Investec Champions Cup Countdown: Why Clermont Rugby Can Win It All
Investec Champions Cup Countdown: Why Clermont Rugby Can Win It All
The Investec Champions Cup is six days away, and FloRugby is making a case for each team to win it all. That includes Clermont Rugby.

The 2025-2026 Investec Champions Cup begins Dec. 5, and we're just six days away from the Sale Sharks hosting the Glasgow Warriors at 3 p.m. ET at CorpAcq Stadium.
The Investec Champions Cup will determine the best team in Europe (and South Africa), as every contender aims to take the title from defending champion Union Bordeaux-Bègles of the Top 14.
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But like in the film "The Highlander," there can only be one winner.
Every club will enter the competition believing it can lift the trophy on May 23, 2026, at San Mamés Stadium in Bilbao, Spain.
And that includes ASM Clermont Auvergne of the Top 14.
Here are three reasons why ASM Clermont Auvergne can win the 2025-2026 Investec Champions Cup:
Have You Ever Seen Marcos Kremer?
Marcos Kremer, the No. 58-ranked player on FloRugby’s Top 100 Player Rankings, stands 6-foot-5 and is about a biscuit away from 260 pounds — and somehow, those numbers still don’t seem big enough.
The Argentine flanker is a big reason why Los Pumas have found success in recent years, with multiple wins over the All Blacks and even a victory over the Springboks.
But when he’s not a Puma, he plays for Clermont, which he joined in 2023 after a run with Stade Français.
Here’s what Philip Bendon of FloRugby wrote about Kremer:
“A towering, relentless flanker who has become a cornerstone of both Argentina and Clermont’s forward packs, Marcos Kremer made his senior debut at just 17 with Club Atlético del Rosario, before bursting onto the professional scene with the Jaguares in 2016.
A versatile forward capable of playing flanker or lock, Kremer remains one of Argentina’s most consistent and fearsome performers.”
Clermont Rugby Is Pretty Much Ready To Roll Every Year
Clermont, France, is one of the oldest cities in France and one of the biggest with about 500,000 residents. The city was home to André and Édouard Michelin, founders of the tire company that also happens to double as the world’s most famous restaurant reviewer.
And like a good Michelin tire, the rugby team is pretty much ready to roll most years.
Clermont has reached the Champions Cup Final three times — losing twice to Toulon and once to Saracens in 2017. That was Clermont's last appearance.
Clermont has won the Challenge Cup three times (1999, 2007 and 2019) and has two Top 14 titles (2010 and 2017).
Clermont always is a threat in the Champions Cup because the squad rarely is an easy out.
Last year, Clermont reached the Round of 16 and was eliminated by finalist Northampton.
Also, the Clermont colors are the same as Michelin’s — which is kind of perfect.
There’s A Restaurant In Stade Marcel-Michelin Called L’En-But
Of course there is.
Because there’s a chance the Sale Sharks and Glasgow Warriors — the two clubs Clermont will host — might find their way into L’En-But, the restaurant inside Stade Marcel-Michelin, we need to break this down.
Now, we’re not putting this place on a pedestal or anything, but if you’re a restaurant inside a stadium named after a tire company that also happens to hand out the world’s most famous culinary award, the Michelin Star, you'd assume the food’s pretty good, right?
Well, L’En-But seems to deliver. It even has its own page on the Michelin Guide. Here’s what the guide says:
The set menus, which are modern and shine the spotlight on local ingredients from the Massif Central, of this restaurant inside the Marcel-Michelin rugby stadium, are named after the game’s terminology (forward pass, grand slam, and backhand spin). Designed in the spirit of a contemporary brasserie, the dining area commands a breathtaking view over the stadium and, from the terrace, over the Puys mountains.
The menu on Nov. 13 included prawn ravioli and a dish that translates to “lamb two ways.”
And yes, they have foie gras on the menu — because it’s France.
Anyway, maybe the Warriors and Sale Sharks will eat there and be too full to play rugby.
Bonus: What Does The ASM Of The Official Name For Clermont?
Clermont's official, legal name, is ASM Clermont Auvergne. That stands for "Association Sportive Montferrandaise."
Clermont rugby is part of the AS Montferrand, or ASM Omnisports, multi-sports club.
For decades, the rugby team was known as "AS Montferrand" before it adopted the ASM Clermont Auvergne name in 2004.
Clermont Rugby Investec Champions Cup Pool Play Fixtures
Here's the Clermont Champions Cup schedule:
Investec Champions Cup Round 1 – Saturday, Dec. 6
- 8 a.m. ET: Saracens vs. Clermont Auvergne, StoneX Stadium
Investec Champions Cup Round 2 – Saturday, Dec. 13
- 10:15 a.m. ET: Clermont Auvergne vs. Sale Sharks, Stade Marcel-Michelin
Investec Champions Cup Round 3 – Saturday, Jan. 10
- 10:15 a.m. ET: Clermont Auvergne vs. Glasgow Warriors, Stade Marcel-Michelin
Investec Champions Cup Round 4 – Saturday, Jan. 17
- 8 a.m. ET: Hollywoodbets Sharks vs. Clermont Auvergne, Hollywoodbets Kings Park
How To Watch Clermont In The Investec Champions Cup 2025–2026
Every Clermont match in the Investec Champions Cup streams live in the United States and territories on FloRugby and the FloSports app.
Investec Champions Cup 2025-2026 Fixtures
Here's a look at each round:
Investec Champions Cup Round 1
Friday, Dec. 5
- 3 p.m. ET: Sale Sharks vs. Glasgow Warriors, Salford Community Stadium
- 3 p.m. ET: Bayonne vs. DHL Stormers, Stade Jean Dauger
Saturday, Dec. 6
- 8 a.m. ET: Saracens vs. Clermont Auvergne, StoneX Stadium
- 10:15 a.m. ET: Vodacom Bulls vs. Bordeaux-Bègles, Loftus Versfeld
- 12:30 p.m. ET: La Rochelle vs. Leicester Tigers, Stade Marcel Deflandre
- 12:30 p.m. ET: Leinster Rugby vs. Harlequins, TBD
- 3 p.m. ET: Scarlets vs. Bristol Bears, Parc y Scarlets
- 3 p.m. ET: Bath Rugby vs. Munster Rugby, The Rec
Sunday, Dec. 7
- 8 a.m. ET: Pau vs. Northampton Saints, Stade du Hameau
- 10:15 a.m. ET: Toulouse vs. Hollywoodbets Sharks, Stade Ernest Wallon
- 10:15 a.m. ET: Gloucester Rugby vs. Castres Olympique, Kingsholm
Dec. 7-9 (TBD)
- Edinburgh Rugby vs. Toulon, TBD
Investec Champions Cup Round 2
Friday, Dec. 12
- 3 p.m. ET: Leicester Tigers vs. Leinster Rugby, Mattioli Woods Welford Road
Saturday, Dec. 13
- 8 a.m. ET: DHL Stormers vs. La Rochelle, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium
- 10:15 a.m. ET: Hollywoodbets Sharks vs. Saracens, Hollywoodbets Kings Park
- 10:15 a.m. ET: Clermont Auvergne vs. Sale Sharks, Stade Marcel-Michelin
- 12:30 p.m. ET: Bordeaux-Bègles vs. Scarlets, Stade Chaban-Delmas
- 12:30 p.m. ET: Munster Rugby vs. Gloucester Rugby, SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh
- 3 p.m. ET: Glasgow Warriors vs. Toulouse, Scotstoun Stadium
Sunday, Dec. 14
- 8 a.m. ET: Harlequins vs. Bayonne, Twickenham Stoop
- 8 a.m. ET: Castres Olympique vs. Edinburgh Rugby, Stade Pierre-Fabre
- 10:15 a.m. ET: Toulon vs. Bath Rugby, Stade Félix Mayol
- 10:15 a.m. ET: Northampton Saints vs. Vodacom Bulls, cinch Stadium @ Franklin’s Gardens
- 12:30 p.m. ET: Bristol Bears vs. Pau, Ashton Gate
Investec Champions Cup Round 3
Friday, Jan. 9
- 3 p.m. ET: Castres Olympique vs. Bath Rugby, Stade Pierre-Fabre
- 3 p.m. ET: Edinburgh Rugby vs. Gloucester Rugby, TBD
Saturday, Jan. 10
- 8 a.m. ET: Vodacom Bulls vs. Bristol Bears, Loftus Versfeld
- 10:15 a.m. ET: Clermont Auvergne vs. Glasgow Warriors, Stade Marcel-Michelin
- 12:30 p.m. ET: Leinster Rugby vs. La Rochelle, TBD
- 12:30 p.m. ET: Sale Sharks vs. Hollywoodbets Sharks, Salford Community Stadium
- 3 p.m. ET: Scarlets vs. Pau, Parc y Scarlets
- 3 p.m. ET: Leicester Tigers vs. Bayonne, Mattioli Woods Welford Road
Sunday, Jan. 11
- 8 a.m. ET: Harlequins vs. DHL Stormers, Twickenham Stoop
- 8 a.m. ET: Toulon vs. Munster Rugby, Stade Félix Mayol
- 10:15 a.m. ET: Bordeaux-Bègles vs. Northampton Saints, Stade Chaban-Delmas
- 12:30 p.m. ET: Saracens vs. Toulouse, StoneX Stadium
Investec Champions Cup Round 4
Friday, Jan. 16
- 3 p.m. ET: Pau vs. Vodacom Bulls, Stade du Hameau
- 3 p.m. ET: Bath Rugby vs. Edinburgh Rugby, The Rec
Saturday, Jan. 17
- 8 a.m. ET: Hollywoodbets Sharks vs. Clermont Auvergne, Hollywoodbets Kings Park
- 10:15 a.m. ET: Bayonne vs. Leinster Rugby, Stade Jean Dauger
- 10:15 a.m. ET: DHL Stormers vs. Leicester Tigers, DHL Stadium
- 12:30 p.m. ET: Toulouse vs. Sale Sharks, Stade Ernest Wallon
- 12:30 p.m. ET: Munster Rugby vs. Castres Olympique, Thomond Park
- 3 p.m. ET: Gloucester Rugby vs. Toulon, Kingsholm
Sunday, Jan. 18
- 8 a.m. ET: Bristol Bears vs. Bordeaux-Bègles, Ashton Gate
- 10:15 a.m. ET: Northampton Saints vs. Scarlets, cinch Stadium @ Franklin’s Gardens
- 10:15 a.m. ET: La Rochelle vs. Harlequins, Stade Marcel Deflandre
- 12:30 p.m. ET: Glasgow Warriors vs. Saracens, Scotstoun Stadium
Investec Champions Cup Fixtures By Pool
Here's a breakdown of the schedule by pool:
Investec Champions Cup Pool 1
Round 1
- Friday, Dec. 5 – 3 p.m. ET: Sale Sharks vs. Glasgow Warriors, Salford Community Stadium
- Saturday, Dec. 6 – 8 a.m. ET: Saracens vs. Clermont Auvergne, StoneX Stadium
- Sunday, Dec. 7 – 10:15 a.m. ET: Toulouse vs. Hollywoodbets Sharks, Stade Ernest Wallon
Round 2
- Saturday, Dec. 13 – 10:15 a.m. ET: Hollywoodbets Sharks vs. Saracens, Hollywoodbets Kings Park
- Saturday, Dec. 13 – 10:15 a.m. ET: Clermont Auvergne vs. Sale Sharks, Stade Marcel-Michelin
- Saturday, Dec. 13 – 3 p.m. ET: Glasgow Warriors vs. Toulouse, Scotstoun Stadium
Round 3
- Saturday, Jan. 10 – 10:15 a.m. ET: Clermont Auvergne vs. Glasgow Warriors, Stade Marcel-Michelin
- Saturday, Jan. 10 – 12:30 p.m. ET: Sale Sharks vs. Hollywoodbets Sharks, Salford Community Stadium
- Sunday, Jan. 11 – 12:30 p.m. ET: Saracens vs. Toulouse, StoneX Stadium
Round 4
- Saturday, Jan. 17 – 8 a.m. ET: Hollywoodbets Sharks vs. Clermont Auvergne, Hollywoodbets Kings Park
- Saturday, Jan. 17 – 12:30 p.m. ET: Toulouse vs. Sale Sharks, Stade Ernest Wallon
- Sunday, Jan. 18 – 12:30 p.m. ET: Glasgow Warriors vs. Saracens, Scotstoun Stadium
Investec Champions Cup Pool 2
Round 1
- Saturday, Dec. 6 – 3 p.m. ET: Bath Rugby vs. Munster Rugby, The Rec
- Sunday, Dec. 7 – 10:15 a.m. ET: Gloucester Rugby vs. Castres Olympique, Kingsholm
- Dec. 7–9 (TBD): Edinburgh Rugby vs. Toulon, TBD
Round 2
- Saturday, Dec. 13 – 12:30 p.m. ET: Munster Rugby vs. Gloucester Rugby, SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh
- Sunday, Dec. 14 – 8 a.m. ET: Castres Olympique vs. Edinburgh Rugby, Stade Pierre-Fabre
- Sunday, Dec. 14 – 10:15 a.m. ET: Toulon vs. Bath Rugby, Stade Félix Mayol
Round 3
- Friday, Jan. 9 – 3 p.m. ET: Castres Olympique vs. Bath Rugby, Stade Pierre-Fabre
- Friday, Jan. 9 – 3 p.m. ET: Edinburgh Rugby vs. Gloucester Rugby, TBD
- Sunday, Jan. 11 – 8 a.m. ET: Toulon vs. Munster Rugby, Stade Félix Mayol
Round 4
- Friday, Jan. 16 – 3 p.m. ET: Bath Rugby vs. Edinburgh Rugby, The Rec
- Saturday, Jan. 17 – 12:30 p.m. ET: Munster Rugby vs. Castres Olympique, Thomond Park
- Saturday, Jan. 17 – 3 p.m. ET: Gloucester Rugby vs. Toulon, Kingsholm
Investec Champions Cup Pool 3
Round 1
- Friday, Dec. 5 – 3 p.m. ET: Bayonne vs. DHL Stormers, Stade Jean Dauger
- Saturday, Dec. 6 – 12:30 p.m. ET: La Rochelle vs. Leicester Tigers, Stade Marcel Deflandre
- Saturday, Dec. 6 – 12:30 p.m. ET: Leinster Rugby vs. Harlequins, TBD
Round 2
- Friday, Dec. 12 – 3 p.m. ET: Leicester Tigers vs. Leinster Rugby, Mattioli Woods Welford Road
- Saturday, Dec. 13 – 8 a.m. ET: DHL Stormers vs. La Rochelle, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium
- Sunday, Dec. 14 – 8 a.m. ET: Harlequins vs. Bayonne, Twickenham Stoop
Round 3
- Saturday, Jan. 10 – 12:30 p.m. ET: Leinster Rugby vs. La Rochelle, TBD
- Saturday, Jan. 10 – 3 p.m. ET: Leicester Tigers vs. Bayonne, Mattioli Woods Welford Road
- Sunday, Jan. 11 – 8 a.m. ET: Harlequins vs. DHL Stormers, Twickenham Stoop
Round 4
- Saturday, Jan. 17 – 10:15 a.m. ET: Bayonne vs. Leinster Rugby, Stade Jean Dauger
- Saturday, Jan. 17 – 10:15 a.m. ET: DHL Stormers vs. Leicester Tigers, DHL Stadium
- Sunday, Jan. 18 – 10:15 a.m. ET: La Rochelle vs. Harlequins, Stade Marcel Deflandre
Investec Champions Cup Pool 4
Round 1
- Saturday, Dec. 6 – 10:15 a.m. ET: Vodacom Bulls vs. Bordeaux-Bègles, Loftus Versfeld
- Saturday, Dec. 6 – 3 p.m. ET: Scarlets vs. Bristol Bears, Parc y Scarlets
- Sunday, Dec. 7 – 8 a.m. ET: Pau vs. Northampton Saints, Stade du Hameau
Round 2
- Saturday, Dec. 13 – 12:30 p.m. ET: Bordeaux-Bègles vs. Scarlets, Stade Chaban-Delmas
- Sunday, Dec. 14 – 10:15 a.m. ET: Northampton Saints vs. Vodacom Bulls, cinch Stadium @ Franklin’s Gardens
- Sunday, Dec. 14 – 12:30 p.m. ET: Bristol Bears vs. Pau, Ashton Gate
Round 3
- Saturday, Jan. 10 – 8 a.m. ET: Vodacom Bulls vs. Bristol Bears, Loftus Versfeld
- Saturday, Jan. 10 – 3 p.m. ET: Scarlets vs. Pau, Parc y Scarlets
- Sunday, Jan. 11 – 10:15 a.m. ET: Bordeaux-Bègles vs. Northampton Saints, Stade Chaban-Delmas
Round 4
- Friday, Jan. 16 – 3 p.m. ET: Pau vs. Vodacom Bulls, Stade du Hameau
- Sunday, Jan. 18 – 8 a.m. ET: Bristol Bears vs. Bordeaux-Bègles, Ashton Gate
- Sunday, Jan. 18 – 10:15 a.m. ET: Northampton Saints vs. Scarlets, cinch Stadium @ Franklin’s Gardens
How To Watch Rugby Matches In The United States On FloRugby
The URC will stream all its matches on FloRugby and the FloSports app in the United States. FloRugby and FloSports also are the U.S. home to:
FloRugby also is home to match archives and match replays.