Perennial runners-up Leinster begin this year’s European Champions Cup campaign in France’s Massif Central.
Watch Clermont Auvergne v Leinster as two teams with impressive records meet in the European Rugby Champions Cup in an exciting opening round match.
This part of the competition is rarely a problem Leinster. The Irish side tend to go through the pool stages and knockout rounds, before falling apart at the final hurdle. Since their last win in 2018, they have reached the final five times without lifting the trophy.
Head coach Leo Cullen – now in his final season in charge – is clearly taking nothing for granted, and has named an impressive starting line-up that is hardly dissimilar to an Ireland XV.
Clermont Auvergne have never won European club rugby’s biggest prize, but have reached the final on three occasions, most recently in 2017. However, they have been off the pace of the Champions Cup in recent years, failing to reach the knockout stages last season.
They are currently languishing at the wrong end of the Top 14 table, so – on paper at least – this could be the ideal start for Leinster. Not that the trip to the famous Stade Marcel-Michelin is ever easy – especially given Leinster’s slow start to the United Rugby Championship season.
Below we explain how you can follow the game from anywhere in the world, including details on how viewers from France can use a VPN watch their free Clermont Auvergne v Leinster live stream from abroad.
Key information
– Clermont Auvergne – Leinster date: Saturday 17.10.2026
– Clermont Auvergne – Leinster start time: 3.15pm BST / 4.15pm CET (local) / 4.15pm SAST / 10.15am EDT / 7.15am PDT
– Clermont Auvergne v Leinster FREE Stream: France TV (France)
– Other Clermont Auvergne and Leinster broadcasts: Premier Sports (UK/Ireland) / FloRugby (USA) / SuperSport (South Africa) / EPCR TV (worldwide)
– Watch from anywhere: Try it NordVPN 100% risk free
FREE Clermont Auvergne – Leinster live streaming in France
Every matchday weekend, selected European Champions Cup matches are available for free via public service France TV. On Saturday you can watch Clermont Auvergne – Leinster live streaming on France TV streaming service. The game is also available on the terrestrial channel France 2.
Viewers in France can also follow every match of the tournament via a subscription service beIN Sports.
Don’t worry if you are currently traveling abroad. You can use a VPN to watch your free Clermont Auvergne – Leinster live stream as if you were back in France. More on that below…
How to watch Clermont Auvergne vs Leinster from anywhere
Even if you’re traveling abroad, you can enjoy this match on the first weekend of the European Champions Cup through your usual streaming service with the help of VPN (Virtual Private Network). These handy pieces of software allow you to change your IP address, meaning you can avoid geoblocking restrictions even when you’re hundreds of miles from home.
Technological experts in TechRadar and Tom’s Guide both rate NordVPN as number one in the world, thanks to its ability to unblock streaming services. It also boasts superior safety features.
Other Clermont Auvergne – Leinster live broadcasts worldwide
- Ireland: Premier Sports is where you can watch Clermont Auvergne vs Leinster in Ireland. If you already have Sky Sports, you can add the service to your subscription as part of the Sports Extra package. It will cost you €10 per month for the first six months, before rising to €25 per month for the next six months. Start time is 15.15 IST.
- United Kingdom: You will also want to refer Premier Sports watch Clermont Auvergne v Leinster live streams in the UK. You can watch the action online or on TV via Sky Q, Prime Video, STV Player or Virgin Media. Costs are £18.99 per month on an ongoing basis, £13.99 per month on a one-year contract, or £130 per year (which is less than £11 per month) if you pay in advance.
- South Africa: Leinster will be one of the main rivals to the Bulls, Lions and Stormers for the Champions Cup this season and you can watch them in action on SuperSport. There are various SuperSport packages available – including options to stream online or watch on TV via DStv – so see what works best for you. The game kicks off at 4.15am CET on Saturday afternoon.
- United States of America: US-based rugby fans can follow all of this season’s Investec Champions Cup action FloRugby. A monthly subscription to FloRugby costs $39.99, but it’s much cheaper if you pay for a full year upfront – an annual subscription costs $155.88, which is just $12.99 per month. The game begins at 10:15 a.m. EDT / 7:15 a.m. PDT on Saturday morning.
- worldwide: In countries that don’t have a separate Champions Cup broadcast deal in place (including Australia, New Zealand and Italy), you’ll want to head to EPCR TV watch Clermont Auvergne v Leinster live streams. Season tickets start at €49.99, and weekend tickets are also available.
Clermont Auvergne v Leinster squads and officials
Clermont Auvergne
Justin Bouraux, Bautista Delguy, AJ Lam, Léon Darricarere, Joris Jurand, Harry Plummer (captain), Baptiste Jauneau; Giorgi Akhaladze, Barnabe Massa, Nohem Ez Zahouany, Thibaud Lanen, Darcy Swain, Killian Tixeront, Anthime Hemery, Kevin Noah
Replacements:
Peniami Narisia, Sacha Lotrian, Matheo Frisach, Leo Michaux, Antoine Chalus-Cercy, Louis Vermeulen, Baptiste Germain, Mathys Belaubre
Leinster
Hugo Keenan, Tommy O’Brien, Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw, Jimmy O’Brien, Sam Prendergast, Fintan Gunne; Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan (captain), Tadhg Furlong, Joe McCarthy, James Ryan, Ryan Baird, Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan
Replacements:
Ronan Kelleher, Alex Usanov, Tom Clarkson, Conor O’Tighearnaigh, Scott Penny, Oliver Coffey, Joey Carbery, Jamie Osborne
This is an all-English refereeing team, with Matthew Carley as the referee and Hamish Smales and Jonathan Healy as his assistants. Andrew Jackson is the TMO.
Download the digital edition of the rugby world directly to your tablet or subscribe to the print edition get magazine delivered to your door.
Follow Rugby World on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter/X.
We recommend VPN services in the context of legal recreational use. for example:
- Accessing the service from another country (in accordance with the terms and conditions of that service)
- Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when you’re abroad
We do not support or condone illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Future Publishing does not endorse or condone the consumption of pirated paid content.
