With Leinster Rugby, Racing 92, Exeter Chiefs, Toulouse and ASM Clermont Auvergne already through to the last eight, some of the world’s leading players will be on show over the next couple of days as Europe’s elite clubs battle it out for those coveted remaining quarter-final places and for the best pathway to club rugby’s blue riband weekend in Marseille on 22/23 May.

As matches in the same pool kick off at the same time, Allianz Park will stage one of the highlights of the round on Sunday when Saracens lay the defence of their trophy on the line against old rivals Racing 92, live on BT Sport.

Racing sealed top spot in Pool 4 last weekend with a bonus point victory over Munster Rugby, so their objective in north London will be to earn a home quarter-final while Saracens realistically have to win to have any chance of qualifying as a best runner-up.

Other key notes from Heineken Champions Cup, Round 6 are

Ulster Rugby take a 100% head-to-head record into their sixth tournament meeting with Bath Rugby in Europe’s premier club competition. Dan McFarland’s side are guaranteed qualification with a win at the Kingspan Stadium on Saturday and could even top Pool 3 if ASM Clermont Auvergne slip up away to Harlequins live and free-to-air in the UK and Ireland on Channel 4 and Virgin Media.

Pool 2 winners, Exeter Chiefs, go in search a first home quarter-final when they take on La Rochelle at Sandy Park on Saturday having won each of their three contests against the TOP 14 club. Exeter’s only previous quarter-final appearance was in 2016 when they were edged out by Wasps in a dramatic match.

Four players will make their 50^th tournament appearances if selected this weekend. Danny Care (Harlequins) is on the brink of the milestone as well as Rob Harley (Glasgow Warriors), Dave Kilcoyne (Munster Rugby) and Rhys Priestland (Bath Rugby).

The total number of fans attending matches in the Heineken Champions Cup and Challenge is set to pass 1 million for the season tomorrow, with the aggregate close to the records set in 2018/19 for both tournaments.

Click HERE for Heineken Champions Cup, Round 6 fixture and broadcast details

The concluding weekend Challenge Cup kicks off this evening with what promises to be a nailbiting three-way contest for qualification from Pool 1.

Castres Olympique lead the way on 18 points, but will certainly have to hit their best form as they travel to Worcester Warriors with a record of only two away wins in the tournament from eight visits to England. Worcester are three points behind and on a run of 10 matches unbeaten against French opposition as they prepare for one of several key matches which will be streamed live on ChallengeCupRugby.com.

Dragons are level with the Warriors on 15 points and also have their sights set on the last eight as they take on Enisei-STM at Rodney Parade live on S4C.

Other key notes from Challenge Cup, Round 6:

To further mark the 25^th anniversary season of the Heineken Champions Cup, former tournament winners, Brive and RC Toulon, will be presented with commemorative silver salvers by EPCR ahead of their home matches against Stade Français Paris and Bayonne respectively. Toulon’s fixture will be live on France 4 and beIN SPORTS.

Whilst four of the quarter-finalists are known already, only Bristol Bears go into Round 6 assured of a home quarter-final as they travel to Zebre Rugby Club. Toulon, Bordeaux-Bègles (away to Wasps) and Leicester Tigers (away to Pau live on BT Sport) have all won their pools, but still have work to do to book a home quarter-final in April.

Eight of this weekend’s matches have repercussions for qualification and rankings, with seven clubs contesting the four remaining places in the knockout stage.

Click HERE for the Challenge Cup, Round 6 fixture and broadcast details

The exact dates, kick-off times and broadcast details of the quarter-finals in both tournaments will be announced towards the end of next week.

The pool stage of the Heineken Champions Cup’s 25th anniversary season is set for a thrilling finale this weekend with knockout stage qualification, home quarter-finals and/or highest-possible rankings up for grabs in as many as nine of the Round 6 matches.