Investec Champions Cup Round of 16: Match by-match guide as tournament reaches knockout stages

The Investec Champions Cup returns with a thrilling weekend of knockout rugby as the Round of 16 kicks off.

The Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup are now the biggest stage for stars to shine on before the British & Irish Lions squad is announced on May 8. With impressive performances so far this season from the likes of Sam Prendergast (Leinster Rugby), Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints), Fin Smith (Northampton Saints), Blair Kinghorn (Stade Toulousain) and more, their knockout stage performances may prove crucial in sealing their seats this summer.

Northampton Saints v ASM Clermont Auvergne

Friday, April 4 – cinch Stadium @ Franklin’s Gardens

The reigning Gallagher Premiership title holders finished top of their pool thanks to wins over Castres Olympique, Vodacom Bulls and Munster Rugby, and a losing bonus point against Stade Français Paris, giving them a third-placed ranking overall in the knockouts. They are among the competition’s top try-scorers, averaging five per match, two of which came from Freeman – which alongside his historic five-score feat in the Six Nations, has firmly put him in contention for a Lions spot.

Clermont started their season strong with a 28-0 win over Benetton Rugby in Round 1, but losses to Leinster Rugby and Bath Rugby left them in a qualification battle with Bristol Bears in Round 4, which they secured thanks to an 85th minute try.

The two sides have plenty of history in EPCR competitions, their most recent meeting being in the 2019 EPCR Challenge Cup quarter finals, when the French side blew Saints away 61-38.

RC Toulon v Saracens

Saturday, April 5 – Stade Félix Mayol

Saturday’s action kicks off with two three-time champions going head-to-head as RC Toulon host Saracens.

The French squad, who topped their pool with wins over DHL Stormers, Glasgow Warriors and Harlequins, boast the best goalkicking success rate so far this season at 93.8%, with Baptiste Serin slotting 12 of his 13 kicks at goal.

Saracens had a challenging pool stage, beating Vodacom Bulls and Stade Français Paris before losses to Munster Rugby and Castres Olympique leaving them fourth in the pool.

The two teams have a rich history in the competition. RC Toulon secured the second of their three titles by defeating Saracens in the 2014 Final. However, Saracens got their revenge in the 2016/17 season, beating Toulon both home and away on their way to winning their second title.

Leinster Rugby v Harlequins

Saturday, April 5 – Croke Park

Four-time winners Leinster Rugby welcome Harlequins to Dublin, after an unbeaten pool stage secured home country advantage. The Irish club has a host of stars gunning for a place in the Lion’s squad this summer, not least Caelan Doris, who is tipped by many to take the captaincy, as well as Jamison Gibson-Park and Hugo Keenan. It will also be a fascinating battle of the 10s between Marcus Smith and Prendergast, not just for a place in the Investec Champions Cup quarter-finals but for a Lions shirt.

Harlequins’ convincing Round 4 win over Glasgow Warriors saw them keep their knockout stage hopes alive to qualify for the Round of 16 in 15th place.

The last time the two met in the competition was back in 2014 as they took a win off each other in the pool stage but with Harlequins’ ability to upset the odds away from home after their 42-41 quarter final win away to Union Bordeaux Bègles last season, expect a high intensity match.

Castres Olympique v Benetton Rugby

Saturday, April 5 – Stade Pierre-Fabre

Castres Olympique will host Benetton Rugby with both involved in arguably two of the biggest surprises in Round 4.

Castres came from behind to conquer Saracens on the road, their first away win in the competition since 2012, to secure their first knockout spot since 2002, thanks in part to a strong kicking game with an average competition-high of 34.3 kicks per match.

Benetton's impressive defence however could provide a significant challenge for the French side, as fans saw in Round 4, when the Italians’ held on against recent two-time champions Stade Rochelais to claim a spot in the knockouts for the first time in their history.

Stade Rochelais v Munster Rugby

Saturday, April 5 – Stade Marcel Deflandre

In an Investec Champions Cup blockbuster, Saturday will see the 'Ronan O’Gara' derby as his Stade Rochelais men welcome his former side Munster Rugby to Stade Marcel Deflandre.

O’Gara finished his playing career with two Champions Cup trophies with Munster, along with the most individual points in the competition’s history, before claiming back-to-back titles with the French side in his first few seasons as a head coach.

Stade Rochelais beat Bath Rugby and Bristol Bears in the opening two rounds this season before falling to Leinster Rugby in Round 3, with their losing bonus point against Benetton Rugby enough to see them secure a home knock-out.

Munster have had an up-and-down pool stage, powering past Stade Français in Round 1 before losing to Castres, then impressively seeing off Saracens, only to lose to Northampton Saints in Round 4.

A match that it sure to draw big emotions from the players, fans and of course O’Gara, the sides have never met in the Investec Champions Cup.

Glasgow Warriors v Leicester Tigers

Saturday, April 5 – Scotstoun Stadium

Saturday concludes with reigning United Rugby Championship winners Glasgow Warriors hosting two-time champions Leicester Tigers at Scotstoun – the first time Glasgow have played an Investec Champions Cup knockout game at home.

Warriors topped their pool after bonus-point wins against Sale Sharks and Racing 92, along with a losing bonus point against RC Toulon. They have the best tackle success rate of all teams at 82.6% and they have also won an average of 9.8 turnovers per match, the fourth highest in the competition.

Leicester Tigers secured their place in the knockouts with wins against Hollywoodbets Sharks and Ulster Rugby in the pool stage despite heavy defeats against Union Bordeaux-Bègles and title-holders Stade Toulousain. So far this season, the Tigers have averaged the most dominant carries (30) and post-contact metres (178) per match, with Freddie Steward having the third-most carries in the Investec Champions Cup so far this season, a total of 68.

The Scots won the last two encounters between the two sides in the 2016/17 season pool stages, after Tigers beat them on the way to their first title in 2001.

Union Bordeaux-Bègles v Ulster Rugby

Sunday, April 6 – Stade Chaban-Delmas

Having finished this season’s pool stage with the maximum 20 points, Union Bordeaux-Bègles host Ulster Rugby to kick-off Sunday 6 April.

The French side powered their way to the top spot overall, leading the way with tries scored at 33 – equal with Toulouse – and more than any other team in the first four rounds in the history of the competition. 10 of those came from Damian Penaud, a record-breaking number of pool stage tries including six in Round 4.

Ulster Rugby saved the best for last in the Pool stages, with Cormac Izuchukwu scoring a hat-trick, Ben Carson making five clean breaks – more than any Ulster player has made in any competition in the last six seasons – and Jude Postlethwaite made more dominant collisions than any other player to secure their place in the knockouts after a bonus-point win against Exeter Chiefs.

The two sides met in Round 2 of the Pool stage, with Bordeaux winning 19-40 at Kingspan Stadium.

Stade Toulousain v Sale Sharks

Sunday, April 6 – Stadium de Toulouse

To conclude the Round of 16, current title holders Stade Toulousain welcome Sale Sharks to Stadium de Toulouse.

The French side went four from four in the pool stage to finish second in their pool to Union Bordeaux-Bègles. Ange Cappuozzo made more metres than any other player in Round 4 (181), while Jack Willis won six turnovers – more than any other player has won in a match in the last five seasons of Investec Champions Cup.

Sale Sharks secured their spot in the knockouts in the very last pool stage game, beating RC Toulon with a bonus point, thanks in part to Tom Curry making more dominant tackles than any other player in the round.

The sides have met four-times previously in the competition, the last in 2023, with Stade Toulousain winning every encounter so far.

The Investec Champions Cup is set for another unforgettable knockout stage, and rugby fans can look forward to thrilling action as the road to the final begins.

Every Round of 16 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.