By Matt Hardy
In the lead up to the 2023-24 Investec Champions Cup Round of 16, City A.M. has put together a barometer in partnership with Investec to assess which teams are hot – and which are not – ahead of April’s knockouts.
Team of the week: Munster
They’re famed for their Investec Champions Cup performances but two-time winners Munster achieved another feat at the weekend.
It may have only been a friendly but they toppled the might of Super Rugby side the Crusaders.
The New Zealand team are in the British Isles for a pre-season tour and will face Bristol Bears on Friday but Munster’s 21-19 victory against the legendary side from the southern hemisphere – with a number of their internationals with the Ireland Six Nations team – puts them in good stead ahead of their Champions Cup Round of 16 tie away to Northampton Saints at Franklin’s Gardens in April.
Who’s hot
Antoine Dupont’s decision to skip the Six Nations for the Olympics means he is playing for Toulouse at the moment. The No9 covered fly-half and his side were extraordinary against Bayonne.
Defending champions La Rochelle are back to winning ways in the French Top 14 as they beat Montpellier on Saturday and they need all the momentum they can get ahead of their tie against the Stormers.
Who’s not
Racing 92 have recently announced the signing of Owen Farrell but the Parisian side lost yet again – against Perpignan – ahead of their Champions Cup Round of 16 tie versus Toulouse.
Lyon slipped to a defeat against Clermont at the weekend as they try to build towards their April tie in South Africa versus the Bulls. They’ll be looking to find a change in fortunes given their impressive run of pool games in December and January.
