Dates And Times Confirmed For Concluding Champions Cup Pool Games
The exact dates, kick-off times and live television coverage for the decisive round 5 and 6 fixtures in the European Rugby Champions Cup were announced by EPCR today.
With the five pool winners and the three best runners-up set to book their places in the Champions Cup quarter-finals, the tension-packed January matches will once again produce a dramatic conclusion to the pool stages.
Leinster, who have a five-point lead at the top of Pool 4, will kick-off the round 5 action by hosting Montpellier at the RDS on Friday, January 13 (kick-off 7.45pm). Leo Cullen’s men wrap up the pool stages away to Castres Olympique the following Friday (kick-off 8.45pm local time/7.45pm Irish time).
After playing their game in hand against Racing 92, Pool 1 hopefuls Munster will travel to current leaders Glasgow Warriors on Saturday, January 14 (kick-off 5.30pm) before hosting Racing in their final round clash the following Saturday at Thomond Park (kick-off 5.30pm).
Two bonus point wins could still see Ulster advance from Pool 5, with Les Kiss’ men travelling to Exeter Chiefs on Sunday, January 15 (kick-off 5.30pm) and then negotiating a shorter turnaround for their round 6 showdown with Bordeaux-Begles in Belfast on Saturday, January 21 (kick-off 1pm).
The current three-way tie between Connacht, Toulouse and Wasps in Pool 2 is set for a fascinating conclusion. Pat Lam’s charges could edge in front after hosting Zebre at the Sportsground on Saturday, January 14 (kick-off 1pm), and then Sunday, January 22 is D-day when Connacht visit Toulouse and Wasps make the trip to Parma – both games will kick off at 4.15pm local time/3.15pm Irish time.
Click here for the Round 5 and 6 European Champions Cup fixtures
– Before the new tournament format was introduced in 2014/15, no pool winners had qualified for the last-eight in Europe’s top flight on less than 17 points since bonus points were introduced in 2003/04, however, Exeter Chiefs booked their place in last season’s Champions Cup quarter-finals with 16 points which indicates that there is still much to play for next month
– Leinster and Montpellier get round 5 underway at the Arena on Friday, January 13 – live on Sky Sports. Both teams have won one of their past three meetings with the other match drawn. Montpellier have lost on each of their two visits to Ireland in European club rugby’s elite tournament
– With the fixtures in the same Champions Cup pools kicking off at the same time in round 6, and with all games televised live by either BT Sport, Sky Sports, beIN Sports, France Televisions or Sky Italia, the final weekend of the pool stages is certain to generate the customary nerve-tingling excitement
– The rescheduled Champions Cup match between Racing 92 and Munster on Saturday, January 7 will have a major bearing on the Pool 1 standings going into rounds 5 and 6
– With qualification for the knockout stages at stake in rounds 5 and 6, there is plenty for supporters to get excited about. This season, the tournament has attracted over half a million fans through turnstiles across Europe
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