Leinster and Munster given April Fools' Day quarter-finals

Leo Cullen’s team first in action at Aviva, before Munster v Toulouse at Thomond Park

The full fixture details for the Champions Cup knockout stages have been revealed. Photograph: Dan Sheridan/Inpho
The full fixture details for the Champions Cup knockout stages have been revealed. Photograph: Dan Sheridan/Inpho

It's a case of April Fools' Day for Leinster and Munster as they look to continue their respective quests for Champions Cup glory.

Leo Cullen’s Leinster will be first in action when they host Wasps at the Aviva Stadium (3.15), a game that will be broadcast live on Bt Sport. Munster welcome Toulouse to Thomond Park that evening with kickoff at 5.45pm, in a reprise of the 2014 game that the Irish province won easily; the quarterfinal will be transmitted live by Sky Sports.

Saracens host the Glasgow Warriors at Allianz Park (1.0) on Sunday, April 2nd, while Clermont Auvergne will try and get past the three-time champions Toulon at the Stade Marcel Michelin later that afternoon (3.15, Irish time). Sky Sports will screen live the defending champions Saracens while BT Sport are in France.

Leinster have met Wasps seven times in European competition, winning two, losing four and drawing one of those matches. The only previous quarterfinal meeting was in the 2006-2007 season when the Irish province travelled to the home of Wasps and lost 35-13.

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The England club inflicted two heavy beatings on Leinster in the pool stages last season, winning 33-6 at the RDS and 51-10 at the Ricoh Arena. This game will be played at the Aviva stadium where the sides have never met.The Wasps squad contains three former Leinster players in Marty Moore, Brendan Macken and Jimmy Gopperth.

Munster have met Toulouse on five previous occasions and lead the head-to-head 3-2, their victories coming in a semi-final 31-25 (1999-2000), a final 16-13 (2007-2008) and two years ago at this stage of the tournament, the quarterfinal when the Irish province prevailed, 47-23.

CHAMPIONS CUP quarter-finals

Saturday, April 1st - QF2: Leinster v Wasps, Aviva Stadium (15.15, live on BT Sport). QF4: Munster v Toulouse, Thomond Park (17.45, live on Sky Sports).

Sunday April 2nd - QF3: Saracens v Glasgow Warriors, Allianz Park (13.00, Sky Sports). QF1: ASM Clermont Auvergne v RC Toulon, Stade Marcel Michelin (3.15, Irish time, live on BT Sport)

Semi-final 1 - winner of QF1: ASM Clermont Auvergne v RC Toulon will play the winner of QF 2: Leinster Rugby v Wasps. Semi-final 2 - winner of QF 3: Saracens v Glasgow Warriors will play the winner of QF 4: Munster Rugby v Toulouse. (Matches to be played on 22/23 April)

Saturday, May 13th: Champions Cup final, Murrayfield (5.0).

John O'Sullivan

John O'Sullivan

John O'Sullivan is an Irish Times sports writer