Edinburgh expect to play Bordeaux or Toulouse in last 16 of Heineken Champions Cup

Richard Cockerill expects Edinburgh to face an away match in France in the last 16 of the Heineken Champions Cup if, as expected, the final two rounds of group matches are cancelled.
Jaco van der Walt in action for Edinburgh against Bordeaux Begles in the European Challenge Cup last season.Jaco van der Walt in action for Edinburgh against Bordeaux Begles in the European Challenge Cup last season.
Jaco van der Walt in action for Edinburgh against Bordeaux Begles in the European Challenge Cup last season.

The French government has blocked Top 14 clubs from competing in cross-border competition this month due to fears over the more virulent strain of coronavirus in the UK.

The remaining two pool rounds were initially postponed but English Premiership Rugby chief executive Darren Childs claims they have now been abandoned because of the lack of space in the schedule.

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Tournament organisers EPCR will decide within the fortnight what format the competitions should take, with a knockout phase launched by a round of 16 the likely option.

“Instead of a double-headed [two-legged] quarter-final, it looks like it’ll go to a last 16 then a last eight,” said Cockerill, whose Edinburgh side lost narrowly at home to La Rochelle before beating Sale Sharks away in the two pool matches they played. “Depending on whether you play across conferences or a team from the same conference, we will have Bordeaux away, who we know well, or Toulouse away [in the last 16].”

Edinburgh played Bordeaux in the group stage of the Challenge Cup last season and again in the quarter-finals where they lost 23-14.

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