Clubs from Ireland, England and France are pitted together with a place in the quarter-finals on offer for the winners of each tie.
With the majority of domestic seasons still ongoing, a European push can present a positive challenge or a distraction from league action, as the campaign enters its final stages.
Gallagher Premiership leaders Leicester Tigers are the in-form English side in Europe, with four wins from four and an impressive win at Clermont last week, but rivals Harlequins were among the sharp-shooters from the pre-knockout games with an incredible 135 points scored.
However, Paul Gustard’s side have it all to do in their tie with Montpellier after a 40-26 defeat in the first leg.
European Rugby Champions Cup fixture schedule
The last-16 schedule is structured across eight two-legged games with both sides playing home and away before the end of April.
All first-leg games took place between April 8-10 with the reverse fixtures set for the following weekend (April 15-17).
European Rugby Champions Cup Results
Week 1:
Connacht 21-26 Leinster
Sale Sharks 9-10 Bristol Bears
Bordeaux 13-31 La Rochelle
Toulouse 20-26 Ulster
Exeter Chiefs 13-8 Munster
Stade Francais 9-22 Racing 92
Montpellier 40-26 Harlequins
Clermont 10-29 Leicester Tigers
Week 2:
Leinster vs. Connacht
Bristol Bears vs. Exeter Chiefs
Harlequins vs. Montpellier
Munster vs. Exeter Chiefs
La Rochelle vs. Bordeaux
Leicester Tigers vs. Clermont
Ulster vs. Toulouse
Racing 92 vs. Stade Francais
How to watch the European Rugby Champions Cup second legs
How does the European Rugby Champions Cup format work?
The 24 group-stage entrants of the European Rugby Champions Cup are based on domestic league positions from the previous season.
The eight highest finishers from the Gallagher Premiership (England) and the Top 14 (France) are automatically entered into the competition for the next season.
The eight remaining slots are taken from the top four sides from each conference in the United Rugby Championship (previously the Pro 14), which involves sides from Ireland, Italy, Wales and Scotland, but exempts South African teams due to rules governing Northern Hemisphere rugby.
Each team is then seeded, based on league position, prior to the group stage draw, with Pots 1 to 4 ranking their pool picks.
In previous seasons, the group stage contained six groups of four teams, which played home and away in a mini-group setting, with group winners and best second-place teams moving into the knockouts.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced a restructure of the competition since 2020, with 2021/22 involving two 12-team pools, with the top eight sides qualifying for the last 16
What are the remaining European Rugby Champions Cup knockout fixture dates?
Quarter-finals: May 6/7/8, 2022 Semi-finals: May 13/14/15, 2022 Final: May 28, 2022
