Team of the Week: Champions Cup Round of 16

Monday, 07 April 2025 at 13:55

byTom Sansom

The 2024/25 Investec Champions Cup Round of 16 is in the books, with the remaining teams now whittled down to just eight in the top flight of European club rugby. It was another memorable weekend from the pinnacle club competition, as the stars of the Premiership, URC and Top 14 lit up each match with electric highlight reels.

Northampton Saints kicked off the weekend with an all-action encounter against Clermont Auvergne. The Franklin's Gardens faithful watched their side get back to winning ways, as the Saints ended a run of three consecutive losses with a bonus point triumph under the Friday night lights. Toulon then hosted Saracens in Saturday's opening contest, which provided an immense 114-point tally in favour of the French titans.

Leinster then handed Harlequins an emphatic hammering at Croke Park, with the famous Gaelic sporting arena hosting a one-sided beat down on their visitors from London. Castres then booked their place in the final eight, with a drama-fulled clash with Benetton going right down to the last kick of the match.

Former Ireland fly half Ronan O'Gara was then at the heart of La Rochelle's one-point defeat to Munster. The Pressure is increasing further on head coach O'Gara's shoulders, as La Rochelle have now gone nine matches without a win. Glasgow Warriors then reminded everyone as to why the Scotstoun Stadium is such a revered fortress, as the Scottish side booted Leicester Tigers out of the Champions Cup.

Bordeaux-Begles then turned on the afterburners for a solid win over Ulster, despite the best efforts of the Belfast boys to stay within the fight. The defending champions Stade Toulousain were up last, and after a parachutist was rescued from the stadium roof and delayed the match by 40 minutes, the six-time Champions Cup winners dispatched a gutsy Sale Sharks side.

FULL RESULTS: 2024/25 INVESTEC CHAMPIONS CUP ROUND OF 16

Northampton Saints 46 - 24 Clermont Auvergne / RC Toulon 72 - 42 Saracens

Leinster Rugby 62 - 0 Harlequins / Castres Olimpique 39 - 37 Benetton Treviso

Stade Rochelais 24 - 25 Munster Rugby / Glasgow Warriors 43 - 19 Leicester Tigers

Bordeaux-Begles 43 - 31 Ulster Rugby / Stade Toulousain 38 - 15 Sale Sharks

TEAM OF THE WEEK: 2024/25 CHAMPIONS CUP ROUND OF 16

15. Thomas Ramos (Stade Toulousain)

At fullback this week is French maestro Thomas Ramos, who was pivotal in Toulouse's win over Sale Sharks. The linchpin of the back-field was metronomic from the kicking tee, with his sharpshooting able to provide his team with enough distance over their gritty Northern opponents. Ramos stuck a penalty and five conversions through the uprights, for a 13-point contribution which helped take the match out of sight from the Sharks. His open field work was also excellent, as he has seamlessly transferred back from France duties into his club commitments.

14. Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints)

It was another big week for Tommy Freeman, as the Northampton Saints man continues to stake his claim for a spot on the British & Irish Lions tour this Summer. Freeman has gone from chasing the likes of James Lowe and Duhan van der Merwe, to emerging as a front-runner for a starting Lions jersey. A try in every Six Nations match for England, and a Player of the Match hat-trick against Clermont this past weekend, has elevated 'Freemo's' stock to insurmountable levels.

There is an honourable mention in store for Ulster wing Zac Ward, who scored two tries for the Belfast side this past weekend. Despite coming away on the losing side of the score-line against Bordeaux-Begles, Ward was a bright spark for Ulster in their Champions Cup exit.

13. Leicester Faigna'anuku (RC Toulon)

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The man with arguably the greatest name in professional rugby, Leicester Ofa Ki Wales Twickenham Fainga'anuku was on fire for RC Toulon this past weekend. The return of All Blacks legend Ma'a Nonu to the club, has certainly lit a fire underneath the seven-capped New Zealand star. Faigna'anuku tore up trees against Saracens, was at the heart of every attacking move, and added a well taken try to Toulon's immense points tally.

12. Fraser Dingwall (Northampton Saints)

We return to all things green, black and gold, as Fraser Dingwall takes the first centre spot in our Champions Cup team of the week. After proving his worth to Steve Borthwick throughout the 2025 Six Nations, Dingwall continues to impress on the pitch, with a statement making performance in the win over Clermont.

RUCK Midland's Reporter Tom Harrington was at Franklin's Gardens, and wrote the following on Dingwall's performance: "Strong performance from the centre, back to his original ways as the glue between the backs."

11. Facundo Isa (RC Toulon)

We yo-yo back from the East Midlands to the South of France, with Facundo Isa up next in our Champions Cup Team of the Week. There were plenty of contenders for the wing spots this week, yet we've backed Isa for the eleven shirt, after the Argentine bagged a hat-trick of tries in the monstrous win over Saracens. The Pumas star is out pick ahead of a couple of honourable mentions, as Leinster's James Lowe and Castres' Remy Baget each grabbed a brace against Harlequins and Benetton respectively.

10. Jack Crowley (Munster)

La Rochelle head coach Ronan O'Gara must have felt like he was watching his past self, as Jack Crowley stole the show for Munster this past weekend. Crowley pulled the strings of Munster's attack, and sealed a tense one-point win with a beauty of a drop goal. After the match, O'Gara praised Crowley's efforts, as the young Irish fly half pushes for a place on the Lions tour;

"It was pretty ironic how they won it with a peach of a drop goal." O'Gara said. "I was thinking ‘that little f**ker’! I’ve seen a lot of good drop goals but that’s a top-class one.”

9. Jeremy Fernandez (Castres Olimpique)

The aforementioned antics from Munster's golden boy were not the only last-ditch heroics in the Champions Cup this past weekend. Jeremy Fernandez had a moment to remember for Castres, as the replacement scrum half stole a win for the French side. The French halfback crossed over Benetton's try-line in the dying moments of the match, yet still had the tall order of converting his own try for the win. There was no phasing Fernandez, who sealed the 39-37 victory, and booked Castres in for a quarter-final date with Northampton Saints on this Saturday.

1. Ben Tameifuna (Bordeaux-Begles)

An absaloute beast at the best of times, Ben Tameifuna was nothing short of colossal in Bordeaux-Begles' win over Ulster. The Tongan international who is known as 'Big Ben' for obvious reasons, hammered back Ulster's Andy Warwick at the scrum, as the French outfit established a solid foundation for the attacking flair. The 151 kilo titan also muscled his way over for a try in the early goings, with the Bordeaux fans not shy in showing their support for one of the biggest names on the team-sheet.

2. Dan Sheehan (Leinster)

This was a close one between two Dan's, yet we have given the two jersey to the Leinster hooker ahead of the Saracens and England star. Whilst there is no denying the statement Theo Dan made in Sarries' losing effort against Toulon, Sheehan was an imposing force upon a hapless Harlequins side. It was a difficult day for the Londoners as Leinster ran riot at Croke Park, with Sheehan's contributions including a try and masterful orienteering of the line-out. It's another big week from the Irishman, who could well be on his way to the Lions squad this Summer.

3. Kyle Sinckler (RC Toulon)

A familar face for England fans was back at his very best this past weekend, as Kyle Sinckler put in a tremendous effort against Saracens. The RC Toulon man has settled into life in France, and reminded fans of Steve Borthwick's side of how valuable he was to the national set-up. A hulking presence at the scrum, coupled with a devastating first step to explode into contact, Sinckler was a stand-out of Toulon's high-scoring victory despite not necessarily getting his name on the titanic score-sheet.

4. Joe McCarthy (Leinster)

Another star of the Ireland national team who stepped up their game this past weekend, Joe McCarthy was in tremendous form for Leinster in their heavy win over Harlequins. McCarthy went from being an outside 'bolter' at the start of the 2025 Six Nations, to rivaling the likes of Maro Itoje and his Irish countrymen Tadhg Beirne and James Ryan to the British & Irish Lions squad. McCarthy crossed over for a well-taken try in the Quins demolition job, and will be on the mind of Andy Farrell should he continue to perform to the same fettle going forward.

5. Adam Coleman (Bordeaux-Begles)

Joining his Bordeaux-Begles and Tongan teammate Ben Tamifuna in RUCK's Team of the Week, Adam Coleman was excellent in his side's win over Ulster. The 37-capped former Wallaby has had a real re-invigoration since pursuing the Tongan dream, with another stand-out performance under his belt from this past weekend. The former London Irish lock added a nice try against the Northern Irish outfit, and ruled the skies with set-piece dominance at the line-out.

6. Henco Venter (Glasgow Warriors)

Now, lets get the controversy out the way before we praise Henco Venter's performance. The Glasgow Warriors man could be in deep trouble, after a suspected 'eye gouge' on Leicester Tigers prop Dan Cole has done the rounds on social media. There are supporting arguments for and against the incident, with all set to be revealed by EPCR in due course.

In the mean-time, lets focus upon Venter's outstanding on-field contribution as Glasgow Warriors sent Leicester packing from the Champions Cup. The back row was undeniable in his efforts, as he scored two tries against the Tigers, whilst ruling the defensive effort with heart-on-your-sleeve type tackling. It's a shame that the aformentioned incident is what will be remembered from Venter's performance against Leicester, as the back row was brilliant in all other elements of the impressive Glaswegian win.

7. Jack Willis (Stade Toulousain)

Jack Willis has become the England rugby equivalent of an ex-partner, who sporadically posts how brilliant their life is on social media. England fans forgot all about Willis, as their team won four on the bounce in the 2025 Six Nations. A few weeks of Premiership action then followed, before Willis would return in the European weekend, and once again remind England fans of what could have been.

Contract tied to the South of France until 2027/28, England fans will hope to see the brilliant back row battler back in the Premiership that season, for a potential Rugby World Cup inclusion. Player of the Match as Toulouse defeated Sale, the Willis vs Curry brothers battle was a clinic in back-row excellence, and shone a light upon England's immense depth at six, seven and eight.

8. Juarno Augustus (Northampton Saints)

We return to the East Midlands for the final spot, with Northampton Saints back row Juarno Augustus taking the eight shirt in our Team of the Week. It was a brilliant performance from the South African, who has been a resident of Franklin's Gardens since 2021. Steve Borthwick could well come looking at the eight-man for a residency enforced call-up, who scored a brace of tries this past weekend against Clermont.

There is an honourable mention in store for the number eight shirt, as Munster's Gavin Coombes also put in a solid performance at the back of the pack. Munster would not have won the narrow battle with La Rochelle without the back rower's second half try, in what helped turn the tide for the Irish proviunce ahead of the dramatic conclusion.