NEWPORT Gwent Dragons have already earned a place in the quarter-finals of the European Rugby Challenge Cup by topping Pool Three but Saturday’s clash with Stade Francais at Rodney Parade is not a dead rubber.
HOME ADVANTAGE
The Dragons will know by the time they start their game against the Parisians (kick-off 3pm) whether they will play April’s last-eight tie in Newport.
If Edinburgh fail to beat Bordeaux-Begles with a bonus point at Murrayfield on Friday night then the Rodney Parade region will have home advantage in the quarters. If the Scots do manage a five-point haul then a solitary match point would guarantee home advantage for Lyn Jones’ men.
SEEDINGS
The Dragons’ result against Stade will also determine their seeding in the knockout stages.
Gloucester, who play in Brive on Thursday, are currently ranked first thanks to five wins from five (24 points).
The Dragons are second on 21 match points (points difference 102), Exeter third on 20 (73), London Irish fourth on 19 (69) and Edinburgh fifth on 16 (38).
The three runners-up are currently Cardiff Blues (19 points, PD 129), Bordeaux (16, 52) and Newcastle (16, 17). Connacht (15, 32) know that victory will earn a quarter-final spot because Edinburgh play Bordeaux.
If Exeter sneak above the Dragons then it could well be a derby clash against Cardiff Blues at Rodney Parade.
Remaining fixtures
- Pool One: Rovigo v London Irish, Grenoble v Cardiff Blues (both Saturday)
- Pool Two: Exeter v Bayonne, La Rochelle v Connacht (both Saturday)
- Pool Three: Newport Gwent Dragons v Stade Francais, Bucharest v Newcastle (both Saturday)
- Pool Four: Edinburgh v Bordeaux-Begles (Friday), London Welsh v Lyon (Sunday)
- Pool Five: Brive v Gloucester, Oyonnax v Zebre
Current rankings
- Gloucester
- Newport Gwent Dragons
- Exeter
- London Irish
- Edinburgh
- Cardiff Blues
- Bordeaux
- Newcastle
(Quarter-finals: 1 v 8, 2 v 7, 3 v 6, 4 v 5, semi-finals: open draw)
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