Six Heineken quarter-final spots up for grabs

The race for Heineken Cup quarter-final places reaches its conclusion this weekend.

Two teams – French challengers Toulouse and Biarritz – have already qualified, leaving six other places to be filled.

Also, and for the first time this term, the third, fourth and fifth best runners-up will secure last-eight spots in the second-tier Amlin Challenge Cup.

We look at how the final weekend of pool action might unfold.

POOL ONE

Munster, twice European champions, will guarantee a remarkable 12th successive quarter-final appearance – and a home tie – if they beat closest rivals Northampton in Limerick tomorrow night. Saints will march on if they become only the second visiting team to win a Heineken Cup game at Thomond Park, but a losing bonus point should still be enough to progress as one of two best runners-up.

POOL TWO

Biarritz have already won a low-key group, but a bonus-point win at home to Glasgow on Sunday would confirm home advantage in the quarter-finals. Gloucester could clinch one of the Challenge Cup spots if they record a bonus-point win against Newport Gwent Dragons at Rodney Parade.

POOL THREE

This season’s tightest pool sees three teams – Leicester, the Ospreys and Clermont Auvergne – currently separated by one point. A bonus-point success for Clermont against hapless Italians Viadana on Saturday would see them top the group, provided Leicester do not beat the Ospreys with a bonus. The winners in Swansea will progress – probably as the best runner-up.

POOL FOUR

Stade Francais, who dream about making this season’s Heineken Cup final in their home city of Paris, need only a losing bonus point away to Edinburgh on Saturday to finish top. Ulster, if they claim a five-point maximum at Bath, would have strong Challenge Cup claims.

POOL FIVE

French giants Toulouse wrapped up the pool last weekend, but a win away to Sale Sharks on Sunday would confirm a home quarter-final. Sale and Cardiff Blues, who visit Harlequins, realistically need bonus-point wins to stay in Challenge Cup, rather than Heineken, contention.

POOL SIX

London Irish’s defeat at the Scarlets last weekend means reigning European champions Leinster only need a point from their Twickenham showdown with Irish on Saturday to win the group. A Leinster win would confirm a home draw and effectively send Irish, who would probably qualify if they win, crashing out. The third-placed Scarlets, meanwhile, need a win, preferably with a bonus, in Brive for possible Challenge Cup quarter-final status.

Possible Heineken quarter-finals: Munster v Northampton, Leinster v Ospreys, Biarritz v Stade Francais, Toulouse v Clermont Auvergne.

Possible Challenge Cup qualifiers: Leicester, Scarlets, Cardiff Blues – joining likely group winners Wasps, Connacht, Toulon, Newcastle and Leeds Carnegie.