The road to London and the Heineken Cup and Amlin Challenge Cup Finals became clearer for sixteen sides this afternoon after the quarter-final fixtures were confirmed and the draw made for the semi-finals.
The Heineken Cup 2011/12 quarter-final rankings are confirmed as:
1 Munster Rugby
2 Leinster Rugby
3 Edinburgh Rugby
4 Saracens
5 ASM Clermont Auvergne
6 Toulouse
7 Cardiff Blues (Best Pool runner-up)
8 Ulster Rugby (Second best Pool runner-up)
The quarter-final matches, to be played the weekend of 6 / 7 / 8 April, will be:
(1) Munster Rugby v Ulster Rugby (8)
(2) Leinster Rugby v Cardiff Blues (7)
(3) Edinburgh Rugby v Toulouse (6)
(4) Saracens v ASM Clermont Auvergne (5)
HEINEKEN CUP SEMI-FINALS
(To be played 28 / 29 April)
The winner of the first named quarter-final in each semi-final pairing will have home country advantage.
Semi-final 1: Saracens or ASM Clermont Auvergne v Leinster Rugby or Cardiff Blues
Semi-final 2: Munster Rugby or Ulster Rugby v Edinburgh Rugby or Toulouse
The Amlin Challenge Cup 2011/12 quarter-final rankings are confirmed as::
1 Stade Français Paris (Top ranked ACC Pool winner)
2 Brive (Second ranked ACC Pool winner)
3 Toulon (Third ranked ACC Pool winner)
4 London Wasps (Fourth ranked ACC Pool winner)
5 Biarritz Olympique (Third best Heineken Cup Pool runner-up)
6 Harlequins (Fourth best Heineken Cup Pool runner-up)
7 Scarlets (Fifth best Heineken Cup Pool runner-up)
8 Exeter Chiefs (Fifth ranked ACC Pool winner)
The quarter-final matches, to be played 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 April, will be:
1 Stade Français Paris (ACC 1) v 8 Exeter Chiefs (ACC 5)
2 Brive (ACC 2) v 7 Scarlets (Heineken Cup 3)
3 Toulon (ACC 3) v 6 Harlequins (Heineken Cup 2)
4 London Wasps (ACC 4) v 5 Biarritz Olympique (Heineken Cup 1)
AMLIN CHALLENGE CUP SEMI-FINALS
(To be played 27 / 28 / 29 April)
The winner of the first named quarter-final in each semi-final pairing will have home advantage.
Semi-final 1: Toulon or Harlequins v Stade Français Paris or Exeter Chiefs
Semi-final 2: London Wasps or Biarritz Olympique v Brive or Scarlets
