Heineken Cup fixtures announced

London Irish's Heineken Cup showdown with holders Leinster will take place on Saturday, January 23, it was announced this afternoon.

The Pool Six rivals, currently locked on 15 points at the top of their group, are both chasing quarter-final places. The game will kick-off at 6pm.

Other highlights of the final weekend include the visit of Northampton to Limerick on Friday, January 22 for a Pool One decider against a resurgent Munster.

Tournament organisers have also confirmed dates and kick-off times for the penultimate round of pool fixtures a week earlier, which include Sale Sharks visiting Cardiff Blues on January 16 and Irish travelling to face the Scarlets a day later.

Heineken Cup fixtures:

January 15: Glasgow v Newport Gwent Dragons (7.30pm), Ulster v Edinburgh (8pm).

January 16: Treviso v Munster (1.30pm), Gloucester v Biarritz (3pm), Leicester v Viadana (2pm), Clermont Auvergne v Ospreys (3.45pm), Stade Francais v Bath (1.35pm), Cardiff Blues v Sale Sharks (3.45pm), Leinster v Brive (6pm).

January 17: Northampton v Perpignan (3pm), Toulouse v Harlequins (3pm), Scarlets v London Irish (12.45pm).

January 22: Munster v Northampton (8pm), Perpignan v Treviso (8pm).

January 23: Viadana v Clermont Auvergne (1.35pm), Ospreys v Leicester (1.35pm), Bath v Ulster (3.45pm), Edinburgh v Stade Francais (3.45pm), Brive v Scarlets (6pm), London Irish v Leinster (6pm).

January 24: Biarritz v Glasgow (12.45pm), Newport Gwent Dragons v Gloucester (12.45pm), Harlequins v Cardiff Blues (3pm), Sale Sharks v Toulouse (3pm).