Saints face Dublin or Milton Keynes date if they make Champions Cup semi-finals

Phil Dowson’s men host Vodacom Bulls at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens on Saturday night (kick-off 8pm).

A few hours earlier in Dublin, Leinster will host La Rochelle, with the winner of that match taking on the victor of Saints’ battle with the Bulls in the final four.

Should Saints win and Leinster win, the semi-final would be played at Croke Park in the Irish capital.

If Saints win and La Rochelle win, Saints would have home country advantage, hosting the tie at Stadium MK in Milton Keynes.

Saints last played a Champions Cup knockout match at Milton Keynes in 2011 as they beat Ulster in the quarter-finals and Perpignan in the semi-finals before losing to Leinster in the dramatic Cardiff showpiece.

This year’s final will take place at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Saturday, May 25.

The semi-finals are scheduled for the first weekend of May.

Meanwhile, reports coming from South Africa have suggested that the Bulls will leave out several first-team regulars for their trip to the Gardens on Saturday.

Johan Grobbelaar, Elrigh Louw, Wilco Louw, Ruan Nortje, Gerhard Steenekamp, Marco van Staden, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Canan Moodie and Willie le Roux are all said to have been left at home as the Bulls prioritise their United Rugby Championship campaign.

However, that has yet to be confirmed, with both sides naming their team at midday on Friday.

Possible Investec Champions Cup semi-final venues (pool stage rankings in brackets)

Stade Toulousain (1) v Union Bordeaux-Bègles (4) or Harlequins (5) – Le Stadium, Toulouse (capacity: 33,150)

Leinster Rugby (2) v Saints (3) or Vodacom Bulls (6) – Croke Park, Dublin (capacity: 82,300)

Saints (3) v Stade Rochelais (10) – Stadium MK, Milton Keynes (capacity: 30,500)

Union Bordeaux-Bègles (4) v Exeter Chiefs (8) - Matmut ATLANTIQUE, Bordeaux (capacity: 42,100).

Harlequins (5) v Exeter Chiefs (8) – Ashton Gate Stadium (capacity: 27,000)

Vodacom Bulls (6) v Stade Rochelais (10) – UK venue TBC