Three-way battle for Euro semis
With the Heineken Cup and Amlin Challenge Cup knockout stages set to dominate the European landscape this weekend, the clubs who qualify for the last four of European club rugby’s elite tournament will play the semifinal matches at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium, and at either Twickenham Stadium or Stade Chaban-Delmas in Bordeaux.
Following the draw for the Heineken Cup semifinal pairings at the conclusion of the Pool stages, ERC on Thursday confirmed the venues and dates for the high-profile games in the last four of the competition.
The winners of Sunday’s intriguing all-Irish clash between top seeds, Munster and Ulster will play their semifinal at the 50,000-capacity Aviva Stadium on Saturday, April 28 – against the winners of the competition’s opening quarterfinal between Edinburgh and four-time champions, Toulouse.
If English champions Saracens come through Sunday’s much anticipated contest with Clermont Auvergne, they will meet the winners of the Leinster v Cardiff Blues game in the semifinal at Twickenham Stadium on Sunday, April 29. However, if Clermont defeat Saracens, they will take on either Leinster or Cardiff Blues at Stade Chaban-Delmas.
The Aviva Stadium hosted last season’s Heineken Cup semifinal between Leinster and Toulouse, while two tournament semifinals have been played at Stade Chaban-Delmas – Toulouse v Munster in 2000 and Toulouse v Biarritz Olympique in 2004.
Twickenham Stadium, which will stage this season’s Heineken Cup Final on May 19, has hosted one semifinal to date when London Irish met Toulouse in 2008.
Following the Amlin Challenge Cup semifinal draw at the conclusion of the Pool stage, the much anticipated clashes this weekend of Toulon and Harlequins, and of London Wasps and Biarritz, will have the added incentive of offering the winners a home semifinal and taking them one step closer to the tournament final at the Twickenham Stoop on Friday, 18 May, the eve of the Heineken Cup showpiece occasion.
Toulon or Harlequins will play the winners of the Stade Francais Paris-Exeter Chiefs game on Friday, April 27, and if Biarritz Olympique defeat London Wasps, they will meet the winners of Brive v Scarlets on Saturday, April 28. However, if London Wasps are victorious, they will play either Brive or Scarlets on Sunday, April 29.
Heineken Cup semifinals
Saturday, April 28
Munster/Ulster v Edinburgh/Toulouse – Aviva Stadium, Dublin (capacity: 50,000)
Sunday, April 29
Saracens/Clermont Auvergne v Leinster/Cardiff Blues – Twickenham Stadium (capacity: 82,000) or Stade Chaban Delmas, Bordeaux (capacity: 34,000)
Heineken Cup Final
Saturday, May 19
Twickenham Stadium – 17.00
Amlin Challenge Cup semifinals
Friday, April 27
Toulon/Harlequins v Stade Francais/Exeter Chiefs
Saturday, April 28/Sunday, April 29
London Wasps/Biarritz Olympique v Brive/Scarlets
Amlin Challenge Cup Final
Friday, May 18
Twickenham Stoop – 20.00
* The kick-off times for the Heineken Cup and the Amlin Challenge Cup semifinals will be announced following this weekend’s matches.
