There are four mouth-watering contests aare set to take place this weekend as eight teams – including two of the debuting South African outfits – powered into the next round of the knockout stage.

Leicester Tigers were first to progress on Friday night, Jasper Wiese’s stunning try and 11 points from the boot of Handré Pollard seeing them battle to a 16-6 victory over Edinburgh Rugby at a sodden Mattioli Woods Welford Road.

Leicester face a trip to Leinster Rugby in the quarter-finals this Friday at 20:00 (All UK & Irish time), with the four-time champions having seen off Ulster Rugby 30-15 in the pouring rain at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday, Ryan Baird, Jamison Gibson-Park and Andrew Porter crossing for the hosts.

Cell C Sharks were the first South African side to book a quarter-final berth as they thrashed Munster Rugby 50-35 in a 12-try thriller in Durban on Saturday, Bongi Mbonambi (2), Jaden Hendrikse, Eben Etzebeth, Werner Kok, Curwin Bosch and Makazola Mapimpi all dotting down.

A visit to Stade Toulousain awaits Cell C Sharks in the quarter-finals at 15:00 this Saturday – the five-time champions dispatched of another South African team, Vodacom Bulls, 33-9 on Sunday, Emmanuel Meafou, Matthis Lebel and Thibaud Flament going over in a classy performance at Le Stadium.

DHL Stormers ensured two South African teams would be in the last eight as they outclassed Harlequins in Cape Town, Deon Fourie (2), Steven Kitshoff, Damian Willemse and Willie Engelbrecht providing the hosts’ tries in a 32-28 success.

DHL Stormers’ reward is a quarter-final at Exeter Chiefs at 17:30 on Saturday, with the 2020 champions needing a score from Jack Yeandle in the last play of extra time to beat Montpellier Hérault Rugby at Sandy Park.

Montpellier saw Zach Mercer sent off but forced extra time in an admirable display, though Yeandle’s effort and Joe Simmonds’ conversion denied them a famous win, Exeter drawing level at 33-33 and advancing on tries scores after earlier crosses from Scott Sio, Sam Simmonds, Tom Wyatt and Josh Iosefa-Scott.

Reigning champions Stade Rochelais left it late against a gutsy Gloucester Rugby side on Saturday, Teddy Thomas’ 78th-minute try sending the Stade Marcel Deflandre into raptures as they snatched a 29-26 win, Thomas, Pierre Bourgarit and Tawera Kerr-Barlow dotting down earlier in the game.

La Rochelle welcome Saracens in the quarter-finals at 15:00 on Sunday – the three-time champions also needed to show plenty of resolve to defeat Ospreys 35-20 at StoneX Stadium, Max Malins (2), Duncan Taylor and Tom Woolstencroft their try-scorers.

The Heineken Champions Cup quarter-finals have been confirmed after the Round of 16 delivered a series of barnstorming affairs.