With the opening weekend of the 2018/19 Heineken Champions Cup just over a fortnight away, we take a look at players hitting form on the domestic scene. Leinster Rugby wing James Lowe has enjoyed a terrific start to the season and that run continued last week as he beat the most defenders (8) in Round 4 of the PRO14 in the Champions Cup holders’ 31-7 win over Edinburgh Rugby, according to Opta statistics. The 26-year-old will be hoping his form continues in the Heineken Champions Cup when the Irish province kick off the competition against Wasps at the RDS Arena on October 12 in Pool 1, live on BT Sport. https://twitter.com/leinsterrugby/status/1044333401266782208 Gloucester Rugby back-row forward Jake Polledri couldn’t prevent his side going down 38-15 at Saracens last weekend, but he does currently lead the English Premiership in defenders beaten with 25. The 22-year-old Italian international made his European debut in the Challenge Cup last term and is set to make his first appearance in Europe’s elite club competition next month. The 2018 Challenge Cup finalists will be hoping for a similar run in this season’s Champions Cup, with their campaign getting underway on October 14, when they host Castres Olympique at Kingsholm Stadium in Pool 2. 2016 EPCR European Rugby Player of the Year Maro Itoje put in another superb display in the victory at Allianz Park and currently tops the Opta list for most turnovers (11) in the Premiership this season. The 23-year-old England lock will be hoping that his side can take their domestic form into European competition, having lifted the Champions Cup in 2016 and 2017, before being defeated by Leinster at the quarter-final stage last season. https://twitter.com/Saracens/status/1043913642167717889 The two-time Champions Cup winners open their European campaign with a trip to Glasgow Warriors on October 14 in Pool 3 before matches with Lyon and Cardiff Blues. Montpellier No. 8 Louis Picamoles had a match to remember last week as he ran riot in his side’s 66-15 over Toulouse in the TOP 14. The 32-year-old French international racked up 68 metres from 17 runs, beat five defenders and scored four tries in a stunning display at the GGL Stadium. Montpellier get their Champions Cup season underway at the same venue on October 13 in a Pool 5 match against Edinburgh Rugby before fixtures against RC Toulon and Newcastle Falcons.