 January π Ashton Gate β° 17:15 π Investec Champions Cup πΊ Supersport 211 ποΈ BullsEye Commentary #BackTheBulls https://t.co/HBxpztn2k0
Toulon v Munster is always a cracker π₯ These two sides last faced each other in the Champions Cup Quarter Final at Thomond Park in 2018 π₯ Munster were down 19-13 until winger Andrew Conway scored a brilliant individual try in the 75th minute to send Munster into the semiβ¦ https://t.co/BEYciEhsNt
π π‘π’π₯π§πππ π£π§π’π‘ ππ πππ¬π’π‘π‘π π΅ Tommy Freeman on the wing, Lawes returns & a 6/2 split for the Saints. Stronger than expected for Bayonne, good side. Saints 1st in Pool 3, Bayonne in 4th place and level on points with Munsterβ¦ #InvestecChampionsCup #NORvBAY https://t.co/zVTUxkm9lZ