With qualification for the quarter-finals as well as valuable ERC ranking points on the line in the new year, the countdown is underway towards the conclusion of the Amlin Challenge Cup pool stages following the announcement of the dates, venues and kick-off times for the Round 5 and 6 fixtures.
With the five pool winners and three Heineken Cup qualifiers set to complete the knockout stage line-up, Bayonne and Newport Gwent Dragons will continue their Pool 3 pursuit of the 2003 tournament champions, London Wasps, at Stade Jean Dauger when European club rugby returns to centre stage on Thursday, 10 January 2013.
Wasps, who have a five-point advantage over Bayonne and Dragons, are at home to Italy's Rugby Mogliano in Round 5 on Saturday, 12 January while a fifth successive competition victory for Bath Rugby when they take on Agen at the Recreation Ground on the same day in Pool 4 would guarantee them a place in the quarter-finals.
With Grenoble looking to keep up the pressure on Pool 5 leaders, Stade Francais Paris, when the French duo meet at Stade Lesdiguières, unbeaten Gloucester Rugby can also secure their spot in the last eight if they win on the road against Bordeaux-Bègles in Pool 1 on Friday, 11 January.
Before the five pool winners emerge at the end of Round 6, much interest will focus on Pool 2 which currently has Perpignan and Worcester Warriors on top each with 15 points.
FIXTURES
(All kick-offs local time with live TV coverage where relevant)
ROUND 5
Thursday, 10 January 2013
Pool 1 Mont-de-Marsan v London Irish, Stade Guy Boniface 19.00
Pool 3 Bayonne v Newport Gwent Dragons, Stade Jean Dauger 20.45 Eurosport France
Friday, 11 January 2013
Pool 1 Bordeaux-Bègles v Gloucester Rugby, Stade André Moga 20.00
Saturday, 12 January 2013
Pool 5 London Welsh v I Cavalieri Prato, Kassam Stadium 14.00
Pool 4 Bath Rugby v Agen, Recreation Ground 14.15
Pool 4 Cammi Rugby Calvisano v Bucharest Wolves, Peroni Stadium 14.30
Pool 3 London Wasps v Rugby Mogliano, Adams Park 15.00
Pool 2 VEA Femi-CZ Rovigo v Worcester Warriors, Stadio Mario Battaglini 15.00
Pool 2 Bizkaia Gernika RT v Perpignan, Urbieta Rugby Sport Centre 16.00
Pool 5 Grenoble v Stade Français Paris, Stade Lesdiguières 21.00 FR4
ROUND 6
Thursday, 17 January 2013
Pool 3 Newport Gwent Dragons v London Wasps, Rodney Parade 19.45 S4C
Pool 2 Perpignan v VEA Femi-CZ Rovigo, Stade Aimé Giral 21.00
Friday, 18 January 2013
Pool 4 Agen v Cammi Rugby Calvisano, Stade Alfred Armandie 19.00
Saturday, 19 January 2013
Pool 5 I Cavalieri Prato v Grenoble, Stadio Enrico Chersoni 14.00
Pool 3 Rugby Mogliano v Bayonne, Stadio Maurizio Quaggia 14.00
Pool 4 Bath Rugby v Bucharest Wolves, Recreation Ground 14.15
Pool 1 London Irish v Bordeaux-Bègles, Madejski Stadium 15.00
Pool 1 Gloucester Rugby v Mont-de-Marsan, Kingsholm Stadium 15.00
Pool 2 Worcester Warriors v Bizkaia Gernika RT, Sixways Stadium 15.00
Pool 5 Stade Français Paris v London Welsh, Stade du Hainaut (Valenciennes) 21.00 FR4
Quarter-finals: 4/5/6/7 April 2013
Semi-finals: 26/27/28 April 2013
DUBLIN 2013 EUROPEAN CLUB RUGBY FINALS
Amlin Challenge Cup final - RDS, Friday, 17 May 2013 (20.00)
Heineken Cup final - Aviva Stadium, Saturday, 18 May 2013 (17.00)
