EXETER, ENGLAND – APRIL 06: Olly Woodburn (C) of Exeter Chiefs celebrates victory with team mates Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and Henry Slade at the final whistle during the Investec Champions Cup Round Of 16 match between Exeter Chiefs and Bath Rugby at Sandy Park on April 06, 2024 in Exeter, England. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Premiership clubs made it three years on the trot with three teams in the Investec Champions Cup quarter-finals this weekend in a good showing for the domestic game in England.

It leaves open the possibility of an all-English final later this year at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. 

Northampton Saints, Exeter Chiefs and Harlequins each won on the weekend to secure spots in the last eight.

Three of the other five spots have gone to the French Top 14 while two will represent the multi-national United Rugby Championship in the quarter-finals.

Harlequins beat Glasgow Warriors 28-24 on Friday night to book themselves a trip to Bordeaux on Saturday; the Atlantic coast club downed Saracens at the weekend.

Exeter Chiefs will travel across the Channel to Toulouse to take on a club chasing their sixth title. The West Country side toppled Bath on Saturday afternoon to book their spot in the last eight.

Northampton Saints overcame Munster on Sunday to make it three English sides in the knockouts.

Saracens and Leicester Tigers joined Bath in being losing English Premiership teams at the weekend.

But the Premiership does lag behind France in all-time trophy wins with England producing 10 winners of this competition, three of which are Saracens. 

The French Top 14 has lifted the iconic trophy 11 times while United Rugby Championship teams have won the Champions Cup seven times.

The other quarter-final this weekend will see a repeat of the last two finals, when Leinster take on La Rochelle.

La Rochelle have won the last two editions of the competition and are unbeaten in European knockout games since the 2022 final. 

Champions Cup quarter-final draw

Saturday

  • Bordeaux Begles v Harlequins, 3pm, Stade Chaban-Delmas
  • Leinster v La Rochelle, 5:30pm, Aviva Stadium
  • Northampton Saints v Bulls, 8pm, Franklin’s Gardens

Sunday

  • Toulouse v Exeter Chiefs, 3pm, Stade Ernest-Wallon

(Kick-off times BST)



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