Ospreys head to Saracens in Heineken Champions Cup

Having already to beaten the reigning French champions, Montpellier, and the English champions, Leicester Tigers, away from home, Toby Booth’s Ospreys have been given the task of beating three-time Heineken Champions Cup winners Saracens to reach this season’s quarter-finals. 

Even though Saracens were beaten in Edinburgh in their final pool game, they did enough to finish fourth in Pool A to set-up a clash with an Ospreys outfit that finished fifth in Pool B. The game is due to be played on the weekend of 31-March- 2 April.

It won’t be the first time the two teams have met in the knock-out stages of the Champions Cup. Saracens came out on top, having gone into the game as huge underdogs, 19-10 in the quarter-finals back in 2008. Since then, they have met four times in pool matches, with the Sarries winning the and drawing the other.

The eight highest-ranked clubs in each pool have secured their places in the Round of 16 which will be played on the weekend of 31 March-1/2 April and the four highest-ranked clubs in each pool will have home advantage.

The winners of the game will move on to a quarter-final against the winners of the game between reigning champions La Rochelle and Gloucester away from home

HEINEKEN CHAMPIONS CUP KNOCK-OUT STAGE FIXTURES

Round of 16 – 31 March-1/2 April 
R16 1: Leinster Rugby v Ulster
R16 2: Exeter Chiefs v Montpellier
R16 3: Sharks v Munster
R16 4: Saracens v Ospreys
R16 5: Leicester Tigers v Edinburgh
R16 6: Stormers v Harlequins
R16 7: Toulouse v Bulls
R16 8: La Rochelle v Gloucester
NB The four highest-ranked clubs in each pool have home advantage

Quarter-finals – 7/8/9 April 
QF 1: Winner R16 1 v Winner R16 5
QF 2: Winner R16 7 v Winner R16 3
QF 3: Winner R16 2 v Winner R16 6
QF 4: Winner R16 8 v Winner R16 4
NB The highest-ranked clubs from the pool stage will have home advantage

Semi-finals – 28/29/30 April 
SF 1: Winner QF 1 v Winner QF 2
SF 2: Winner QF 3 v Winner QF 4
NB The matches will be played in Europe and the highest-ranked clubs from the pool stage will have home country advantage

2023 Heineken Champions Cup final: Saturday 20 May; Aviva Stadium, Dublin

The following Champions Cup clubs have qualified for the Round of 16 of the EPCR Challenge Cup:
Pool A – Lyon, Racing 92
Pool B – Clermont Auvergne, Sale Sharks