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Last Eight

All-Ireland derby at the Aviva Stadium as Champions Cup quarters confirmed

Munster, meanwhile, face an away trip to Edinburgh.

DEFENDING EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS Leinster will host Ulster in an All-Ireland Heineken Champions Cup quarter-final at the Aviva Stadium following the completion of the pool stages.

Leo Cullen’s side secured top spot in Pool 1 with a bonus-point victory over Wasps this afternoon, and will continue the defence of their crown against provincial rivals Ulster at the national stadium on the final weekend of March. 

Adam Byrne, Josh van der Flier and Hugh O'Sullivan celebrate winning Leinster celebrate their win over Wasps. Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO

Munster, meanwhile, will travel to Murrayfield to face Richard Cockerill’s Edinburgh in the last eight, as the quarter-final line-up is confirmed.

Top seeds Saracens will go head-to-head with Glasgow Warriors at Allianz Park, while it will be an all-French affair in the fourth quarter-final, as Racing 92 host four-time winners Toulouse in Paris.

The ties will be played over 29/30/31 March, with confirmation of dates, kick-off times and TV coverage to follow from tournament organisers EPCR.

Both Leinster and Munster progressed through to the knockout stages as pool winners, while Ulster advanced from Pool 4 as one of the best runners-up following their round six win over Leicester Tigers on Saturday afternoon.

It is the first time the northern province have reached the quarter-finals in five years, while Connacht’s progression through to the Challenge Cup last eight means all four provinces will play knockout European rugby after the Six Nations for the first time.  

Following confirmation of the quarter-final line-up, the possible Champions Cup semi-final pairings will be as follows:

  • Semi-final 1: winner of QF 1: Saracens v Glasgow Warriors will play the winner of QF 2: Edinburgh Rugby v Munster Rugby
  • Semi-final 2: winner of QF 3: Leinster Rugby v Ulster Rugby will play the winner of QF 4: Racing 92 v Toulouse

Champions Cup quarter-final line-up:

  • QF 1: Saracens v Glasgow Warriors, Allianz Park
  • QF 2: Edinburgh Rugby v Munster Rugby, BT Murrayfield
  • QF 3: Leinster Rugby v Ulster Rugby, Aviva Stadium
  • QF 4: Racing 92 v Toulouse, Paris La Défense Arena.

Champions Cup qualifiers:

1. Saracens (winner Pool 3 – 28 points)
2. Racing 92 (winner Pool 4 – 26 points)
3. Leinster Rugby (winner Pool 1 – 25 points)
4. Edinburgh Rugby (winner Pool 5 – 23 points)
5. Munster Rugby (winner Pool 2 – 21 points)
6. Ulster Rugby (best pool runner-up – 22 points)
7. Toulouse (second best pool runner-up – 21 points)
8. Glasgow Warriors (third best pool runner-up – 19 points). 

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