The potential Pool 1 automatic quarter-final qualifying clash between Leicester Tigers and Biarritz Olympique will be one of eight Round 5 matches that will be screened live when the Heineken Cup resumes in the New Year.
The Sunday showdown between group leaders Biarritz (14 points) and the double champions from 2001 and 2002 - who are just a point behind - is already heading for a Heineken Cup hat-trick of sell-outs meaning over 50,000 will have watched Pool stage action at Welford Road this season.
That match will be the centrepiece of the Sunday, January 9, 2005, matches with the Sky Sports cameras also at Stradey Park earlier in the day for Llanelli Scarlets' clash with Northampton Saints in Pool 3.
France Televisions will be at Perpignan for the Pool 5 visit of Newcastle Falcons; RTE will show Munster's clash with Neath-Swansea Ospreys in Pool 4; Sport+ will cover Cardiff Blues' trip to Stade Francais Paris and Sky Italia cameras will be at Benetton Treviso's match with Bourgoin.
In Round 6 - when matches in each Pool will kick-off simultaneously - the final action of the Pool stages that will be played and televised live will be the big Pool 6 contest between Gloucester and Stade Francais Paris at Kingsholm on Sunday, 16 January.
Seven of the Round 6 matches will be televised live, starting with both Pool 3 contests on the Friday night and including NEC Harlequins match against Munster at Twickenham on Saturday.
While all that promises a feast of high quality and intense rugby in the New Year, Round 4 of the tournament provided more records for a competition going from strength to strength.
The 12 matches pulled in a staggering 107,116 spectators with five figure crowds going through the turnstiles at Toulouse, Leicester Tigers, Munster, Bath Rugby, Cardiff Blues and Perpignan.
The total eclipsed the previous Round 4 high, set in the 2000 / 2001 season, by well over 14,000.
On the individual front last Saturday was a red letter day for Ronan O'Gara. The Munster marksman celebrated his ERC Elite Award for 50 tournament caps by becoming the Heineken Cup's top scorer, his nine points in the victory over Castres Olympique taking him to 649 points and ahead of Diego Dominguez (645).