Perennial runners-up Leinster kick-off this year’s European Champions Cup campaign in France’s Massif Central.
Watch Clermont Auvergne v Leinster as two sides with impressive track records in the European Rugby Champions Cup meet in a tantalising opening round fixture.
This part of the competition is rarely a problem for Leinster. The Irish side have a tendency to breeze through the pool stages and the knockout rounds, before becoming unstuck at the final hurdle. Since their last win in 2018, they’ve reached the final five times without getting their hands on the trophy.
Head coach Leo Cullen – now in his final season in charge – clearly isn’t taking anything for granted, and has named an impressive starting line-up barely indistinguishable from 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. They’ve been some way off the Champions Cup pace in recent years, however, and failed to make the knockout stages last season.
They’re 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 a 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 of how France-based viewers can use a VPN to watch their free Clermont Auvergne v Leinster free stream from abroad.
Key information
– Clermont Auvergne v Leinster date: Saturday 17 October, 2026
– Clermont Auvergne v Leinster kick-off 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 v Leinster streams: Premier Sports (UK/Ireland) / FloRugby (US) / SuperSport (South Africa) / EPCR TV (around the world)
– Watch from anywhere: Try NordVPN 100% risk-free
FREE Clermont Auvergne v Leinster live stream in France
Every matchday weekend, selected European Champions Cup games are available for free via public broadcaster France TV. On Saturday you can watch Clermont Auvergne v Leinster live streams on the France TV streaming service. The game is available on the France 2 terrestrial channel, too.
Viewers in France can also watch every game of the tournament through subscription service beIN Sports.
Don’t worry if you’re travelling overseas right now. You can use a VPN to watch your free Clermont Auvergne v Leinster live stream as if you were back in France. More on that below…
Even if you’re travelling abroad you can enjoy this opening weekend European Champions Cup fixture via your usual streaming service with the help of a VPN (Virtual Private Network). These handy pieces of software allow you to change your IP address, meaning you can avoid geo-blocking restrictions even when you’re hundreds of miles from home.
The tech experts at TechRadar and Tom’s Guide both rate NordVPN as world number one, thanks to its ability to unblock streaming services. It also boasts top-notch security features.
Other Clermont Auvergne v Leinster live streams around the world
- Ireland: Premier Sports is the place to go to watch Clermont Auvergne v Leinster in Ireland. If you already have Sky Sports you can add the service to your subscription as part of the Sports Extra pack. It’ll cost you €10 per month for the first six months, before rising to €25 per month for the next six months. Kick-off is 3.15pm IST.
- United Kingdom: You’ll also want to head to Premier Sports to watch Clermont Auvergne v Leinster live streams in the UK. You can follow the action online, or through your TV via Sky Q, Prime Video, STV Player or Virgin Media. Costs are £18.99 a month on a rolling basis, £13.99 a month on a year-long contract, or £130 a year (that works out at less than £11 per month) if you pay up front.
- South Africa: Leinster will be one of the Bulls, Lions and Stormers’ main rivals 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 your TV via DStv – so take a look to find out what works best for you. The match gets underway at 4.15am SAST on Saturday afternoon.
- United States: US-based rugby fans can watch all of this season’s Investec Champions Cup action on FloRugby. A monthly FloRugby subscription costs $39.99, but it’s much cheaper if you pay for a whole year up front – an annual subscription costs $155.88, which works out at just $12.99 per month. The game kicks off at 10.15am EDT / 7.15am PDT on Saturday morning.
- Around the world: In countries where there’s no separate Champions Cup broadcast deal in place (including Australia, New Zealand and Italy), you’ll want to head to EPCR TV to watch Clermont Auvergne v Leinster live streams. Season passes start from €49.99, and weekend passes are also available.
Clermont Auvergne v Leinster line-ups and officials
Clermont Auvergne
Justin Bouraux, Bautista Delguy, AJ Lam, Léon Darricarrere, 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
It’s an all-English officiating team for this one, with Matthew Carley the referee, and Hamish Smales and Jonathan Healy as his assistants. Andrew Jackson is the TMO.
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