Lions kick-off EPCR knockouts
Today at 09:59 AM
SPOTLIGHT: Following an exciting conclusion of the Champions and Challenge Cup round-robin stage last weekend, the dates, venues, kick-off times have been confirmed for the Round of 16 fixtures.
The road to the Millennium Stadium on May 23 (Challenge Cup) and May 24 (Champions Cup) for the respective Finals will begin to take shape with the knock-out stages kicking-off in early April.
The Challenge Cup contestants include the likes of the defending champion Sharks, Bulls, Bath and Racing 92 - all of whom have secured qualification from the Champions Cup and collectively boast 11 EPCR titles, with seven of the sides having previously won the tournament.
Edinburgh will welcome the Lions on April 4 at Edinburgh Stadium after the hosts booked their spot in the knock-outs by securing top spot in a tightly contested Pool Three, while the Lions occupy fourth spot in Pool Two with an equal number of wins and losses.
Bath takes the trip to the south of France to face Pau at Stade du Hameau - with both sides having tasted Challenge Cup glory before, and it will be the first time the two sides will meet in the competition since the 2016/17 season.
Saturday will see the Bulls take on hosts Bayonne at the Stade Jean-Dauger after the home side finished second in their pool with three wins from four matches.
The Bulls qualified from the Champions Cup and will be eager to secure their return to the competition next season by going all the way in the Challenge Cup.
Last season's finalists Gloucester will make the trip to France to face Pool Two table toppers Montpellier who won all their pool matches.
The Saturday evening will see Connacht who also went unbeaten during the Pool stage welcome Cardiff to the Sportsground and will be keen to progress to a home city Final.
The final Challenge Cup clash on Saturday will be between two Top 14 rivals Perpignan and Racing 92 at the Stade Aimé Giral.
On Sunday the attention shifts to Wales where rivals Ospreys host Scarlets a week after the two sides would have faced each other in a United Rugby Championship clash which would add a lot of spice regardless of the result the week before.
The Sharks will conclude Sunday's Challenge Cup qualifying action when they head to France to face Lyon at Matmut Stadium de Gerland.
The Durban-based outfit will look to defend their title spurred on by their relegation from the Champions Cup.
They can expect a tough fight from the hosts who qualified second in their pool and will be looking to reclaim the Challenge Cup trophy they won in 2022.
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The Champions Cup will kick-off on Friday, April 4 when reigning Premiership champions Northampton Saints will welcome Clermont to Franklin's Gardens, with the visitors looking to build on their vital victory over Bristol Bears to secure their place in the knock-outs.
Saturday's action will kick-off with an epic battle between Toulon and Saracens who have lifted the Champions Cup on three occasions each.
Toulon secured top spot in their pool despite falling short to Sale Sharks in their final clash in Round Four.
Irish powerhouse Leinster hosts Harlequins as the visitors will look to cause an upset and progress beyond the Round of 16 for only the second time in their history.
Following that highly anticipated clash, Castres and Benetton will battle it out at Stade Pierre-Fabre.
The French outfit had an impressive three-win pool stage which contributed to them reaching the knock-outs for the first time since 2002.
Meanwhile the Italians claimed big scalps over Bath and La Rochelle to progress to the Champions Cup knock-outs for the first time in their history.
Ronan O'Gara's La Rochelle will come up against his former side, Munster at Stade Marcel-Deflandre - with the man in charge having steered their opposition twice to Champions Cup glory, the rivalry will surely be intense.
Kicking-off shortly after will see reigning URC champions Glasgow Warriors host two-time champions Leicester Tigers in their maiden knock-out match as they look to progress beyond the first round of the knock-outs for the first time.
Sunday's action will kick-off with top-ranked Bordeaux-Begles hosting Ulster at Stade Chaban-Delmas.
The hosts completed a perfect run during the pool stage winning all their clashes with try bonus points and French superstar Damian Penaud setting a new record for most tries in a match with six against the Sharks.
The Champions Cup Round of 16 concludes with record six-time champions Toulouse who will face Sale Sharks.
The defending champions had a near flawless pool stage, and while Sale are certainly the underdogs, they will draw confidence from their standout performance against Toulon that pushed them into qualifying for the Round of 16.
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All the EPCR Round of 16 fixtures
Challenge Cup
Friday, April 4
Edinburgh v Lions
(Edinburgh Stadium - Kick-off: 20.00, 21:00 SA time; 19.00 GMT)
Pau v Bath
(Stade du Hameau - Kick-off: 21.00, 19.00 England time; 18.00 GMT)
Saturday, April 5
Bayonne v Bulls
(Stade Jean-Dauger - Kick-off: 13.30, 13.30 SA time; 11.30 GMT)
Montpellier v Gloucester
(GGL Stadium - Kick-off: 18.30,17.30 England time; 16.30 GMT)
Connacht v Cardiff
(The Sportsground - Kick-off: 20.00, 20.00 Wales time; 19.00 GMT)
Perpignan v Racing 92
(Stade Aimé Giral - Kick-off: 21.00; 19.00 GMT)
Sunday April 6
Ospreys v Scarlets
(New Stadium Swansea - Kick-off: 17.30 Wales time; 16.30 GMT)
Lyon v Sharks
(Matmut Stadium de Gerland - Kick-off: 18.30, 18.30 SA time; 16.30 GMT)
Champions Cup
Friday, April 4
Northampton Saints v Clermont
(Franklin's Gardens - Kick-off: 20.00, 21.00 French time; 19.00 GMT)
Saturday, April 5
Toulon v Saracens
(Stade Félix Mayol - Kick-off: 13.30, 12.30 England time; 11.30 GMT)
Leinster v Harlequins
(Croke Park - Kick-off: 15.00, 15.00 England time; 14.00 GMT)
Castres v Benetton
(Stade Pierre-Fabre - Kick-off: 16.00, 16.00 Italy time; 14.00 GMT)
La Rochelle v Munster
(Stade Marcel Deflandre - Kick-off: 18.30, 17.30 Ireland time; 16.00 GMT)
Glasgow Warriors v Leicester Tigers
(Scotstoun Stadium - Kick-off: 20.00, 20.00 England time; 19.00 GMT)
Sunday April 6
