Castres Olympique pulled off a dramatic 32-24 victory over Saracens in Round 4 of the Investec Champions Cup on Saturday, with a late penalty from Louis le Brun sealing a crucial away win for the French side.

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The match started with a flurry of tries, as both teams exchanged blows in an end-to-end first half. 

Castres struck first in the second minute, when Feibyan Tukino powered over the line, with le Brun adding the extras. 

Saracens quickly responded, with Theo Dan crossing in the sixth minute, converted by Alex Lozowski, leveling the score at 7-7.

Castres regained the lead in the 26th minute through Adrien Seguret, who scored his first of two tries, followed by le Brun’s successful conversion. However, Saracens rallied, as Ben Earl touched down twice in quick succession, the second just before halftime, with Lozowski converting the latter to give the home side a slender 19-14 lead at the break.

Castres came out firing in the second half, with le Brun’s penalty in the 43rd minute narrowing the gap to 19-17. Moments later, Theo Dan claimed his second try for Saracens in the 49th minute, though Lozowski missed the conversion, keeping the score at 24-17.

Undeterred, Castres surged ahead. Theo Chabouni crossed the line in the 53rd minute to make it 24-22, but le Brun missed the conversion. 

Castres' relentless pressure eventually paid off, as Seguret completed his brace in the 64th minute. This time, le Brun converted to edge the visitors ahead 29-24.

Saracens pushed for a response, making key substitutions, but Castres held firm. 

In the dying moments, le Brun slotted a 79th-minute penalty to extend the lead to 32-24, putting the game out of reach for the home side.

The victory marked a stellar performance from Castres, with le Brun contributing 12 points from the boot and Seguret leading the way with two tries. 

Despite strong efforts from Ben Earl and Theo Dan, Saracens fell short, with missed conversions proving costly.

Castres’ triumph not only boosts their Champions Cup campaign but also demonstrates their ability to win in hostile environments. Saracens, meanwhile, will need to regroup as they look to keep their European hopes alive.

Saracens Vs. Castres Olympique Scoring Summary

Saracens

Tries: Dan (6’, 49’), Earl (34’, 40’)

Conversions: Lozowski (7’, 40’)

Castres Olympique

Tries: Tukino (2’), Seguret (26’, 64’), Chabouni (53’)

Conversions: Le Brun (2’, 27’, 65’)

Penalties: Le Brun (43’, 79’)

What's Next For Castres Olympique And Saracens?

Castres will return to the Top 14 buoyed by its strongest pool stage campaign in the Champions Cup and will face Racing 92 in Paris. Saracens will need to regroup quickly before returning to the Gallagher Premiership to face the Exeter Chiefs on the road.

Investec Champions Cup Fixtures In Round 4

• Ulster Rugby 52 vs. Exeter Chiefs 24, Fri, Jan 17, 2025, 3 PM, Kingspan Stadium
• Vodacom Bulls 48 vs. Stade Francais Paris 7, Sat, Jan 18, 2025, 8 AM, Loftus Versfeld
• Northampton Saints 34 vs. Munster Rugby 32, Sat, Jan 18, 2025, 10:15 AM, cinch Stadium @ Franklin's Gardens
• ASM Clermont Auvergne 33 vs. Bristol Bears 26, Sat, Jan 18, 2025, 10:15 AM, Stade Marcel-Michelin
• Benetton Rugby 32 vs. Stade Rochelais 25, Sat, Jan 18, 2025, 12:30 PM, Stadio Monigo
• Leinster Rugby 47 vs. Bath Rugby 21, Sat, Jan 18, 2025, 12:30 PM, Aviva Stadium
• Harlequins 24 vs. Glasgow Warriors 7, Sat, Jan 18, 2025, 3 PM, Twickenham Stoop
• Racing 92 - 31 vs. DHL Stormers 22, Sat, Jan 18, 2025, 3 PM, Paris La Defense Arena
• Union Bordeaux-Bègles vs. Hollywoodbets Sharks, Sun, Jan 19, 2025, 8 AM, Stade Chaban-Delmas
• Saracens vs. Castres Olympique, Sun, Jan 19, 2025, 10:15 AM, StoneX Stadium
• Stade Toulousain vs. Leicester Tigers, Sun, Jan 19, 2025, 10:15 AM, Stade Ernest Wallon
• Sale Sharks vs. RC Toulon, Sun, Jan 19, 2025, 12:30 PM, Salford Community Stadium

Investec Champions Cup Format 

Key points of the 2024-2025 Investec Champions Cup:

• A multi-pool format, as launched in the 2023-2024 season
• 24 elite clubs - eight each from the Gallagher Premiership, URC and TOP 14 - in four pools of six
• Sporting jeopardy, with each club playing against four different opponents, home or away, in the pool stage
• Four highest-ranked clubs in each pool qualify for the Round of 16
• The Investec Champions Cup will be played over eight weekends, with four pool rounds and four knockout rounds culminating in the 2025 final, which will be staged at Cardiff's Principality Stadium on Saturday, May 24.

Investec Champions Cup Weekends

• Round 1 – 6/7/8 December 2024
• Round 2 – 13/14/15 December 2024
• Round 3 – 10/11/12 January 2025
• Round 4 – 17/18/19 January 2025
• Round of 16 – 4/5/6 April 2025
• Quarter-finals – 11/12/13 April 2025
• Semi-finals – 2/3/4 May 2025
• 2025 Investec Champions Cup final – Saturday, May 24, Principality Stadium, Cardiff

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When Does The 2024-2025 Investec Champions Cup Begin? When Is The Champions Cup Final?

The Investec Champions Cup and the EPCR Challenge Cup begin Dec. 6, and the four-round pool-play action ends Jan. 19, 2025. The Round of 16 starts on April 4, while the quarterfinals are April 11-13. The semifinals are May 2-4. 

The EPCR Championships weekend is in Cardiff, Wales at Principality Stadium. There are championship games on May 23 (EPCR Challenge Cup) and May 24 (Investec Champions Cup). 

How To Watch Rugby Matches In The United States On FloRugby

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• Investec Champions Cup
• EPCR Challenge Cup
• Currie Cup
• Top 14
• Super Rugby
• And more

FloRugby also is home to match archives and match replays. 

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