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Heineken Champions Cup - Round 6 preview

15th January 2019
Ahead of the Round 6 fixtures in the 2018/19 Heineken Champions Cup, below is a summary of the state of play in each of the 5 Pools... Pool 1 A win for Leinster at Wasps on Sunday will see the holders qualify as pool winners and in all probability secure a home quarter-final into the bargain. A bonus point win, and the home quarter is guaranteed. A Toulouse victory over Bath at Ernest Wallon should be enough for a place in the last eight depending on results elsewhere, but if Leinster slip up, then Toulouse can top the pool. Pool 2 If Exeter manage to upset the odds at a sold-out Thomond Park in Saturday’s shoot-out and deprive Munster of a losing bonus point, they will qualify on the basis of the head-to-head matches between the clubs. A win for Munster will secure them a place in the knockout stage for the 18th time, but might not be enough to earn a home quarter-final. Pool 3 Saracens are already through to the knockout stage for the eighth season in a row, but will be focused on securing the No 1 seeding and a home quarter-final when they take on second-placed Glasgow Warriors on Saturday. Glasgow are also right in the hunt for qualification on 19 points, and a win will see them join Sarries in the last eight, and a losing bonus point could well be enough for a best runner-up spot. Expect sparks to fly at Allianz Park. Pool 4 Racing 92 are in pole position on 21 points and a win against the Scarlets at Paris La Défense Arena will guarantee a home quarter-final. Ulster with 18 points arguably have a more demanding task at Leicester, but they can take advantage should Racing falter, and even a defeat at Welford Road might be enough for the 1999 champions depending on the result of the Edinburgh v Montpellier clash in particular. Pool 5 Edinburgh’s chances of a first qualification since 2012 are in their own hands. A win against Montpellier at BT Murrayfield on Friday evening and they will pocket a home quarter-final while a defeat will mean they’ll have to sweat it out for a best runner-up place. It’s win or bust for Montpellier on 16 points, so this is likely to be a white-knuckle ride for fans of both clubs. --- The five pool winners and three best placed runners-up will qualify for the Heineken Champions Cup Quarter-Finals.