Paris (AFP) – Holders Exeter Chiefs will welcome Lyon in the last 16 of the European Champions Cup next month after the draw was made by tournament organisers on Tuesday.
The Chiefs, who beat Racing 92 in October’s re-scheduled final, will face the French club for the first time on the weekend of April 2/3/4.
The competition’s knock-out structure has been altered this season after the last two rounds of the group phase were cancelled after the French government blocked Top 14 teams from taking part in cross-border fixtures due to Covid-19 concerns.
Four matches during the enlargened pool stages were also abandoned due to coronavirus cases as all sides progressed to the next round of either the Champions Cup or second-tier Challenge Cup.
Last year’s runners-up Racing will entertain Edinburgh while four-time winners Leinster entertain Toulon, champions on three occasions.
Toulouse, who are also four-time champions, head to Munster in a repeat of the 2008 final — which the Irish province won — in the other headline games.
The quarter-final draw was also made by European Professional Club Rugby with the Chiefs or Lyon potentially facing Leinster or Toulon.
“Their team are essentially all internationals, so it’s a big challenge that awaits us, even more so away from home,” Toulon coach Patrice Collazo said in a club statement.
Champions Cup last 16 to be held on April 2/3/4:
Munster (IRL) v Toulouse (FRA), Gloucester (ENG) v La Rochelle (FRA), Wasps (ENG) v Clermont (FRA), Exeter Chiefs (ENG) v Lyon (FRA), Leinster (IRL) v Toulon (FRA), Bordeaux-Begles (FRA) v Bristol Bears (ENG), Racing 92 (FRA) v Edinburgh (SCO), Scarlets (WAL) v Sale Sharks (ENG)
Quarter finals to be held on April 9/10/11:
Exeter Chiefs (ENG)/Lyon (FRA) v Leinster (IRL)/Toulon (FRA), Wasps (ENG)/Clermont (FRA) v Munster (IRL)/Toulouse (FRA), Gloucester (ENG)/La Rochelle (FRA) v Scarlets (WAL)/Sale Sharks (ENG), Bordeaux-Begles (FRA)/Bristol Bears (ENG) v Racing 92 (FRA)/Edinburgh (SCO)
Challenge Cup last 16 to be held on April 2/3/4:
Dragons (WAL) v Northampton Saints (ENG), Ospreys (WAL) v Newcastle Falcons (ENG), London Irish (ENG) v Cardiff Blues (WAL), Harlequins (ENG) v Ulster (IRL), Treviso (ITA) v Agen (FRA), Zebre (ITA) v Bath (ENG), Leicester Tigers (ENG) v Connacht (IRL), Montpellier (FRA) v Glasgow Warriors (SCO)
Quarter finals to be held on April 9/10/11:
Montpellier (FRA)/ Glasgow Warriors (SCO) v Treviso (ITA)/ Agen (FRA), Dragons (WAL)/ Northampton Saints (ENG) v Harlequins (ENG)/Ulster (IRL), Zebre (ITA)/Bath (ENG) v London Irish (ENG)/ Cardiff Blues (WAL), Leicester Tigers (ENG)/ Connacht (IRL) v Ospreys (WAL)/ Newcastle Falcons (ENG)
