Tournament organisers EPCR have announce the dates, venues, kick-off times and TV coverage for the Heineken Champions Cup and Challenge Cup quarter-finals involving all four Irish provinces.

Elite players from seven different teams, including Leinster, Munster and Ulster, and all three European professional leagues are among the 15 nominees for the prestigious EPCR European Player of the Year award.

Connacht Rugby have announced that the province's attack coach Nigel Carolan, forwards coach Jimmy Duffy and defence coach Peter Wilkins have all signed two-year contract extensions to take them up to the end of the 2020/21 season.

Iain Henderson's man-of-the-match performance for Ulster against Leicester Tigers came at a price, as a finger injury will sideline him for several weeks according to an Ulster injury bulletin issued this afternoon.

For the first time in the same season, all four Irish provinces have qualified for European quarter-finals. Munster and Connacht face last-eight trips to Edinburgh and Sale Sarks respectively, while the Heineken Champions Cup will have its first all-Irish quarter-final since 2012 when Leinster and Ulster clash at the Aviva Stadium.

Leinster set up a mouth-watering Heineken Champions Cup quarter-final against provincial rivals Ulster after seeing off Wasps 37-19 in Coventry to finish top of Pool 1.

Already assured of their quarter-final place, Leinster can top Pool 1 and secure home advantage in the Heineken Champions Cup's last-eight with a winning performance against bottom side Wasps at the Ricoh Arena.

Jack Carty celebrated his Ireland call-up with a late match-winning intercept try as Connacht outlasted Bordeaux-Bègles in an eight-try shootout at Stade Chaban-Delmas.

Ulster advanced to the Heineken Champions Cup's last-eight courtesy of an epic second half comeback away to Leicester Tigers. They finished as Pool 4 runners-up on 22 points, a tally which earned them their first quarter-final appearance since 2014.

Munster came through a thunderous test of their Heineken Champions Cup title credentials as they ended Exeter Chiefs' hopes with a 9-7 defeat in front of a capacity Thomond Park crowd.

A spine-tingling atmosphere is promised when a capacity Thomond Park crowd are treated to the Heineken Champions Cup Pool 2 decider between Munster and Exeter Chiefs. A record 18th quarter-final appearance is within reach for the hosts.

Qualification for a tenth European Challenge Cup quarter-final in 13 attempts is the reward on offer for Connacht today as they attempt to complete a pool double over Bordeaux-Bègles in south west France.

With three pool victories in a row, Ulster are on the cusp of qualifying for the Heineken Champions Cup quarter-finals for the first time in five years. It all rests on their final round trip to Welford Road - the first of this weekend's three mouth-watering Anglo-Irish clashes.

Munster head coach Johann van Graan has made just one change to the team that defeated Gloucester as the province gear up to play Exeter Chiefs in Saturday's Heineken Champions Cup round 6 showdown at Thomond Park (kick-off 5.30pm).

Iain Henderson's quicker-than-expected recovery from thumb surgery will see him make his 100th appearance for Ulster in their crucial Heineken Champions Cup round 6 tie with Leicester Tigers at Welford Road on Saturday (kick-off 3.15pm).

The Leinster team to face Wasps in round 6 of the Heineken Champions Cup at the Ricoh Arena on Sunday (kick-off 3.15pm) contains four changes to the side that defeated Toulouse 29-13.

Ireland second row Quinn Roux is set to captain Connacht for the first time when they play Bordeaux-Bègles at Stade Chaban-Delmas in their final European Challenge Cup pool game on Saturday (kick-off 4pm local time/3pm Irish time).

IRFU referees will be involved in the final pool stages of the Heineken Champions Cup and European Challenge Cup, as well as at home where the All-Ireland League resumes with round 10 across the five divisions.

Luke McGrath is set to miss Ireland's entire GUINNESS Six Nations campaign after his injury during the second half of Leinster's Heineken Champions Cup win over Toulouse was confirmed as knee ligament damage. The scrum half has been ruled out for up to eight weeks.

There has been no let up in Jacob Stockdale's stunning try-scoring rate with Ulster this season. He has racked up seven tries in as many games so far, moving to the top of the Heineken Champions Cup charts with his crucial brace against Racing 92 last Saturday.