Champions Cup: Gerry Thornley’s club-by-club guide to Irish teams and their opponents

Gerry Thornley's guide to Irish teams and their opponents.

Champions Cup is played in Ireland. Gerry Thornley's guide gives a club-by-club guide to the teams.

Gerry Thornley's form guide to Champions Cup teams and their opponents.

Johnny Sexton is the key player for the team. Ross Byrne is an able understudy for Johnny Seall.

Racing are looking to win the fifth star. If they beat Racing away, they will secure home advantage in the knock-out stages.

Gerry Thornley's guide to Champions Cup fixtures and teams. Munster play Toulouse (h), Northampton (a), and TOULOUSE (t).

Champions Cup is a club-by-club guide to Irish teams and their opponents. Gerry Thornley's guide includes Euro pedigree.

Munster have won their last three matches. Last week's comeback win over Edinburgh was their best performance of the season.

Peter O'Mahony is a talismanic leader and aerially superb. He went off in the 63rd minute of last season’s quarter-final against Toulouse Munster.

Toulouse need to beat Toulous tomorrow to have any chance of winning the Champions Cup.

Gerry Thornley’s club-by-club guide to Irish teams and their opponents.

Champions Cup is played in Ireland. Gerry Thornley's guide to the teams and their opponents.

Leinster are in the Champions Cup. They are 22-3 up with a man advantage at half-time.

Stuart McCloskey is a key player for Ulster.

Ulster play Sale in the Aviva Premiership tomorrow.

Euro pedigree: Five-time winners in 1996, 2003, 2005, 10 and 2021, runners-up to Wasps in 2004 and Munster in 2008.

The Top 14 won seven of their first eight games before the international break. They won last week with Antoine Dupont coming off the bench.

Dupont is key player for Toulouse.

Champions Cup is taking place. Gerry Thornley's guide to Irish teams and their opponents.

LA ROCHELLE play Northampton (h), Ulster (a), Northamptonshire ( h), and then play in the Champions Cup.

Last season, they were European champions. They were beaten finalists the season before.

Ronan O'Gara's team lost 3-0 to Stade Francais. They are now fourth, behind Parisians.

Grégory Alldritt is the key player for Antoine Hastoy's side.

O'Gara have a good squad and good draw for the Champions Cup.

Racing 92 play Leinster (h), Harlequins (a), Leinsur ( h), and Harlquin ( a). Racing 92 are in Champions Cup. Gerry Thornley’s club-by-club guide to Irish teams and their opponents.

They are three-time beaten finalists in the last seven seasons.

Gerry Thornley's club-by-club guide to Irish teams and their opponents.

Finn Russell is the key player for Racing in the Champions Cup. He has a 92 per cent kicking ratio and is second in Top 14 points scoring charts.

The game in Le Havre is moved to accommodate a concert. If they lose, they might have to beat Harlequins twice.

They were semi-finalists in 2000-01 but have only reached two quarter-finals in 13 years.

Last week's win at home to Northampton put them fourth in the Premiership.

Santiago Carreras is a converted winger who played for Gloucester last week.

Gerry Thornley's guide to Champions Cup teams and their opponents.

Norwich play La Rochelle (a), Munster (h), La Rochhelle, ( a), and then La Rochiell ( h).

Champions in 2000 and beaten finalists in 2011. Just three semi-finals in 10 attempts since.

Dan Biggar has been offloaded. They are currently sixth in the Premiership.

Alex Mitchell is a key player for Ireland. He has scored 16 tries in his last 38 games.

Champions Cup draw looks tough for Ireland.

Ulster play Toulouse in the Champions Cup.

Two-time Challenge Cup winners in 2002 and 20‘05. Three quarter-finals in 11 attempts in the Champions Cup.

Alex Sanderson's Saracens are second in the Premiership with seven tries from nine games. Mike Forahaw's Connacht have the least tries in that league under him.

Dan and Jean-Luc du Preez are the back-rowers for the champions. Robert du Prree is the top points scorer in the Premiership.

Champions Cup draw is tough.