Following a tension-packed, number-crunching conclusion to the pool stage, and as the road to the 2023 Dublin finals weekend becomes clearer, EPCR is pleased to announce the dates, venues, kick-off times and TV coverage of the Heineken Champions Cup Round of 16 matches.
The elite clubs which have qualified for this season’s knockout stage have 26 EPCR titles between them, and eight former Heineken Champions Cup winners are in contention to lift the trophy again. Included are all three South African representatives with the Cell C Sharks, the DHL Stormers and the Vodacom Bulls booking their places in the business end of the tournament in impressive style.
A compelling series of Round 4 matches weren’t the only good news as there was also a 42% increase in Heineken Champions Cup pool stage attendance compared to last season with the average attendance per club returning to pre-Covid figures.
In addition, after an understandably modest start, the Round 3 and 4 attendances in South Africa improved dramatically, rising by 62% to an average of 16,100 per match.
TV audiences are also tuning in in greater numbers than ever. After Round 3, official data recorded a 65% uplift in broadcast audiences across the core markets of France, Ireland, South Africa and the UK. There was also a record TV audience for a pool stage match on France Télévisions when viewers peaked at 2.2 million for the Round 4 contest between Stade Toulousain and Munster Rugby.
With big attendances expected at all venues, Leinster is taking their match against Ulster to Dublin’s Aviva Stadium with an anticipated crowd of approaching 50,000, while five-time winners, Stade Toulousain, will host the Vodacom Bulls at the 33,000-capacity Le Stadium.
What promises to be another thrilling set of Heineken Champions Cup knockout fixtures gets underway on Friday 31 March when Leicester Tigers go head-to-head with Edinburgh Rugby at Mattioli Woods Welford Road.
The highest-ranked clubs from the pool stage have secured home advantage for the Round of 16 and this rule will remain in place for the quarter-finals. The semi-finals will be played in Europe at EPCR-designated venues with the showpiece final staged at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday 20 May, and over 66,000 tickets have already been sold for the Dublin Finals weekend.
HEINEKEN CHAMPIONS CUP – Round of 16
(Pool stage rankings in brackets / All kick-offs SA times)
Friday 31 March
Match 5: Leicester Tigers (B4) v Edinburgh Rugby (A5), Mattioli Woods Welford Road (22.00)
Saturday 1 April
Match 3: Cell C Sharks (A3) v Munster Rugby (B6), Hollywoodbets Kings Park (13.30)
Match 6: DHL Stormers (B3) v Harlequins (A6), DHL Stadium (16.00)
Match 1: Leinster Rugby (A1) v Ulster Rugby (B8), Aviva Stadium (19.30)
Match 8: Stade Rochelais (B1) v Gloucester Rugby (A8), Stade Marcel Deflandre (19.30)
Sunday 2 April
Match 2: Exeter Chiefs (A2) v Montpellier Hérault Rugby (B7), Sandy Park (14.30)
Match 4: Saracens (A4) v Ospreys (B5), StoneX Stadium (17.00)
Match 7: Stade Toulousain (B2) v Vodacom Bulls (A7), Le Stadium (17.00)
Quarter-finals – 7/8/9 April
QF 1: Winner Match 1 v Winner Match 5
QF 2: Winner Match 7 v Winner Match 3
QF 3: Winner Match 2 v Winner Match 6
QF 4: Winner Match 8 v Winner Match 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
