Racing 92 and Union Bordeaux-Bègles, who will be competing in next season’s Heineken Champions Cup, both progressed to the TOP 14 semifinals over the weekend.

The French top-flight’s playoffs saw the duo travel to two other teams set to be in contention for EPCR’s top prize in 2023-2024, in Stade Français Paris and Lyon, respectively.

Racing overcame Stade Français 33-20 on Saturday, as Juan Imhoff, Wenceslas Lauret and Gaël Fickou crossed, with Finn Russell adding 14 points from the tee.

Stade Français, which returns to the Heineken Champions Cup next season after a campaign in the EPCR Challenge Cup, dotted down through Sekou Macalou and forced a penalty try, despite seeing Marcos Kremer sent off early on.

✨ 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟐/𝟐𝟑 𝐓𝐑𝐘 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐎𝐍 ✨

🥇 @MunsterRugby's Tadhg Beirne#HeinekenChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/HCPHkFxHeN

— Heineken Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) June 1, 2023

On Sunday, Bordeaux recovered from 11 points down at halftime to beat Lyon 32-25.

Matthieu Jalibert contributed 14 points for the visitors, courtesy of a try, three conversions and a penalty.

A Madosh Tambwe try brace and a Mahamadou Diaby score also helped Bordeaux’s cause.

Lyon crossed three times, through Ethan Dumortier, Josua Tuisova and Josiah Maraku, and Lima Sopoaga kicked 10 points to see them level at 25 with five minutes to go. Tambwe’s second effort snatched victory for Bordeaux.

Huge clashes await in the semifinals, as Racing visits five-time EPCR champion Stade Toulousain on Friday, and Bordeaux heads to La Rochelle, which is fresh from securing a second successive Heineken Champions Cup title, on Saturday.