Investec Champions Cup Round 16 qualifiers, pairings

By Frank Quinn

THE big lines here are:
Qualifiers 16 : Clubs by Country: France 6, England 5, Ireland 3, (Our three are ranked: 2, 9 & 16 ) Italy 1, and Scotland 1, details below
We have three qualifiers but how you can qualify for anything in an international competition by winning one game out of four at the pool stages like Ulster did. Other clubs had similar dismal records and qualified for the second competition – the Challenge Cup.
Not much rugby sense in that, 24 starters at the pool stage and 20 go through,not very selective, why have a pool stage – just have a 20 qualifier stage. The results have shown up the difference in quality, which is hardly acceptable.
You cannot ignore the other facts here – there are no Welsh Clubs in the Qualifiers and only one from Italy and Scotland. The talent is badly divided (maybe the money is too).
The four highest-ranked clubs in each pool have secured their places in the Round of 16 and the two highest-ranked clubs in each pool will have home advantage.
In accordance with the tournament rules, the pool winners have been ranked 1 to 4, the second-placed clubs have been ranked 5 to 8, the third-placed clubs have been ranked 9 to 12, and the fourth-placed clubs have been ranked 13 to 16.

INVESTEC CHAMPIONS CUP
Round of 16 – 4/5/6 April, Leinster at home. Munster and Ulster on the plane to France
R16 1: Union Bordeaux-Bègles (1) v Ulster Rugby (16)
R16 2: Leinster Rugby (2) v Harlequins (15)
R16 3: Northampton Saints (3) v ASM Clermont Auvergne (14)
R16 4: RC Toulon (4) v Saracens (13)
R16 5: Stade Toulousain (5) v Sale Sharks (12)
R16 6: Castres Olympique (6) v Benetton Rugby (11)
R16 7: Glasgow Warriors (7) v Leicester Tigers (10)
R16 8: Stade Rochelais (8) v Munster Rugby (9)

Quarter-finals – 11/12/13 April
QF 1: Winner R16 1 v Winner R16 8
QF 2: Winner R16 2 v Winner R16 7
QF 3: Winner R16 3 v Winner R16 6
QF 4: Winner R16 4 v Winner R16 5
NB The highest-ranked clubs from the pool stage will have home venue advantage

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

2025 Investec Champions Cup final – Saturday 24 May; Principality Stadium, Cardiff (14.45 local time)

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