Munster will go head-to-head with club legend and former out-half Ronan O'Gara as they will face La Rochelle in the last 16 of the Investec Champions Cup.
The Thomond Park side finished third in the pool following Saturday's defeat to Northampton Saints and now face a daunting trip to Stade Marcel-Deflandre to face the 2022 and 2023 champions in their quest to reach the quarter-finals.
Leinster will enjoy a home tie, set to be played at Croke Park, against Harlequins.
Sale's 33-7 defeat of Toulon meant Leo Cullen’s side finished as overall second seeds, ensuring the four-time tournament winners enjoy home advantage through the knockout stages.
Leinster signalled their intention to end recent final setbacks with a hugely impressive win over Bath at the weekend, and the men in blue have been pitted on the opposite side of the draw to inform Bordeaux and Toulouse.
YOUR ROUND OF 16 MATCH UPS 🔥🔥🔥
— Investec Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) January 19, 2025
Best tie? 😍#InvestecChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/qpbvpwpupn
Ulster will also face a tough challenge in the first knockout stage as they travel to take on Bordeaux Begles, the team that aided their progress to the last 16.
Bordeaux's demolition of the Hollywoodbets Sharks in their final European Champions Cup Pool 1 game allowed Ulster to sneak through to the knockout stages where they will take on the tournament's top seeds.
Ulster won just one of their four Pool 1 games – a Cormac Izuchukwu hat-trick inspiring the province to a 52-24 hammering of Exeter Chiefs on Friday night – but knew that a favour from Bordeaux would earn a European reprieve.
Level with the Sharks in the standings, Murphy’s side needed Bordeaux to win by more than 28 points at Stade Chaban Delmas, while denying the Sharks any losing bonus.
At half-time it looked a tall order as the hosts led by just seven points despite a Damian Penaud’s hat-trick, but the floodgates opened after the interval as Bordeaux reeled off 47 unanswered points to win 66-12.
The quarter-final and semi-final draws were also made. Munster and Ulster could meet in a last-eight tie, though that would mean both provinces upsetting the odds by landing away wins on French soil.
Leinster, meanwhile, would take on the winner of Glasgow or Leicester should they get the better of Harlequins.
Round of 16 - 4/5/6 April
Bordeaux-Begles v Ulster
Leinster v Harlequins
Northampton v Clermont Auvergne
Toulon v Saracens
Toulouse v Sale
Castres v Benetton
Glasgow v Leicester
La Rochelle v Munster
Quarter-finals - 11/12/13 April
QF 1: Bordeaux-Begles/Ulster v La Rochelle v Munster
QF 2: Leinster Rugby/Harlequins v Glasgow/Leicester
QF 3: Northampton/Clermont Auvergne v Castres/Benetton
QF 4: Toulon/Saracens v Toulouse/Sale
Semi-finals - 2/3/4 May
SF 1: Winner QF 1 v Winner QF 4
SF 2: Winner QF 2 v Winner QF 3
Final - 24 May, Principality Stadium, Cardiff (2.45pm)
