Three UBBs for the price of one. A first meeting in the Top 14, then two confrontations in the Champions Cup. La Rochelle and Bordeaux-Bègles are called upon to face each other three times in the space of three weeks in April.
Winner with bonus Saturday night at the Glasgow Warriors, Stade Rochelais finished third in Pool A behind Racing 92 and the Irish from Ulster. For its part, the UBB covidée this weekend finished sixth in the other group after its defeat by forfeit (28 to 0) against Leicester.
La Rochelle, UBB’s pet peeve?
The first leg will take place on the weekend of April 8, 9 and 10 in Gironde. The return match is scheduled for the following weekend at the Marcel-Deflandre stadium. But the two teams will first have the opportunity to meet at the beginning of April in the Top 14. It will be in Bordeaux.
Since the arrival of Christophe Urios in Gironde, UBB have only beaten the European runners-up once (20-15) in December 2019 before losing the next three confrontations, the last of which in early November (26-3).
7 out of 8 for French clubs
The other Franco-French round of 16 will give rise to a derby. The French Stadium miraculous will defy Racing 92, who finished leader of pool A. At the end of a very turbulent and controversial weekend, Toulouse Stadium inherited the formidable Irish of Ulster. ASM Clermont will play against Leicester. Finally, Montpellier Exeter scorer this Sunday will face Harlequins.
The table of the round of 16
- Match 1: Racing 92 (1) – French Stadium (8)
- Game 2: Munster (3) – Exeter (6)
- Game 3: Harlequins (2) – Montpellier (7)
- Game 4: La Rochelle (3) – Bordeaux-Bègles (6)
- Game 5: Ulster (2) – Toulouse (7)
- Game 6: Bristol (4) – Dirty (5)
- Game 7: Leicester (1) – Clermont (8)
- Game 8: Leinster (4) – Connacht (5)
The quarter-finals will be played over a single match. The winners of matches 1, 2, 3 and 4 will end up in the same part of the table, and those of matches 5, 6, 7 and 8 will be in the other part.