The dates, venues and kick-offs for the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup quarter-finals have been confirmed, starting on Friday, March 30.
The road to the Bilbao finals and possible glory next May is now mapped out for Europe’s elite clubs following today’s (Thursday, 25 January) announcement of the dates, venues, kick-off times and TV coverage of the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup quarter-finals.
With the current Champions Cup and Challenge Cup holders, Saracens and Stade Français, as well six former competition winners, still in the mix, the knockout stages are once again set to deliver a mouthwatering series of heavyweight clashes over the Easter weekend.
The last-eight matches in the Champions Cup get underway on Friday, 30 March with a confrontation between the in-form Scarlets, who have reached the quarter-finals for the first time since 2007, and competition debutants La Rochelle at Parc y Scarlets.
Next up on Saturday, 31 March, Thomond Park will be at fever pitch when Munster take on Toulon, and that showdown will be followed by an Easter Sunday double-bill featuring Clermont v Racing 92 at Stade Marcel-Michelin, and number one-ranked Leinster against Saracens at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium.
There are two Challenge Cup ties on Friday, 30 March with this season’s top seeds and winners from 2000, Pau, meeting Stade Français at Stade du Hameau, while Newcastle Falcons will host Brive at Kingston Park.
Connacht and last season’s defeated finalists, Gloucester, clash at The Sportsground on Saturday, 31 March, and later the same day at Murrayfield, Edinburgh will go head-to-head with the Cardiff Blues.
Champions Cup quarter-finals
(All kick-offs local time)
Friday 30 March
QF 2: Scarlets v La Rochelle
@ Parc y Scarlets (17:30)
Saturday 31 March
QF 3: Munster v Toulon
@ Thomond Park (15:15)
Sunday 1 April
QF 4: Clermont v Racing 92
@ Stade Marcel-Michelin (14:00)
QF 1: Leinster v Saracens
@ Aviva Stadium (15:30)
Semi-final 1 – winner of QF 1: Leinster v Saracens will play the winner of QF 2: Scarlets v La Rochelle
Semi-final 2 – winner of QF 3: Munster v Toulon will play the winner of QF 4: Clermont v Racing 92
(Matches to be played on 21/22 April)
Champions Cup Final: Saturday 12 May
@ San Mamés Stadium, Bilbao (17:45)
Challenge Cup quarter-finals
(All kick-offs local time)
Friday 30 March
QF 1: Pau v Stade Français
@ Stade du Hameau (21:00)
QF 4: Newcastle Falcons v Brive
@ Kingston Park (20:00)
Saturday 31 March
QF 3: Connacht v Gloucester
@ The Sportsground (13:00)
QF 2: Edinburgh v Cardiff Blues
@ Murrayfield (17:45)
Semi-final 1 – winner of QF 1: Pau v Stade Français will play the winner of QF 2: Edinburgh v Cardiff Blues
Semi-final 2 – winner of QF 3: Connacht v Gloucester will play the winner of QF 4: Newcastle Falcons v Brive
(Matches to be played on 21/22 April)
Challenge Cup Final: Friday 11 May
@ San Mamés Stadium, Bilbao (21:00)
The post Dates confirmed for European quarter-finals appeared first on Planet Rugby.