5 Under-the-Radar Players Who Will Shine in 2015/16 Rugby Champions Cup

The European Rugby Champions Cup gets under way this weekend with Toulon aiming to win it for the fourth time in a row.

The great and the good of Europe's top clubs will be attempting to stop Bernard Laporte's galaxy of stars' domination of the competition.

But there are some lesser-known names who will be looking to announce themselves on the big stage and make their own bids for glory.

With the World Cup just finished, several nations will be looking for fresh blood to reinvigorate their squads, so it's a season in which some new names can come to the fore and upset the old order.

We've cast the net into the pools of the Champions Cup in search of the men you may not have heard of who could make the continent sit up and take notice in the coming months.

Here are your five to look out for.

Sekou Macalou, Stade Francais

French champions Stade have beefed up their back row with the signing of Springbok Willem Alberts, but the South African my be outshone by fellow flanker Sekou Macalou.

The French under-20 international joined the Parisians in the summer and has already made his mark with the try above against Racing Metro.

The 20-year-old stands 6'6" and weighs in at just under 15 stone, so he may have some filling out to do yet, but he cut a swath through this year's Under-20 World Cup, putting in this try-saving tackle against England and scoring this astonishing try against the Irish.

Dorian Aldegheri, Toulouse

Guy Noves may have moved on, but his philosophy remains intact at Toulouse.

The four-time European champions have long prided themselves on a powerful scrum, with that mantle now being carried forth by 22-year-old tighthead Dorian Aldegheri.

The youngster recently demolished the Grenoble scrum, shown in the highlights above, and he will be looking to do the same to his opponents in Pool 1, including Saracens' England prop Mako Vunipola.

Eamonn Sheridan, Oyonnax

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Oyonnax make their European Cup bow this season and find themselves in a group with Ulster—a matchup that will pitch their new Irish centre into battle with his countrymen.

Eamonn Sheridan arrived in the summer from London Irish, per the Irish Independent.

He has made a strong start to his Top 14 career, starting all eight games, and has the chance when Ulster visit the Jura Mountains to make the Irish selectors sit up and take notice.

Shalva Mamukashvili, Glasgow

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A hooking injury crisis at Glasgow has led the Pro12 champions to sign Georgian hooker Shalva Mamukashvili ahead of their European campaign.

The 25-year old played in all of his country's World Cup matches and spent last season with Sale, per the Scotsman.

Georgia's pack went well in a tough pool for the Lelos, and Mamukashvili was at the heart of that effort.

Having arrived just days before Glasgow open their campaign with a tough test against Racing 92, he will now be straight into the firing line with the Warriors' other three No. 2s sidelined, per BBC Sport.

Gerhard Van Den Heever, Munster

Gerhard van den Heever will miss Munster's first two pool matches after receiving a ban for a dangerous tackle, per the Irish Times.

But this could be the season he fulfills his potential and perhaps puts his hands up for a place in the Irish squad.

Early promise in South Africa was stifled by the form and standing of Bryan Habana as the wing followed the Springbok great from the Bulls to the Stormers, which led the 26-year-old to move to Ireland in 2011, per the Independent.

He has had an injury-interrupted two seasons since arriving at the province and will now kick his heels while waiting for his chance to make a mark in Europe, but his highlight reel certainly suggests he is capable of producing some fireworks this season.