After two fascinating weeks of URC rugby, the Investec Champions Cup takes over for a couple of weekends, as we look to whittle down 16 teams to the final four across the next fortnight.
Leinster, Munster and Ulster all come into the weekend with varying levels of hope and expectation in the Champions Cup Round of 16, wile Connacht will be aiming to put their poor URC form behind them and go on a run in the Challenge Cup.
Leinster are the first of the Irish provinces in action this weekend, with Leo Cullen's side back at Croke Park where a crowd of around 60,000 is expected to descend on Drumcondra for their meeting with Harlequins.
Later on Saturday, Munster and La Rochelle face off for the very first time, a Ronan O'Gara-derby in the west of France, where Munster will be hoping to pull off a famous upset against the two-time champions.
If Munster beating La Rochelle would be a surprise, then Ulster defeating Union Bordeaux-Begles would be a shock. They meet in the early Sunday game, having previously crossed paths in Pool 1 in December, the French side winning 40-19 that night in Belfast.
Connacht are also in action on Saturday night. Head coach Pete Wilkins remains on sick leave, so Cullie Tucker will once again lead up the coaching team for their Challenge Cup Round of 16 meeting with Cardiff in Galway.
TV
Leinster v Harlequins is live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player, with coverage beginning at 2.15pm.
La Rochelle v Munster (Saturday, 5.30pm) and Bordeaux-Begles v Ulster (Sunday, 12.30pm) are both live on Premier Sports.
Connacht v Cardiff (Saturday, 8pm) in the Challenge Cup is also live on Premier Sports.
ONLINE
We'll have live scores updates, reports and reaction from from all games.
RADIO
Listen to live commentary of La Rochelle v Munster on RTÉ Radio 1's Saturday Sport, while there will also be regular updates from Leinster v Harlequins.
WEATHER
It's expected to be a dry, sunny day in Dublin on Saturday for Leinster v Harlequins, but it will be chilly at times, with temperatures topping out at 12C.
It will be just as sunny in La Rochelle on Saturday evening, and slightly warmer, with temperatures of 16C forecast.
Down in Bordeaux, it's likely to hit 21C for the meeting of UBB and Ulster on Sunday, with a small chance of rain during the afternoon.
Meanwhile, it will be a mild night in Galway on Saturday for Connacht v Cardiff in the Challenge Cup, with 14C forecast, but it's also likely to be a gusty evening.
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These two sides have played each other in multiple pre-season friendlies across the last few seasons, and traded wins in an exciting pool stage back in 2014/15, but their quarter-final meeting in 2009 remains one of the most infamous games in this tournament's history.
Leinster were 6-5 winners that day at The Stoop, and they would go on to become champions for the very first time the following month, but the fallout from this game lasted several months after the Bloodgate scandal, when Harlequins faked a blood injury to get their star out-half Nick Evans back onto the pitch.
Sixteen years on, Leinster are now chasing their fifth title, and are heavy favourites to get back to the final for the fourth year in a row at the very least, earning a top seed on their side of the draw to give them home advantage for this weekend, as well as any prospective quarter or semi-final.
The province won all four games in the pool stage earlier this season, including a gritty win away to La Rochelle. By contrast, Harlequins limped into the last 16, with a win at home against Glasgow Warriors enough for them to pip Racing 92 on points difference.
It's been a season of inconsistency for Danny Wilson's side, who are down in seventh place in the Premiership, with six wins, six defeats and a draw from their 13 games.
Leinster: Hugo Keenan, Jamie Osborne, Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw, James Lowe, Sam Prendergast, Jamison Gibson-Park, Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Rabah Slimani, Joe McCarthy, RG Snyman; Jack Conan, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris (capt)
Replacements: Gus McCarthy, Jack Boyle, Tadhg Furlong, Ryan Baird, Max Deegan Luke McGrath, Ross Byrne, Jordie Barrett
Harlequins: Leigh Halfpenny; Tyrone Green, Oscar Beard, Ben Waghorn, Nick David; Marcus Smith, Will Porter; Fin Baxter, Jack Walker, Titi Lamositele; Joe Launchbury, Chandler Cunningham-South; Jack Kenningham, Will Evans, Alex Dombrandt (capt)
Replacements: Sam Riley, Wyn Jones, Simon Kerrod, Irne Herbst, George Hammond, Danny Care, Jamie Benson, Luke Northmore
Referee: Pierre Brousset (FFR)
Leinster's drive for European star number five continues apace when they face Harlequins in the Champions Cup on Saturday
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) April 4, 2025
📺 Watch live on @rte2 & @rteplayer from 2.15pm pic.twitter.com/Y8Uq8eqN6f
It was bound to happen at some stage, and if anything, it's remarkable that Munster and La Rochelle are only crossing paths for the first time this weekend.
Ronan O'Gara has coached against his former side before, but when he faced Munster with Racing 92 back in 2016, he did so as an assistant coach, rather then the head coach he is on Saturday.
The former Ireland out-half will be forever remembered at Stade Rochelais as the man to bring them their first ever major trophy when he won the Champions Cup in 2022, before repeating that trick the following year, while they came within seconds of winning a maiden Top14 in 2023.
This season, the French giants have hit a rough patch. Currently tenth in the Top14, they're in danger of missing out on the play-off 'barrage'; and in the middle of an eight-game winless run in all competitions.
Munster come into the game off the back of a morale-boosting 30-24 win and performance away to Connacht, with Jean Kleyn, Craig Casey, Peter O'Mahony and Thaakir Abrahams all back from injury. However, Alex Nankivell's suspension is a major blow for Ian Costello's side.
It's 23 years since Munster last won a Champions Cup knockout game away in France, dating back to their semi-final win against Castres in 2002.
La Rochelle: Dillyn Leyds; Jack Nowell, Teddy Thomas, UJ Seuteni, Hoani Bosmorin; Ihaia West, Tawera Kerr-Barlow; Reda Wardi, Pierre Bourgarit, Uini Atonio; Thomas Lavault, Will Skelton; Levani Botia, Oscar Jegou, Grégory Alldritt (capt)
Replacements: Quentin Lespiaucq, Alexandre Kaddouri, Aleksandre Kuntelia, Ultan Dillane, Judicael Cancoriet, Matthias Haddad, Antoine Hastoy, Jules Favre
Munster: Thaakir Abrahams; Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Seán O'Brien, Andrew Smith; Jack Crowley, Craig Casey; Jeremy Loughman, Diarmuid Barron, Oli Jager; Jean Kleyn, Tadhg Beirne (capt); Peter O’Mahony, John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes
Replacements: Niall Scannell, Josh Wycherley, Stephen Archer, Fineen Wycherley, Tom Ahern, Conor Murray, Rory Scannell, Alex Kendellen
Referee: Andrea Piardi (FIR)
When Ulster snuck their way through to the Champions Cup Round of 16 back in January, their prize for doing so looked more like a punishment.
Bordeaux-Begles don't have an extensive history in this competition, although Yannick Bru's side look like genuine contenders for the title this season.
There's plenty of Irish interest at UBB, with Clare's Noel McNamara as backs' coach and Joey Carbery at out-half, and they picked up a maximum 20 points in the pool stage, scoring a remarkable 211 points in four games.
Forty of those points came against Ulster in Belfast in December. On that night, Ulster were 19-14 in front with 20 minutes to play, before the French side ran riot in the final quarter, scoring 26 points without reply to cruise to victory.
If there is a glimmer of hope for Ulster tonight, Bordeaux aren't at full-strength. Six Nations Player of the Tournament Louis Bielle-Biarrey is rested, while Nicolas Depoortere and Artur Retiere are also unavailable, while Jonny Gray and Carlu Sadie are missing from the pack.
Carbery starts at out-half ahead of Matthieu Jalibert, who is carrying a knock after last week's defeat against Racing 92.
Bordeaux-Begles: Romain Buros; Damian Penaud, Yoram Moefana, Ben Tapuai, Pablo Uberti; Joey Carbery, Maxime Lucu (capt); Jefferson Poirot, Maxime Lamothe, Ben Tameifuna; Cyril Cazeaux, Adam Coleman; Mahamadou Diaby, Guido Petti, Pete Samu
Replacements: Romain Latterrade, Matis Perchaud, Sipili Falatea, Pierre Bochaton, Bastien Vergnes-Taillefer, Yann Lesgourgues, Rohan Janse van Rensburg, Matthieu Jalibert
Ulster: Michael Lowry; Zac Ward, James Hume, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale; Jack Murphy, John Cooney; Andrew Warwick, Rob Herring, Tom O'Toole; Alan O'Connor (capt), Kieran Treadwell; James McNabney, Nick Timoney, David McCann
Replacements: Tom Stewart, Callum Reid, Scott Wilson, Matthew Dalton, Matty Rea, Nathan Doak, Aidan Morgan, Stewart Moore
Referee: Luke Pearce (RFU)
With Connacht back in 13th place in the URC, their best shot at Champions Cup qualification might be through this competition, where the winners are guaranteed a seat at the top table of European rugby.
A perfect pool stage has given them a clear path to the final, and while they would have to knock off some good sides along the way, they do have home advantage right up to the final, should they get there.
This will actually be the third meeting of these teams in three months, with Connacht defeating the Welsh side in the final game of the pool stage, and in the URC, among four wins in a row against Cardiff in this fixture.
The province have actually won seven of the last nine meetings of the teams, while Cardiff's last win in Galway came back in 2017.
Connacht: Mack Hansen; Shayne Bolton, Hugh Gavin, Bundee Aki, Finn Treacy; JJ Hanrahan, Matthew Devine; Jordan Duggan, Dave Heffernan (captain), Finlay Bealham; Oisín Dowling, Darragh Murray; Josh Murphy, Shamus Hurley-Langton, Sean Jansen
Replacements: Dylan Tierney-Martin, Denis Buckley, Jack Aungier, Niall Murray, Paul Boyle, Caolin Blade, Josh Ioane, Piers O'Conor
Cardiff: Cam Winnett; Josh Adams, Rey Lee-Lo, Ben Thomas, Harri Millard; Callum Sheedy, Johan Mulder; Danny Southworth, Liam Belcher (capt), Keiron Assiratti; Josh McNally, Teddy Williams; Alun Lawrence, James Botham, Taulupe Faletau
Replacements: Evan Lloyd, Corey Domachowski, Rhys Litterick, Rory Thornton, Alex Mann, Thomas Young, Ellis Bevan, Rory Jennings
Referee: Luc Ramos (FFR)
The Champions Cup Round of 16 gets under way on Friday night, with Premiership champions Northampton Saints hosting Clermont Auvergne at 8pm.
The early Saturday kick-off sees two former giants meeting in France, with Toulon against Saracens at 12.30pm, followed by Castres v Benetton at 3pm.
The late Saturday game pits URC champions Glasgow Warriors against Leicester Tigers, with the winners set to face Leinster in the quarter-final, providing Leo Cullen's side can get past Harlequins.
The remaining Champions Cup game of the weekend sees defending champions Toulouse hosting Sale Sharks, with kick-off at 3pm.
