And then there were 16.
Following an action-packed, number-crunching conclusion to the pool stage, EPCR have announced the dates, venues, kick-off times and TV coverage of the Heineken Champions Cup Round of 16 matches.
The elite clubs which have qualified for this season’s knockout stage have 26 EPCR titles between them, and eight former Heineken Champions Cup winners are in contention to lift the trophy again.
Every minute of the eight winner-takes-all matches will be broadcast live by BT Sport, SuperSport and beIN SPORTS with the additional bonus of free-to-air coverage by RTE in Ireland for the showdown between Leinster Rugby and Ulster Rugby on Saturday 1 April, by ITV in the UK and Ireland when the Exeter Chiefs and Montpellier Hérault Rugby clash on Sunday 2 April, and by S4C in Wales for the Ospreys’ visit to Saracens later the same day.
Matt Proctor of Northampton Saints is tackled by Joey Carbery and Niall Scannell during the Heineken Cup Champions Cup match between Northampton Saints and Munster at cinch Franklin’s Gardens Stadium on December 18, 2022 in Northampton, England. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)The highest-ranked clubs from the pool stage have secured home advantage for the Round of 16 and this rule will remain in place for the quarter-finals. The semi-finals will be played in Europe at EPCR-designated venues with the showpiece final staged at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday 20 May, and over 66,000 tickets have already been sold for the Dublin Finals weekend.
HEINEKEN CHAMPIONS CUP – Round of 16
(All kick-offs local times)
Friday 31 March
Leicester Tigers v Edinburgh Rugby, Mattioli Woods Welford Road (20.00)
BT Sport / beIN SPORTS / SuperSport
Saturday 1 April
Cell C Sharks v Munster Rugby, Hollywoodbets Kings Park (13.30)
SuperSport / BT Sport / beIN SPORTS
DHL Stormers v Harlequins, DHL Stadium (16.00)
SuperSport / BT Sport / beIN SPORTS
Leinster Rugby v Ulster Rugby, Aviva Stadium (17.30)
RTE / BT Sport / beIN SPORTS / SuperSport
Stade Rochelais v Gloucester Rugby, Stade Marcel Deflandre (18.30)
beIN SPORTS / France TV / BT Sport / SuperSport
Sunday 2 April
Exeter Chiefs v Montpellier Hérault Rugby, Sandy Park (12.30)
ITV / BT Sport / beIN SPORTS / SuperSport
Saracens v Ospreys, StoneX Stadium (15.00)
BT Sport / S4C / beIN SPORTS / SuperSport
Stade Toulousain v Vodacom Bulls, Le Stadium (16.00)
France TV / beIN SPORTS / SuperSport / BT Sport
Quarter-finals – 7/8/9 April
QF 1: Winner Match 1 v Winner Match 5
QF 2: Winner Match 7 v Winner Match 3
QF 3: Winner Match 2 v Winner Match 6
QF 4: Winner Match 8 v Winner Match 4
NB The highest-ranked clubs from the pool stage will have home advantage
Semi-finals – 28/29/30 April
SF 1: Winner QF 1 v Winner QF 2
SF 2: Winner QF 3 v Winner QF 4
NB The matches will be played in Europe and the highest-ranked clubs from the pool stage will have home country advantage
2023 Heineken Champions Cup final: Saturday 20 May; Aviva Stadium, Dublin
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