Last eight dates and kick-off times announced
Packed houses and even more drama will be in store when one of the highest quality weekends in the European rugby calendar kicks off in early April.
The quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup and the Amlin Challenge Cup, which feature clubs with a total of 30 European titles between them, will get underway on Thursday, 3 April with the all-English clash of Sale Sharks and Northampton Saints at the AJ Bell Stadium.
Click here for the Heineken Cup and Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-final fixtures
The heavyweight confrontations in the Heineken Cup last eight begin with four-time champions, Toulouse, paying a first visit to Munster Rugby’s Thomond Park fortress on Saturday, 5 April, with that mouthwatering fixture followed by the meeting of last season’s beaten finalists, ASM Clermont Auvergne, and Leicester Tigers at Stade Marcel-Michelin.
The Saturday schedule will be completed when No 1 seeds, Ulster Rugby, host Saracens at Ravenhill in a repeat of the 2013 quarter-final won 27-16 by Saracens at Twickenham Stadium, while Sunday, 6 April will feature the first match between reigning champions, Toulon, and three-time winners, Leinster Rugby at Stade Felix Mayol.
Sunday also sees Bath Rugby hosting Brive at the Recreation Ground in the Amlin Challenge Cup in a reprise of the 1998 Heineken Cup decider, with the weekend wrapped up later in the day when two former Amlin Challenge Cup winners, London Wasps and Gloucester Rugby, meet in their quarter-final at Adams Park.
Earlier in the schedule, Harlequins will travel to Paris to take on Stade Francais on Friday, 4 April in a repeat of the 2011 Amlin Challenge Cup final.
All eight high-profile fixtures will be televised live with the transmissions going out to up to 150 countries worldwide.
HEINEKEN CUP QUARTER-FINALS
(All kick-offs local time)
Saturday 5 April
Munster Rugby v Toulouse, Thomond Park (13.30)
Sky Sports/Canal +
ASM Clermont Auvergne v Leicester Tigers, Stade Marcel-Michelin (17.00)
FR 2/Sky Sports
Ulster Rugby v Saracens, Ravenhill (18.30)
Sky Sports/Canal +
Sunday 6 April
Toulon v Leinster Rugby, Stade Félix Mayol (17.30)
FR 2/Sky Sports
SEMI-FINALS
Matches to be played on weekend of 25, 26, 27 April
Semi-final 1: Ulster Rugby or Saracens v ASM Clermont Auvergne or Leicester Tigers
Semi-final 2: Toulon or Leinster Rugby v Munster Rugby or Toulouse
Heineken Cup final: Saturday 24 May, Millennium Stadium (17.00)
AMLIN CHALLENGE CUP QUARTER-FINALS
(All kick-offs local time)
Thursday 3 April
Sale Sharks v Northampton Saints, AJ Bell Stadium (20.00)
Sky Sports / Eurosport FR
Friday 4 April
Stade Francais Paris v Harlequins, Stade Jean Bouin (21.00)
FR 4/Sky Sports
Sunday 6 April
Bath Rugby v Brive, Recreation Ground (14.00)
Sky Sports / Eurosport FR
London Wasps v Gloucester Rugby, Adams Park (19.00)
Sky Sports / Eurosport FR
SEMI-FINALS
Matches to be played on weekend of 25, 26, 27 April
Semi-final 1: London Wasps or Gloucester Rugby v Bath Rugby or Brive
Semi-final 2: Sale Sharks or Northampton Saints v Stade Francais Paris or Harlequins
Amlin Challenge Cup final: Friday 23 May, Cardiff Arms Park (20.00)
