News article – Style E 2312

Leinster Lions, Toulouse and Leicester Tigers can look forward to the new year with high expectations of clinching their places in the Heineken Cup quarter-finals with a Pool match to spare – and with the huge bonus of home advantage in the last eight to boot.

Leinster Lions and Toulouse are the sole 100 per cent teams left and command four-point leads at the top of Pools 4 and 5. Defending champions Leicester Tigers have a three-point cushion as leaders of Pool 1.

The double over Montferrand means Leinster Lions can seal a quarter-final spot when Swansea travel to Donnybrook on Friday, 10 January, 2003, while Toulouse will also have home advantage when the tournament resumes – Newport the next to take on the 1996 European champions at Stade Ernest Wallon.

Italy will be Leicester’s destination for their fifth-round tie against Amatori & Calvisano but the other three Pools all have two teams level on six points at the top – not to mention additional qualifying combinations.

‘We have had four rounds of outstanding action so far and I am sure everyone is looking forward to the resumption of the Heineken Cup in 2003 when the battle for quarter-final places will be intense,’ said Jean-Pierre Lux, ERC Chairman