Monday 26 January 2015 10:00, UK
Aviva Premiership quartet Wasps, Bath, Northampton and Saracens all face daunting away trips in the quarter-finals of the European Champions Cup.
It is the first time since 1998 that four English clubs have made the last eight but it will be a fine achievement if any of the sides can advance to the semis.
Wasps will be away to Toulon, who are looking to be crowned top side in Europe for the third year in a row and who won Pool Three in emphatic style.
Northampton and last season’s runners-up Saracens will also be crossing the Channel, the Saints to face Clermont while Sarries tackle Racing Metro.
And Bath are away at Leinster, who have been top dogs in Europe three times since 2009.
Clermont have a very strong home record but Northampton have won at places such as Ulster and Leinster in the past, and director of rugby Jim Mallinder says such victories will stand them in good stead.
“You have to draw on those results,” he told SaintsTV.
“It is going to be a massive challenge but we have got a team who enjoy challenges and enjoy playing away. Hopefully we can reproduce that form and get a win.”
Leinster drew 20-20 at Wasps on Saturday but advanced as Pool 2 winners in any case and centre Luke Fitzgerald says they are feeling confident about their Champions Cup chances.
"I think we look very strong," said the Ireland international.
"I would say a lot of teams would be pretty disappointed at having to play us now.
"I think teams would look at it and say, 'Jeez, how have we drawn these guys?'. That's how I feel about it.
"Maybe I'm overly confident in us, but I think we're playing some decent rugby and we've got an awful lot left in us, which is a nice place to be considering we've qualified."
The ties will be played on the weekend of April 3-5 and the draw for the semi-finals has now been made too, with the winners of the Toulon-Wasps and Clermont-Northampton ties set for home matches.
There are home ties for Gloucester, Exeter and London Irish in the Challenge Cup quarter-finals.
Top seeds Gloucester will host Connacht, Exeter will face Newcastle Falcons in an all-Premiership tie, London Irish are to play host to Edinburgh and the other match will be an all-Welsh encounter between Newport Gwent Dragons and Cardiff Blues.
Champions Cup semi-final draw:
Toulon or Wasps v Leinster or Bath
Clermont or Northampton v Racing Metro or Saracens.
Ties to be played on the weekend of April 17-19
Challenge Cup semi-final draw:
Gloucester or Connacht v Exeter or Newcastle
London Irish or Edinburgh v Newport Gwent Dragons or Cardiff Blues
Ties to be played on the weekend of April 17-19
