Top-ranked Saints will host Ulster

Northampton will play Ulster in the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup after qualifying for the knockout stages as the tournament's top seeds.

Saints were the only team to progress from the group stages with a 100 per cent record and have been rewarded with a home route to the final.

If Northampton, champions in 2000, can overcome Ulster – in a game set to be played in either Coventry or Milton Keynes - they will host either Perpignan or Toulon in a home semi-final.

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The Aviva Premiership provided only two Heineken Cup quarter-final qualifiers, with Northampton joined in the last eight by midlands rivals Leicester.

The Tigers, who progressed as one of the leading group runners-up, face new tournament favourites Leinster in a repeat of the 2009 final, set to be staged at Dublin's Aviva Stadium.

But Leicester are not short on confidence.

"The way we have played in the Premiership, we are good enough to go anywhere and beat anyone," said No 8 Jordan Crane, who scored a hat-trick in Leicester's 62-15 victory over Treviso.

"I don't think too many teams would want to be drawn against us."

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The winners of that heavyweight showdown will host a semi-final against either Biarritz or defending champions Toulouse, who will meet in the other all-French quarter-final.

Toulouse had the chance to oust Northampton as top seeds and secure a home quarter-final.

But Wasps' 21-16 victory, sealed with a last-gasp try from David Lemi, condemned them to a trip to Biarritz in a repeat of last year's final.

"It was a disappointing end for us," said Toulouse forwards coach Yannick Bru.

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"We showed some spirit in the second half. We now have a tough game away to Biarritz and probably an even tougher one away in the semi-final.

"We have the strength in our squad to win anywhere in Europe. It would have been easier to play at home but we have to show our pride in ourselves now by going to Biarritz and winning."

Wasps head down into the Amlin Challenge Cup, where they will face local rivals Harlequins.

Munster and Clermont Auvergne – the other two Heineken Cup drop-outs – tackle Brive and La Rochelle respectively while Stade Francais, who won Pool Four ahead of Leeds Carnegie, take on Montpellier.

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Heineken Cup quarter-finals (to be played over the weekend of April 8-10): Northampton v Ulster, Leinster v Leicester, Perpignan v Toulon, Biarritz v Toulouse.

Semi-finals: (to be played over weekend of April 30 and May 1): Leinster or Leicester v Biarritz or Toulouse, Northampton or Ulster v Perpignan or Toulon.

Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-finals (to be played over the weekend of April 8-10): Stade Francais v Montpellier, Brive v Munster, La Rochelle v Clermont Auvergne, Harlequins v Wasps.

Semi-finals (to be played over the weekend of April 30 and May 1): Stade Francais or Montpellier v La Rochelle or Clermont Auvergne, Brive or Munster v Harlequins or Wasps.