This year’s Champions Cup has delivered a quarter-final lineup worthy of the competition’s grand standing in the game. Montpellier, Leicester and Leinster – respectively leaders of the French and English leagues plus the multinational United Championship – are there. Toulouse, the Champions Cup holders and most successful club in the tournament’s history with five wins, are also in the mix, as are La Rochelle, finalists last season, and the two-times winners Munster.
There is, however, a mismatch in the draw as one side of the equation is stacked with past champions while the other half can point only to four unsuccessful finals as a sign of their collective continental pedigree.
