Investec Champions Cup quarter finals: Match by-match guide

The Investec Champions Cup is gearing up for an epic showdown between European heavyweights in this weekend’s quarter-finals. From the 11-13 April, rivalries will be reignited and exciting match-ups are on the horizon, with a place in the semi-finals at stake and ultimately, a spot at Cardiff’s 2025 Finals.

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KEY MATCH INFORMATION

Leinster Rugby v Glasgow Warriors

Friday - Aviva Stadium (8pm)

The quarter-finals are set to begin win an exciting clash, as last years’ United Rugby Cchampionship Champions Glasgow Warriors head to the Aviva Stadium to face Irish powerhouse Leinster Rugby, with international stars featured in both squads.

The Scottish team delivered a real statement of intent in the Round of 16, with a six-try defeat over Leicester Tigers to set up the quarter-final between the two sides. And while taking on Leinster Rugby represents a challenge for the Glasgow team, head coach Franco Smith is confident in the depth of talent in his squad: “A lot of our team played (at the Aviva) last year in the Six Nations. Let’s step up to the plate now. We are going to try and give it a full go.”

Leinster Rugby are currently unbeaten in the Investec Champions Cup this season, however Coach Leo Cullen highlighted the oppositions away form: “Glasgow are obviously URC champions and going really well under Franco Smith. They have so much experience from Scottish internationals littered throughout their squad and dynamic in the way they play.

“You saw particularly away from home last season, (in URC) winning away in Thomond in the semi-final, and then they won away in Loftus in the final, so they are pretty comfortable being on the road. They have a hell of a lot of threats across the board.”

The two have plenty of history in the competition having met eight times previously, however they haven’t come head-to-head since 2018.

Union Bordeaux-Bègles v Munster Rugby

Saturday - Stade Chaban-Delmas (4pm)

The Red Army of Munster Rugby will take on Union Bordeaux-Bègles at Stade Chaban-Delmas to kick off Saturdays action.

Munster Rugby secured passage to the quarter finals thanks in part to Jack Crowley’s expert drop goal sending them through at the expense of Stade Rochelais by just one point – a moment which Ronan O’Gara hailed as ‘brilliant’, saying: “It was pretty ironic how they won it, getting it out to eight points with a peach of a drop-goal. I’ve seen a lot of good drop goals but that’s a top-class one.”

Like Leinster Rugby, hosts Union Bordeaux-Bègles are unbeaten in the competition so far this season, having seen off Ulster Rugby last Sunday to secure their place in the quarter finals.

Munster Rugby have won the Champions Cup twice, in 2006 and 2008, while Union Bordeaux-Bègles have never progressed beyond the semi-final, where they were knocked out by Stade Toulousain in 2021. However, their strong form this season has firmly positioned them as one of the favourites and having never met Munster Rugby in the competition previously, it’s set to be a huge encounter.

Northampton Saints v Castres Olympique

Saturday - cinch Stadium @ Franklin's Gardens (5.30pm)

Premiership Champions Northampton Saints booked their place in the last eight with a superb 46-24 win against Clermont Auvergne at home last weekend. They now look forward to another home tie, against a Castres Olympique side who secured their place in the quarter finals for the first time since 2002 when Jeremy Fernandez converted his own try in the final minute to win 39-37 against Benetton Rugby.

The two sides have plenty of history in the competition having met 11 times previously. The most recent was in this season's opening Round of the Investec Champions Cup, with Northampton Saints delivering a dominant performance at home defeating Castres Olympique 38-8. Rivalries will now be renewed as last season’s semi-finalists Northampton will be looking to that home advantage again.

RC Toulon v Stade Toulousain

Sunday - Stade Félix Mayol (4pm)

Sunday’s match will see a mighty clash of the French giants, as defending champions Stade Toulousain travel to rivals and three-time winners RC Toulon in their battle for the semi finals and their first ever Investec Champions Cup meeting.

RC Toulon booked their place in the quarter finals with an outstanding 10-try win over Saracens, while Stade Toulousain saw off Sale Sharks with a dominate second-half performance.

Playing away from home, Stade Toulousain’s Jack Willis’ says this season is a whole different challenge to last: “It’s a different route to last year, when we had a ‘home’ run-in. This year will be different - away game after away game. We’ll have to be at our best if we want to win next weekend.”

The two have taken one win a piece off each other in their TOP 14 clashes this season, and there’s no doubt this French derby will be a mouth-watering contest.

Every quarter final match will be televised live across several platforms, including Premier Sports in the UK and Ireland, beIN SPORTS in France, SuperSport in South Africa, and FloRugby in the USA and Canada. Fans in France will also enjoy select free-to-air coverage on France Télévisions, while RTÉ in Ireland and EPCR’s OTT platform, EPCRugby.TV, will provide additional coverage. EPCRugby.TV is the exclusive home of the Investec Champions Cup in Italy.

Meanwhile, the Glasgow Warriors No 8, Henco Venter, has been suspended for six weeks following the decision of an independent Disciplinary Committee arising from the Investec Champions Cup Round of 16 match between Glasgow Warriors and Leicester Tigers at Scotstoun Stadium on Saturday.

Venter was cited by the match Citing Commissioner, Adrien Menez (France), for making contact with the eye of the Leicester Tigers prop, Dan Cole (No 3), in the second minute of the match, in contravention of Law 9.12 - Intentional contact with eye(s).

An independent Disciplinary Committee comprising Richard Whittam KC (England, Chair), Ken Owens (Wales) and Marcello d’Orey (Portugal) heard the case by video conference on Tuesday.

Venter accepted he had committed an act of foul play and that it would have warranted a red card but that it was not intentional. The Committee heard evidence and submissions from the player and his representatives and from the EPCR Disciplinary Officer, Liam McTiernan.

The Committee determined that Venter had made reckless contact with the eye, in contravention of Law 9.12 and accordingly upheld the citing.

It was decided that the offending was at the mid-range of World Rugby’s sanctions and 12 weeks was selected as the appropriate entry point.

Taking into account the player’s timely acceptance that he had committed an act of foul play that would have warranted a red card, his expression of remorse, clean disciplinary record and good conduct and full participation in the disciplinary hearing, the independent Disciplinary Committee decided to reduce the sanction by the maximum of 50% before imposing a six-week suspension.

The precise matches to which the sanction applies is subject to confirmation of the club’s upcoming fixture list.

Both the player and EPCR have the right to appeal the decision.

The Castres Olympique centre, Adrien Seguret has been suspended for three weeks following the decision of an independent Disciplinary Committee.

Seguret was shown a red card during his club’s Investec Champions Cup Round of 16 match against Benetton Rugby at Stade Pierre Fabre on Saturday.

Seguret was sent off by the referee, Karl Dickson (England), in the 43rd minute of the match for tackling the Benetton Rugby flyhalf, Tomas Albornoz, in a dangerous manner in contravention of Law 9.13 - A player must not tackle an opponent early, late or dangerously.

An independent Disciplinary Committee comprising Mark Curran (Ireland, Chair), Simon Thomas (Wales) and Jonathan Rennie (Scotland) heard the case via video conference on Monday.

Seguret accepted that he had committed an act of foul play which would have warranted a red card and the independent Disciplinary Committee decided the offending was at the mid-range of World Rugby’s sanctions and selected six weeks as the appropriate entry point.

Taking into account the player’s timely acceptance of the charge, his good disciplinary record and full cooperation with the disciplinary process, the independent Disciplinary Committee elected to apply the full 50% mitigation and reduced the sanction to three weeks.

Seguret will be free to play again on Monday 28 April. However, if he applies for and successfully completes a World Rugby Coaching intervention course, he will be free to play on Monday 21 April.

Both the player and EPCR have the right to appeal the decision.