Bath Rugby Tops Contenders to End French Champions Cup Run

Bath Rugby enters the 2024-25 Investec Champions Cup as the leading contender to end five years of French dominance in Europe's premier club rugby competition, with the tournament kicking off this weekend across venues in England, France, Ireland, and South Africa.

The English Premiership champions, who clinched the title last season after a 29-year wait, sit atop the domestic league following a narrow victory at Saracens on Sunday. Their campaign begins Saturday at the Recreation Ground against Munster, coached by former Bath head coach Johann van Graan. Bath's pool also includes Toulon, Edinburgh, Castres, and Gloucester, a challenging draw that tests their depth early. Last season, Bath exited the Champions Cup at the group stage after home losses to La Rochelle and away to Benetton, finishing fifth and dropping into the Challenge Cup, which they won. That run highlighted their domestic strength but exposed vulnerabilities in Europe, where they have not reached a semifinal since 2004 or a quarterfinal since 2013.

Bath captain Ben Spencer emphasized the tournament's intensity. "It's an unbelievably difficult competition to win. It is the best teams, the best players in the...