Preliminary stage table-toppers London Irish meet Cardiff Blues in the European Rugby Challenge Cup Round of 16. Irish finished on 10 points after picking up bonus point victories over Agen (34-8) and Pau (26-17), while Cardiff were just one point behind in third. Cardiff have only won two of their last eight away games in England in the Challenge Cup but did claim victory at Newcastle Falcons (33-20) in the preliminary stage this season. In eight meetings between the sides, both have come out on top on four occasions. Irish won the most recent encounter between the teams, at home in the 2014/15 Challenge Cup pool stage. The match at the Brentford Community Stadium kicks off at 17:30 (UK and Irish time) on April 2 and will be available to watch on BT Sport. Pool positions London Irish; 1st European Rugby Challenge Cup Prelim Round; 10 points Cardiff Blues; 3rd European Rugby Challenge Cup Prelim Round; 9 points Head-to-head record London Irish wins: 4 Draws: 0 Cardiff Blues wins: 4 Leading 2020/21 points-scorer London Irish: Albert Tuisue, Phil Cokansiga, James Stokes (10) Cardiff Blues: Jarrod Evans (16) https://twitter.com/ERChallengeCup/status/1377206618442584065 Match facts

London Irish and Cardiff Blues have faced each other four times in European competition, the Welsh side winning three of those clashes (L1); however, London Irish won the most recent encounter between the teams, at home in the 2014/15 Challenge Cup pool stage (34-23).
London Irish won their first two games in the Challenge Cup this season after losing five of their six games in 2019/20 (W1); they have lost six of their eight meetings against teams from Wales in the competition (W2), including the most recent two.
London Irish have lost five of their last eight home games in the Challenge Cup (W3) after winning nine of the previous 10 (L1).
Cardiff Blues are looking to reach the quarter-final stage of the Challenge Cup for the fifth time, all of those appearances coming since 2009/10, no other Welsh side has reached this stage as often in that period.
Cardiff Blues have only won two of their last eight away games in England in the Challenge Cup (L6) but did claim victory in the most recent one (33-20 v Newcastle Falcons in December 2020).
London Irish have lost 11 lineouts on their own throw in the Challenge Cup this season, the most of any side, leaving them with the worst success rate (69%).
Cardiff have averaged the most kicks in play (38) and fewest offloads (2) of any side in the Challenge Cup this season.
Only Cooper Vuna (5) has made more breaks than London Irish’s James Stokes (4) in the Challenge Cup this season; whilst teammate Bill Meakes ranks joint third for defenders beaten (8).
Jason Tovey (Cardiff) needs five more points to reach 200 in the Challenge Cup, he’d be the 34th player to reach this milestone.
Jarrod Evans (Cardiff) has slotted 6/6 kicks at goal in the Challenge Cup this season, the most of any player who is yet to miss the target, Cardiff are the only team in the competition with a 100% kicking rate this season