Munster Rugby to face Exeter Chiefs at last 16 stage of Champions Cup

MUNSTER Rugby will face Exeter Chiefs over two legs in the Heineken Champions Cup Round of 16 in April.

The first leg will be played at Sandy Park on the weekend of April 8-10 with the second leg at Thomond Park a week later on the weekend of 15-17 April.

Exact dates and kick-off times will be confirmed by tournament organisers EPCR in due course.

Munster completed their programme of Heineken Champion Cup Pool B fixtures with a thumping 45-7 bonus point victory over Wasps at Thomond Park on Sunday.

The home side ran in six tries in all, including a brace for winger Simon Zebo, to make it four wins from four in the pool stages of the competition.

As a result, Munster finished in third place in Pool B. The format of the Champions Cup means that Munster and Ulster are on a potential collision course in the quarter-finals should both Irish provinces they both make it through their last 16 ties.

Ulster will take on holders Toulouse in their last 16 fixture in April.

The attendance at Sunday's Thomond Park pool game between Munster and Wasps was recorded at 13,047 following the easing of Covid-19 restrictions over the weekend.

Munster face Zebre in the United Rugby Championship in Italy on Saturday next with a 5pm kick-off.

HEINEKEN CHAMPIONS CUP

Round of 16 first leg - April 8-10
R16 1: Stade Francais Paris (B8) v Racing 92 (A1)
R16 2: Stade Toulousain (B7) v Ulster Rugby (A2)
R16 3: Union Bordeaux-Bègles (B6) v Stade Rochelais (A3)
R16 4: Connacht Rugby (B5) v Leinster Rugby (A4)
R16 5: Sale Sharks (A5) v Bristol Bears (B4)
R16 6: Exeter Chiefs (A6) v Munster Rugby (B3)
R16 7: Montpellier Hérault Rugby Hérault Rugby (A7) v Harlequins (B2)
R16 8: ASM Clermont Auvergne (A8) v Leicester Tigers (B1)
NB The four highest-ranked clubs in each pool will play the second leg of their Round of 16 matches at home

Round of 16 second leg – April 15-17
R16 1: Racing 92 (A1) v Stade Francais Paris (B8)
R16 2: Ulster Rugby (A2) v Stade Toulousain (B7)
R16 3: Stade Rochelais (A3) v Union Bordeaux-Bègles (B6)
R16 4: Leinster Rugby (A4) v Connacht Rugby (B5)
R16 5: Bristol Bears (B4) v Sale Sharks (A5)
R16 6: Munster Rugby (B3) v Exeter Chiefs (A6)
R16 7: Harlequins (B2) v Montpellier Hérault Rugby (A7)
R16 8: Leicester Tigers (B1) v ASM Clermont Auvergne (A8)

Quarter-finals – May 6-8

The quarter-finals will be played over one match and the highest-ranked club from the pool stage will have home venue advantage as follows:

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

Semi-finals – May 13-15

The semi-finals will be played over one match, and the highest-ranked clubs from the pool stage will have either home country advantage or home venue advantage (TBC) as follows:
SF 1: Winner QF 1 v Winner QF 2
SF 2: Winner QF 3 v Winner QF 4

2022 Heineken Champions Cup final: Saturday, May 28; Stade Vélodrome, Marseille (17.45)