Champions Cup Friday and Saturday preview: Final Round
BILBAO, SPAIN - MAY 12: Jonathan Sexton of Leinster clears the ball upfield during the European Rugby Champions Cup Final match between Leinster Rugby and Racing 92 at San Mames Stadium on May 12, 2018 in Bilbao, Spain. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
It’s the final round of the 2022/23 Champions Cup group stages, and though half of the sides in the last 16 have already been settled, there is so much still to be decided.
In Pool A Leinster, the Sharks, Saracens, Exeter, and Edinburgh are all safely through and in Pool B Toulouse, reigning champions La Rochelle and Leicester will all play in the last 16.
But there are a number of European clubs flying high in their domestic leagues who are as yet not through, and it is likely several of them will miss out.
Pool A
Seven teams are fighting for three remaining places in Pool A. The Bulls are the best placed of those, only needing one point from their game against Lyon (Friday 8pm) to go through.
For Lyon, they will realistically need a win to qualify for the next round, and though they’ve yet to pick one up they have secured three bonus points and having come very close to beating the Bulls in the reverse fixture, they will hope they can get the all-important victory they need.
Early on the following day, Harlequins host Sharks (Saturday 1pm) in a game that is truly vital for the hosts. A couple of bonus points in a spirited performance at Racing 92 mean that a win will secure safe passage into the next round, but the Sharks have named a loaded squad to travel to London including South Africa internationals Eben Etzebeth, Jaden Hendrikse, Lukhanyo Am, Makazole Mapimpi and skipper Siya Kolisi.
That win for Racing against Quins has kept their hopes of qualification alive, but the 9/1 underdogs face the near impossible task of heading to Leinster (Saturday 3:15pm), realistically needing to win to go through.
That’s because at the same time Gloucester head to Bordeaux Begles (Saturday 3:15pm), and with both teams in striking distance of Racing, the winner should move into the top eight. The former are in a much better position with five points versus two for the latter, but Bordeaux will still believe they can sneak through, especially if the Bulls have beaten Lyon the night before.
Rounding things off for Pool A are two matches at 5:30pm with Exeter Chiefs facing Castres (Saturday) and Edinburgh hosting Saracens (Sunday). All three involved except Castres are through (with Castres already out on zero points), but there is much jostling for position to be done with the three others occupying third through to fifth in the pool.
There is real incentive to finish in the top four in the pool, as this ensures a home last 16 clash. Exeter are best placed with their relatively straightforward home fixture, which might well mean that the winner of the game in the Scottish capital will be the team that gets a home game in the next round.
Pool B
Once again, Leicester Tigers are in action first up in Pool B, this time hosting Ospreys (Friday 7:45pm). Leicester halted a poor recent run of form with a stunning 44-29 victory at Clermont last week, but come up against an Ospreys side who have turned their season around since a spirited performance in the reverse fixture.
A single point will send the Swansea-based side through, and they might well qualify for the next round whether they get a point or not, but they will be targeting a victory to keep their impressive form alive, and give them the best possible last 16 draw.
Early on Saturday, Northampton Saints host La Rochelle (1pm) in a game which would seem to be a clear of the example of the “dead rubbers” EPCR were trying to avoid with their new format. Saints are already out and La Rochelle are already comfortably through, though the former could still win a place in the Challenge Cup and the latter will want to get the best possible seed for the knockout stages.
The Stormers and Clermont (Saturday 5:30pm) have a vital game later on for their hopes of going through. The Stormers are all-but through but will want to maximise their points total and finish in the top four, while Clermont are currently clinging on to a place in the knockout stages in eighth and need a win to ensure passage into the next round.
Ulster vs Sale (Saturday 8pm) is arguably the game that has the most at stake for both teams involved. A win may not even be enough to take either team through, with both sat just outside the top eight, but defeat will definitely knock the loser out. Sale will have a huge psychological advantage after beating Ulster 46-0 in the reverse fixture, but with Ulster finally getting the chance to play at Ravenhill they will feel this is their best chance to notch a crucial win.
Two shock defeats to Ospreys have left Montpellier on the edge of elimination, but they should still go through if they can beat London Irish (Sunday 1pm), who are still winless. Irish will be hopeful, however, that they can get a win that will place them well for progression into the Challenge Cup.
The final game of Pool B sees table-toppers Toulouse host Munster (Sunday 3:15pm). Munster need a win, or at the very least, a bonus point, to secure a place in the next round, but that might a tough ask against a team who will be very set on winning their pool and securing the best possible knockout clash.
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