As the RBS 6 Nations takes centre stage in the coming weeks, fans of the elite European Rugby Champions Cup game will be able to look forward to even more world-class action in April when the European Rugby Champions Cup and Challenge Cup quarterfinals get underway.

The knockout stages of the tournaments mark the beginning of the end of the journey to the 2016 finals in May when the 2 showcase matches will be staged at the state-of-the-art 59 000-capacity Grand Stade de Lyon.

The Champions Cup quarterfinals kick off on Saturday 9 April with Wasps, the last Aviva Premiership club to win the coveted title in 2007, taking on the Exeter Chiefs at the Ricoh Arena.

That clash of the 2-time champions against the 1st-timers in the knockout stage will be followed by the meeting of No 1 seeds Saracens, who have reached the last 8 for the 5th season in a row, and Northampton Saints at Allianz Park.

On Sunday 10 April, Leicester Tigers host Stade Francais at Welford Road in what promises to be another classic Anglo-French contest. The Tigers have booked their ticket to the quarterfinals for the 13th time – 2 behind the record held jointly by Toulouse and Munster – while Stade are appearing in the last 8 for the 1st time since 2010.

The road to Lyon will be clearer when Racing 92 and reigning champions, RC Toulon, meet at Stade Yves-du-Manoir in an all-French confrontation which could see recent World Cup winners, Dan Carter and Ma’a Nonu going head-to-head.

A major weekend of knockout rugby will commence with the 1st of the Challenge Cup quarterfinals between Sale Sharks and Montpellier at the AJ Bell Stadium on Friday 8 April, with holders Gloucester, who are on a record run of 15 victories in the tournament, up against the Newport Gwent Dragons at Kingsholm the following day.

All 8 quarterfinals will be broadcast live with the coverage shared by BT Sport, Sky Sports, beIN Sports and France Télévisions.

European Rugby Champions Cup quarterfinals:

(All kick-offs local time)

Saturday 9 April:

• QF2: Wasps vs Exeter Chiefs, Ricoh Arena (15:15 UK Time) BT Sport / beIN Sports
• QF1: Saracens vs Northampton Saints, Allianz Park (17:45 UK Time) Sky Sports / beIN Sports

Sunday 10 April:

• QF4: Leicester Tigers vs Stade Francais, Welford Road (13:45 UK Time) BT Sport / beIN Sports
• QF3: Racing 92 vs RC Toulon, Stade Yves-du-Manoir (17:15 French Time) FR 2 / Sky Sports / beIN Sports

Semi-final 1 (23 or 24 April):

• Saracens or Northampton Saints vs Wasps or Exeter Chiefs

Semi-final 2 (23 or 24 April):

• Racing 92 or RC Toulon vs Leicester Tigers or Stade Francais

European Rugby Champions Cup final:

• Saturday 14 May – Grand Stade de Lyon at 17:45 French Time

European Rugby Challenge Cup quarterfinals:

(All kick-offs local time)

Friday 8 April:

• QF3: Sale Sharks vs Montpellier, AJ Bell Stadium (19:45 UK Time) Sky Sports / beIN Sports

Saturday 9 April:

• QF4: Gloucester Rugby vs Newport Gwent Dragons, Kingsholm (12:45 UK Time) Sky Sports
• QF1: Harlequins vs London Irish, Twickenham Stoop (20:05 UK Time) BT Sport
• QF2: Grenoble vs Connacht, Stade des Alpes (21:05 French Time) FR 4 / BT Sport / beIN Sports

Semi-final 1 (22 or 23 or 24 April):

• Harlequins or London Irish vs Grenoble or Connacht

Semi-final 2 (22 or 23 or 24 April):

• Sale Sharks or Montpellier vs Gloucester or Newport Gwent Dragons