Munster face D-Day at Sarries

The outcome of the lunchtime clash with last year’s beaten finalists Saracens on their all-weather pitch on Saturday, January 17 will decided Munster’s fate in the European Champions Cup.

Munster will travel in the knowledge that the reward for a positive result would be a Thomond Park crunch clash with Sale Sharks back in Thomond Park on Sunday, January 25, kicking off at 3.15pm , the same time as Clermont Auvergne and Saracens get underway in Clermont.

Leinster resume with a comfortable enough looking home tie against Castres on January 17 with a 5.30pm kick-off at the RDS. Then the following Saturday, January 24, they play Wasps. Like Munster, they also probably need nine points from their two games to make the quarter-finals.

Ulster’s away game against holders Toulon and at home to Leicester will decide the outcome in Pool 3 where Toulon look sure of going through with Leicester and Scarlets still in the running.

Connacht face one of the biggest matches in their history on January 17 (3.15pm) when they take on Exeter Chiefs in the European Challenge Cup.

Exeter lead Pool 2 with 16 points against Connacht’s 14 and they clash at Galway Sportsground with a 3.15pm kick-off.