Heineken Champions Cup Round 2: Your ultimate guide to the games still to come this weekend

Twelve games played, 599 points scored and three new teams all made for a compelling start to a brand-new Heineken Champions Cup campaign.

Eight sides from England, eight from France, three from Ireland and one each from Scotland and Wales were joined by three newcomers from South Africa in a new-look premier club competition that did not disappoint on opening weekend.

Read on for previews of every game from Round 2, plus team news and TV channel information with BT Sport the only place you can watch every single second of the action.

Saturday 17 December

DHL Stormers vs London Irish - 5.15pm (5.30pm KO), BT Sport 2 HD 

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London Irish will be hoping they fare better than their city rivals Harlequins when they make their first foray into South African territory this weekend. 

Harlequins became the first English team to take on South African opposition in the Heineken Cup, losing out to Cell C Sharks in a 70-point thriller in Durban.

Now the Exiles will look to do what Quins could not manage and secure a historic victory on South African soil.

United Rugby Championship holders Stormers were the only one of the three South African teams not to register a win on their Heineken Cup debuts. 

Now the Cape Town-based outfit host European rugby for the first time as they look to get their campaign up and running against Premiership strugglers London Irish. 

Irish, who are 11th in the Premiership, level on points with bottom-placed Bristol, suffered defeat at home to Top 14 champions Montpellier in last weekend's Heineken Cup curtain raiser. 

Ulster vs La Rochelle - 5.15pm (5.30pm KO), BT Sport 2 HD 

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Holders La Rochelle began the defence of their crown with a thumping 46-12 bonus-point win over Northampton Saints.

The French side have been in indifferent form with three defeats in their past five matches but they took control against Saints as first-half tries by Brice Dulin, Pierre Bourgarit, Pierre Boudehent and Dillyn Leyds wrapped up the bonus.

Gregory Alldritt charged down a clearance to score a fifth try before Ulupano Seuteni added a sixth.

Next up for the holders is a trip to Ulster who were humiliated at the hands of Sale Sharks last weekend.

Ulster are saying they are working hard to ensure their Kingspan Stadium pitch is playable ahead of Saturday evening's match. 

With freezing temperatures forecast over the coming days, there have been suggestions the match against the French side could be moved.

Last weekend's 39-0 defeat to Sale means Ulster need to beat Ronan O'Gara's La Rochelle to boost their hopes of progressing in the competition.

Montpellier vs Ospreys - 7.45pm (8pm KO), BT Sport 1 HD 

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Welsh province Ospreys head to Montpellier on Saturday evening as they look to bounce back from a home defeat to Premiership champions Leicester Tigers.

It doesn't get any easier for the Swansea-based outfit, who face-off against the best team in France a week on from facing the best team in France.

Ospreys head coach Toby Booth said: there were too many unforced errors and penalties.

"As a result, we need to go to Montpellier and play the French champions after the English champions, and get a win in their backyard."

The URC side will be without Wales international George North for the trip to France after the centre suffered a suspected fractured cheekbone in the defeat to Leicester.

Hosts Montpellier know a win is a must if the French giants are to stay in the mix for a place in the last 16. 

Philippe Saint-Andre's side won the EPCR Challenge Cup in 2020 but are yet to go beyond the last eight in the Heineken Cup.

Sunday 18 December

Northampton vs Munster - 12.30pm (1pm KO), BT Sport 1 HD & BT Sport Ultimate 

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The first of three games on Sunday afternoon sees Northampton renew their bitter European rivalry with Munster at Franklin's Gardens. 

Munster fly-half Ronan O'Gara missed five kicks as the Saints won the 2000 final by one point in their one and only Heineken Cup triumph.

O'Gara and Munster got their revenge a decade later, beating the Saints 33-19 in the quarter-finals to steer the Irish giants into the last four.

Their 2011 meeting produced another modern-day classic as O'Gara kicked a last-minute drop goal to secure a 23-21 victory and break Northampton hearts.

Now the two former champions of Europe do battle once again with both sides coming off the back of defeats on opening weekend. 

Two-time winners Munster failed to avenge their quarter-final heartbreak, losing out to five-time winners Toulouse at Thomond Park.

Meanwhile Northampton were on the receiving end of a humiliating hammering at the hands of defending champions La Rochelle.

Six tries before the hour-mark saw the holders take a 46-0 lead before Saints salvaged some pride with two scores of their own in the final 10 minutes. 

Toulouse vs Sale Sharks - 12.30pm (1pm KO), BT Sport 2 HD 

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Arguably the stand-out game from Round 2 sees the competition's most successful team Toulouse take on emerging contenders Sale Sharks in an unmissable midday clash.

Sale have reached the last eight for back-to-back seasons but last weekend's flawless win over 1999 champions Ulster suggests they are ready to go to the next level. 

The Sharks continued their momentum after three league wins, scoring six tries to claim a 39-0 bonus-point win at the AJ Bell Stadium.

Ulster's preparation for the game was disrupted by the cold weather in the north west of England, which meant they had to travel on the morning of the game after their flight on Saturday was cancelled.

The preparation was less than ideal for Ulster but Sale looked awesome as seven tries from seven different players secured a statement victory that underlines Sale's reputation as one of this season's leading challengers to La Rochelle's crown.

Now Alex Sanderson's Sharks face an acid test of their credentials with a trip to five-time European Cup winners Toulouse. 

Harlequins vs Racing - 5.15pm (5.30pm KO), BT Sport 1 HD & BT Sport Ultimate

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It's a case of out of the frying pan and into the fire for Harlequins this weekend as they face-off against French giants Racing less than a week on from defeat to Cell C Sharks. 

Tabai Matson's created some unwanted history as they became the first European team to lose to South African opposition in the Heineken Champions Cup.

Now 2021 Premiership champions Quins return to The Stoop knowing victory is paramount if they are to keep their quest for a first ever European Cup alive.

Meanwhile three-time runners-up Racing will be determined to get their campaign back on track after defeat on opening weekend at the hands of pre-tournament favourites Leinster. 

Racing's one and only try in the 42-10 reversal came in the 75th minute, with former Wasps winger Christian Wade crossing for his first Heineken Cup try in light blue and white.

With the two sides set to resume hostilities in the return fixture in the new year, victory on Sunday afternoon could have huge ramifications for each team's hopes of reaching the last 16.