11 Facts ahead of the Champions Cup quarter-finals

The Champions Cup quarter-finals kick off this weekend with Munster hosting Toulouse at the Aviva Stadium in the opening game on Saturday.

The all-French clash between La Rochelle and Montpellier follows shortly after with Leicester Tigers and Leinster kicking off at the same time.

The action rounds up on Sunday with Racing 92 hosting the Sale Sharks.

Here are 11 facts ahead of the weekend's action.

• The quarter-finalists have a total of 18 European titles between them. Four clubs – Stade Toulousain (5), Leinster Rugby (4), Leicester Tigers (2) and Munster Rugby (2) - are former tournament winners.

• When Munster and Stade Toulousain clash at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday, both clubs will be making a record 19th appearance at the quarter-final stage of the tournament.

• Grégory Alldritt of Stade Rochelais has made the most carries so far this season with 73 from his five appearances, and Alldritt is also joint-leader with Thomas Ramos of Stade Toulousain in the offloads category with 12.

• Leinster’s James Lowe is leading try scorer to date with eight from four matches.

• Leicester Tigers and Leinster, this season’s leading clubs in the Gallagher Premiership and the URC, will be going head-to-head for the fifth time in the knockout stage of the tournament when they clash at Mattioli Woods Welford Road on Saturday. It’s currently 2-2 including the 2009 final won by Leinster at BT Murrayfield.

• Munster captain, Peter O’Mahony, has registered the most turnovers with 13 from his five matches.

• Sale Sharks, who face Racing 92 on Sunday, will be looking for a first quarter-final success in their history having lost to Biarritz Olympique in 2006, and to Stade Rochelais last season.

• Munster and Stade Toulousain have met six times in the knockout stage to date – including the famous 2008 final – with Munster ahead 4-2. Munster were winners in 2014 and 2017 at the quarter-final stage, however, Stade Toulousain triumphed 40-33 in the Round of 16 at Thomond Park last season on their way to lifting the trophy.

• Montpellier Hérault Rugby have reached the last eight for the first time since 2013.

• The matches between Stade Rochelais and Montpellier, and Racing 92 and Sale Sharks, will be the first time the clubs have met in the Heineken Champions Cup.

• Of the 100 tournament quarter-final matches to date, 74% have been won by the home club.