Never in European Cup history has the final weekend of Pool stage action been so crucial to the qualifying hopes of so many teams. This is a testament to the new format of the competition which has made it so tight and nerve-racking. Endless permutations have been calculated, both realistic and fantastical. For some fortunate teams, like Northampton Saints and Toulouse, their qualification is in their own hands; for other teams like Leicester Tigers and Harlequins, multiple different results all have to play out for them to qualify.
There are currently twelve teams who can all mathematically fill the eight quarter-final spots. Eight of these teams lock horns with each other this weekend in what will be four of the biggest pool fixtures ever seen in European club rugby.
Four Seismic Clashes Not For the Faint-Hearted – Round Six of the European Champions Cup
Wasps vs. Leinster, Saturday 24th January, 1pm
The Ricoh Arena will play host to its first ever Champions Cup fixture on Saturday, and what a battle it will be. The winner will top Pool 2 and be comfortably through to the quarter-final stage. If Wasps lose however, they will, in all likelihood, be knocked out. If Leinster lose, they will face a nervous wait in front of their TV screens to see whether they will reach the next round.
Indeed, home advantage will play an important part in this match- Wasps are yet to lose at their new ground, and also yet to score fewer than four tries there. However, they are up against a Leinster side who have basked in European glory in recent times, who have the know-how in these big games and who are looking to return to the European throne after a two-year absence. Leinster know they possess the quality to beat this Wasps side, having already done so this season, and they should replicate that feat again on Saturday. But having been the underdog so many times this season, Wasps’ captain James Haskell and his men know they can topple the in-form Leinstermen.
Northampton Saints vs. Racing Metro, Saturday 24th January, 3:15pm
It would be a surprise to see Racing Metro walk away from Franklin’s Gardens on Saturday with a precious victory, and with it, a home quarter-final, but such is the unpredictability of the French club sides that anything really could happen. The Parisians defeated the Saints earlier in the tournament, 20-11, at Stade Olympiques Yves-Du-Manoir, but Northampton have only lost once at home this season.
There will be key individual battles all over the pitch- Stephen Myler will go head-to-head with Johnny Sexton at fly-half for the first time since the 2011 Heineken Cup final, and there will be a tasty battle on the wing as Saints’ Welsh mobile mountain takes on Argentinean flyer Juan Imhoff. The most interesting clash however, will be in the scrum, as Alex Corbisiero will pack-down opposite former Saints cult-hero Brian Mujati. As ever, the game will be won and lost at the set-piece. Both sides have very strong forward packs, who will be seeking to get on top throughout the game. Expect a low-scoring first-half as both sets of forwards engage each other in an arm wrestle, but Saints to come out on top over the eighty minutes as the game opens up.
Bath vs. Glasgow, Sunday 25th January, 1pm
A sell-out crowd at the Rec will watch Bath host Glasgow in what will be an exciting game. Both teams have enjoyed playing an expansive brand of rugby this season, and there are plenty of raw, young individuals in both backlines who have the potential to light up this match. One of those is Jonathan Joseph, who put in his best performance of the season last weekend as Bath powered past four-time winners Toulouse away from home. Matt Banahan, George Ford and Kyle Eastmond are in equally dazzling form, too. Glasgow, on the other hand, boast Tommy Seymour and Stuart Hogg, two players who shone in Glasgow’s thumping of Bath, 37-10, in Round 1 of the tournament.
If Toulouse lose in their match against Montpellier, then the winner of this game will qualify in top spot in Pool 4. If Toulouse beat Montpellier, then the winner of this game will probably qualify as one of the best three runners up. Bath are rightly favourites for this, but the Scottish side are capable of being unplayable, and have proven this over the last 18 months. Bath know that this will not be a straightforward task.
Clermont Auvergne vs. Saracens, Sunday 25th January, 3:15pm
In arguably the most intense game of the weekend, Clermont will be seeking to dish out some revenge on Saracens after last season’s semi-final massacre. In that infamous match, Saracens dispatched Clermont 46-6 in one of the great performances in European club rugby history.
The winner of this match will top Pool 1, and will go on to host a quarter-final.
It is a match that is too close to call, but Clermont should be dragged over the line by their impressive home form in Europe, and their passionate crowd. Both teams pride themselves on big forward packs- the likes of Fritz Lee, Damien Chouly, Jamie Cudmore and Julian Bonnaire will run out for Clermont, and the Vunipola brothers, Jacques Burger, Alistair Hargreaves and Kelly Brown for Saracens, while out in the backs Brad Barritt will look to quell the attacking talent of Wesley Fofana, and Napolioni Nalaga will go face-to-face with Chris Ashton out wide.
Good luck leaving your sofas this weekend, everybody. If you stay put, you’ll have one of the most exciting weekends of your life, rest assured.
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