Big guns eye Champions Cup last-eight spot
Former champions Toulouse, Saracens and last season’s runners-up Racing 92 can all clinch qualification for the Champions Cup quarterfinals with fourth-round wins this weekend.
Racing 92 are unbeaten in the top-tier tournament this campaign and could secure a last-eight berth with a second victory in the space of a week, over Leicester Tigers.
Three-quarter Virimi Vakatawa says the club, bankrolled by multimillionaire Jacky Lorenzetti, are targeting a home tie in the next round.
The Parisians need to be one of four teams with the highest points at the end of the group stage to clinch a first knockout tie at their La Defense Arena ground which opened in 2017.
“It’s our main objective, so we will continue to work for that,” Vakatawa said.
“It’s going to be big to have a home quarterfinal in front of our fans.”
The France international crossed in last Sunday’s end-toend affair to bring his tally this term to nine tries – the joint highest in European club rugby alongside Gloucester’s Charlie Sharples.
Their back-line also includes Ireland international Simon Zebo and Argentina winger Juan Imhoff, who have eight touchdowns each, as well as Scotland playmaker Finn Russell.
Saracens, winners in 2016 and 2017, are aiming for an eighth quarterfinal in as many years.
They are yet to lose this campaign and travel to the Cardiff Blues after a seven-try 51-25 thumping of the Welsh region in London last Sunday.
Elsewhere, Glasgow welcome already-eliminated Lyon, with the tournament’s jointtop scorer in flyhalf Adam Hastings in good form since making his Scotland debut in June.
Toulouse welcome Wasps to the Stade Ernest-Wallon with the French side on top of Pool 1 on 12 points after beating the English club 24-16 in Coventry last weekend.
A victory in France on Saturday would stretch Toulouse’s unbeaten run across all competitions to nine games and would clinch a last-eight spot for the four-time champions after they missed out last year.
Young fullback Thomas Ramos joins Hastings at the top of the points-scoring table, while France three-quarter Sofiane Guitoune tops the tryscoring chart on four.
Toulouse are battling with Leinster for top spot in the group. The reigning champions welcome Bath to the Aviva Stadium after their fans were forbidden from taking flags into the Recreation Ground in the 17-10 win.
The Irish province will be without injured international centre Robbie Henshaw but can rely on world player of the year Johnny Sexton – who signed a contract extension until 2021 this week.