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The Champions Cup saw two highly successful draws for Leinster and Munster against historic French rivals after the round of 16 and quarter-final draws this morning.
Our time winner Leinster will host three-time champions Toulon in Dublin on the weekend of 2/3/4 April, while two-time champion Munster will host four-time winner Toulouse and their defeated opponents in the final of 2008.
However, both sides must travel to their quarter-finals a week later in case they come out of these ties.
Munster could be back in France when he faces the winners of the tie between Clermont and Wasps, while Leinster will face Exeter or Lyon.
These are formidable obstacles for the leading Irish pair, who are also due to compete in the PRO14 final later this month, a competition that follows quickly after their top stars appear in two Six Nations qualifiers in six days.
Ronan O’Gara’s La Rochelle visits Gloucester in the round of 16 before a possible quarter-final match at home against Sale or Scarlets.
Racing 92, with assistant coach Mike Prendergast and former Munster players Simon Zebo and Donnacha Ryan, continue their quest for their Holy Grail by hosting Edinburgh before the prospect of a trip to Bordeaux or Pat Lam’s Bristol.
Clubs that have won both group stage matches on the field, with results unaffected by COVID-19, such as Racing 92, Bordeaux-Bègles, Leinster, Munster and Wasps, were all guaranteed home games.
The round of 16 matches will take place on the weekend of April 2/3/4, and the quarterfinals will be scheduled for the following weekend (April 9/10/11). The exact dates, venues and kick-off times for the round of 16 matches will be announced.
All matches are broadcast live on BT Sport, with free live coverage also on Virgin Media and Channel 4.
It promises to be a defining period for Irish rugby after the conclusion of the Six Nations, as Munster and Leinster are also scheduled to meet in the PRO 14 final later this month before accelerating to the European rate once again.
Connacht and Ulster will be avoided until at least the semi-final stage of the Challenge Cup after the round of 16 draw that took place this morning.
After sneaking out of the Champions Cup when competitions were reformatted after a group stage interrupted by Covid, both sides received starts at home against English opponents.
Dan McFarland’s Northerners will face the Harlequins, the most successful team in the competition’s history, with three wins and a runner-up spot, while Connacht will face Leicester, who parted ways with coach Geordan Murphy earlier this season. .
If Ulster wins, they will face a trip to Northampton or Dragons, while Connacht has been selected at home to play the Ospreys or Newcastle.
Declan Kidney’s Irish Londoners entertain Cardiff Blues before a possible trip to Zebre or Bath.
The knockout round of 16 will take place on 2/3/4 April and the quarterfinals will take place a week later.
CHAMPIONS CUP DRAW
ROUND OF 16
(Weekend of April 2/3/4 – First Name Clubs Home)
Munster in Toulouse
Gloucester vs. La Rochelle
Wasps v ASM Clermont Auvergne
Exeter Chiefs v Lyon
Leinster v RC Toulon
Bordeaux-Bègles v Bristol Bears
Racing 92 v Edinburgh
Scarlets v Sale Sharks
QUARTER FINALS
(Weekend of April 10/9/11: First winners at home)
QF1 Winner Exeter Chiefs / Lyon v Winner Leinster/ RC Toulon
QF2 Winner Wasps / Clermont v Winner Munster / Toulouse
QF3 Winner Gloucester / La Rochelle v Winner Scarlets / Sale Sharks
QF4 Winner Bordeaux-Bègles / Bristol Bears v Winner Racing 92 / Edinburgh
CHALLENGE CUP DRAW
ROUND OF 16
(Weekend of April 2/3/4 – First Name Clubs Home)
Dragons v Northampton Saints
Ospreys v Newcastle Falcons
London Irish v Cardiff Blues
Harlequins v Ulster
Benetton Rugby v Agen
Zebra Rugby Club v Bath
Leicester Tigers v Connacht
Montpellier v Glasgow Warriors
QUARTER FINALS
(Weekend of April 10/9/11: First winners at home)
QF1 Winner Montpellier / Glasgow Warriors v Winner Benetton / Agen
QF2 Winner Dragons / Northampton Saints v Winner Harlequins /Ulster
QF3 Winner Zebre / Bath v Winner London Irish / Cardiff Blues
QF4 Winner Leicester Tigers /Connacht v Winner Ospreys / Newcastle Falcons
KEY DATES
Round of 16: April 2/3/4
Quarter-finals: April 9/10/11
Semifinals: April 30 – May 1/2
Challenge Cup Final: Marseille – Friday May 21
Heineken Champions Cup Final: Marseille – Saturday May 22
All dates, start times and TV programming to be confirmed
Online editors
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