The Champions Cup has announced significant rule changes for the 2026/27 season, while France captain Antoine Dupont has suffered a fresh injury blow. These are the evening rugby headlines on Monday, June 29.
Champions Cup Rule Changes Announced
Changes have been made to next season's Champions Cup ahead of the pool stage draw later this week. The bonus points system and qualification criteria have been altered. Try-scoring bonus points will now only be awarded to teams that score at least three more tries than their opponents, rather than for scoring four or more tries. This concept is already used in Super Rugby and the French Top 14, and will be introduced in Champ Rugby, the English second tier, from next season. The change is designed to keep matches more competitive for longer, as losing bonus points were considered too easy to obtain due to teams with commanding leads easing off towards the end of games.
Additionally, qualification for the last-16 stage has been modified. Previously, the top four teams from each of the four pools of six progressed. Now, only three teams from each pool will advance automatically. The remaining four spots will be allocated based on table points collected across all pools, with wins as the primary tie-breaker. This change follows a bizarre scenario last season where Leicester Tigers and the Bulls progressed after finishing fourth in their pools with a single point, while the Sharks earned two points but crashed out in fifth place. This year's Champions Cup will also start in October rather than December, aiming to engage fans earlier in the season.
Antoine Dupont Suffers Fresh Injury Blow
France captain Antoine Dupont has reportedly suffered another injury setback. Les Bleus confirmed he will miss their upcoming Nations Championship matches. Having wrapped up a fourth consecutive Top 14 title with Toulouse on Saturday, the 29-year-old scrum-half was already unavailable for France's opening clash with the All Blacks on July 4. The French Rugby Federation announced he will also miss games against Australia on July 11 and Japan the following week. He has been replaced in the squad by Toulouse teammate Paul Graou.
No official reason has been given for Dupont's unavailability, but French outlet Midi Olympique reports he is carrying a calf injury. This follows a stop-start season for the back, who returned in late November after a serious knee ligament injury sustained against Ireland last March. After an underwhelming Six Nations, he picked up a groin injury, then returned to enjoy a strong end to the season with Toulouse. He was substituted shortly after the hour mark in Saturday's final but did not appear to be in pain and later returned as a replacement.
Ospreys Announce New Deal for Ethan Lewis
The Ospreys have confirmed that hooker Ethan Lewis has signed a new deal with the region. The former Saracens front row has made 13 appearances for Mark Jones' side since his debut against Connacht during the 2023/24 season. “I’ve really enjoyed my time with the club since I joined so I’m really happy to be staying here,” said Lewis. “There’s a great group of boys here and it’s great to be a part of that. We’re all excited by what the future holds at the club, especially with the move to St Helen’s on the horizon, and I’m looking forward to contributing in whatever way I can next season.” Head coach Jones added: “Ethan is a dependable player and a great character to have around the squad, so we’re delighted that he has signed a new deal. With the specialised nature of the hooker position, it is highly important to have quality in depth, and that is something we definitely have with our current crop of hookers.”
Springboks Name Team to Face England
Rassie Erasmus has named his South Africa side to face England, five days before their showdown in Johannesburg on Saturday. The Springboks boss made four changes to the side that beat Ireland in the autumn. Manie Libbok starts at fly-half in place of the injured Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu. Grant Williams starts at scrum-half, with Kurt-Lee Arendse on the wing and Ox Nche at loosehead in a front row also containing Malcolm Marx and Thomas du Toit. Eben Etzebeth and Ruan Nortje are in the engine room, with Siya Kolisi, Jasper Wiese, and Pieter-Steph du Toit in the back row. Williams and Libbok form the half-back pairing, with Jesse Kriel and Damian De Allende in midfield. Kurt-Lee Arendse is joined in the back three by Cheslin Kolbe and Damian Willemse, who will both win their 50th caps. “England are a quality outfit,” said Erasmus. “We are expecting them to give everything they have in this match. So it was important to select a squad with experience combined with a few younger players who have proved they have what it takes to perform at this level.”
South Africa: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian De Allende, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Grant Williams, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph Du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Thomas Du Toit, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Ox Nche. Replacements: 16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Zachary Porthen, 19 Marco van Staden, 20 Cameron Hanekom, 21 Cobus Reinach, 22 Andre Esterhuizen, 23 Canan Moodie.
