The route to the 2025 Investec Champions Cup final has been confirmed with 16 sides progressing to the knockout stages of the premier club tournament.
Following the final round of pool stage action, the three South African teams (Bulls, Sharks and Stormers) have failed to progress while Bordeaux-Begles, Leinster, Northampton Saints and Toulon top their respective pools.
Joining the top-ranked teams from each Champions Cup pool in the knockout stages are Toulouse, Leicester Tigers, Ulster, La Rochelle, Benetton, Clermont, Castres, Munster, Saracens, Glasgow Warriors, Harlequins and Sale Sharks.
Meanwhile, the Sharks, Bath, Bulls and Racing 92 will drop down to the Challenge Cup knockout stages after finishing in fifth spot in their pools.
This means that Stade Francais, the Stormers, Bristol Bears and Exeter Chiefs’ EPCR journeys have come to a close for the 2024/25 season.
Route to the Champions Cup final
The round of 16 fixtures will take place on the weekend of the April 4, 5 and 6 with the EPCR set to confirm the official dates and kick-off times in due course.
Having finished the pool stages as the top-seeded team, Bordeaux will host Ulster in their last-16 clash. The French powerhouse edged fellow Top 14 rivals, Toulouse, to top spot in Pool 1 which means that Antoine Dupont and co. will tackle Sale Sharks in their first knockout stage match.
Leinster will continue their pursuit of their elusive fifth star when they tackle Harlequins at the Aviva Stadium while last season’s Premiership winners Northampton Saints will host Clermont Auvergne.
After suffering defeats in their final pool stage matches, Toulon and Saracens will collide at Stade Felix Mayol as their Champions Cup rivalry adds yet another chapter.
Meanwhile, it’s the ‘Ronan O’Gara derby’ as the Munster legend hosts his former employers in La Rochelle.
Finally, URC title holders Glasgow Warriors will host Michael Cheika’s Leicester Tigers who were emphatically thrashed in round four.
Champions Cup last-16 fixtures
Bordeaux-Begles v UlsterLeinster v Harlequins
Northampton Saints v Clermont Auvergne
Toulon v Saracens
Toulouse v Sale Sharks
Castres v Benetton
Glasgow Warriors v Leicester Tigers
La Rochelle v Munster
Challenge Cup round of 16 fixtures
Connacht v Cardiff
Montpellier v Gloucester
Edinburgh v Lions
Ospreys v Scarlets
Lyon v Sharks
Bayonne v Bulls
Pau v Bath
Perpignan v Racing 92
