Preview: PRO12 semifinals
They've spent 22 rounds giving it everything to reach the last four, now it's time for two huge Pro12 semifinals.
We look at all the semifinals action!
Friday, May 20
Leinster v Ulster
(RDS Arena, Kick-off: 19.45, 18.45 GMT)
Leinster started the season as low as tenth, but climbed into the top four after Round Six and remained there for rest of the season.
Ulster, who had dropped in and out of the top four over the course of the season, finally secured their play-off spot with a round 22 victory over Ospreys.
Leinster earned the right to host Ulster by finishing top of the table after victory over Treviso in the final round of the regular season.
That is all the more important with the current record of home semifinalists – no team has ever won a last four match on the road.
Ulster will be looking to put an end to that run and they will take confidence from their victory over the men from Dublin in Round 21.
That 30-6 success helped them secure a fourth-place finish and a play-off place but Ulster have not yet beaten Leinster in a knock-out match in six attempts, although a draw back in 2003 was enough to see them through thanks to scoring more tries.
One thing in Ulster's favour is that they have the top points scorer left in the tournament in Paddy Jackson, while they finished the season with the best disciplinary record in the league, collecting just six yellow cards along the way.
For Leinster Isa Nacewa will be a key contributor, having been named in the Pro12 Dream Team and racking up eight tries in the regular season, the same number as Ulster flyer Craig Gilroy.
Teams:
Leinster: 15 Isa Nacewa (captain), 14 Dave Kearney, 13 Garry Ringrose, 12 Ben Te'o, 11 Luke Fitzgerald, 10 Johnny Sexton, 9 Eoin Reddan, 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 Jordi Murphy, 6 Rhys Ruddock, 5 Mick Kearney, 4 Devin Toner, 3 Mike Ross, 2 Richardt Strauss, 1 Jack McGrath.
Replacements: 16 Sean Cronin, 17 Peter Dooley, 18 Tadhg Furlong, 19 Ross Molony, 20 Jack Conan, 21 Luke McGrath, 22 Ian Madigan, 23 Zane Kirchner.
Ulster: 15 Jared Payne, 14 Andrew Trimble, 13 Luke Marshall, 12 Stuart McCloskey, 11 Craig Gilroy, 10 Paddy Jackson, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Sean Reidy, 7 Chris Henry, 6 Iain Henderson, 5 Franco Van Der Merwe, 4 Pete Browne, 3 Ricky Lutton, 2 Rory Best (captain), 1 Callum Black.
Replacements: 16 Rob Herring, 17 Kyle McCall, 18 Andy Warwick, 19 Robbie Diack, 20 Roger Wilson, 21 Paul Marshall, 22 Stuart Olding, 23 Darren Cave.
Referee: Ian Davies (WRU)
Assistant referees: Ben Whitehouse (WRU), Sean Brickell (WRU)
TMO: Jon Mason (WRU)
Saturday, May 21
Connacht v Glasgow Warriors
(Sportsground, Kick-off: 18.30, 17.30 GMT)
The second semifinal on Saturday pits play-off newcomers Connacht against defending champions Glasgow Warriors.
Connacht – who made the knockout stages for the first time having led the table for six of the 22 rounds of the regular season – will be looking for a repeat of their Round 22 victory over reigning champions, Glasgow Warriors, when the two meet again at the sold-out Sportsground in Galway.
The teams should know each other well, having faced off in the final round of the regular season, where Connacht's 14-7 win earned them a home semi-final.
In their ranks Connacht have the competition's top try-scorer in Matt Healy, but the Warriors have the play-off experience, having beaten Ulster and then Munster on their way to a maiden title last year.
Teams:
Connacht: 15 Tiernan O'Halloran, 14 Niyi Adeolokun, 13 Robbie Henshaw, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 Matt Healy, 10 AJ MacGinty, 9 Kieran Marmion, 8 John Muldoon (Captain), 7 Jake Heenan, 6 Eoin McKeon, 5 Aly Muldowney, 4 Ultan Dillane, 3 Finlay Bealham, 2 Tom McCartney, 1 Ronan Loughney.
Replacements: 16 Dave Heffernan, 17 JP Cooney, 18 Rodney Ah You, 19 Andrew Browne, 20 Sean O'Brien, 21 John Cooney, 22 Shane O'Leary, 23 Peter Robb.
Glasgow Warriors: 15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Tommy Seymour, 13 Mark Bennett, 12 Peter Horne, 11 Sean Lamont, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Henry Pyrgos, 8 Josh Strauss, 7 Simone Favaro, 6 Ryan Wilson, 5 Jonny Gray (Captain), 4 Leone Nakarawa, 3 Zander Fagerson, 2 Fraser Brown, 1 Gordon Reid.
Replacements: 16 Pat MacArthur, 17 Ryan Grant, 18 D'arcy Rae, 19 Tim Swinson, 20 Adam Ashe, 21 Grayson Hart, 22 Duncan Weir, 23 Taqele Naiyaravoro.
Referee: Marius Mitrea (FIR)
Assistant referees: Nigel Owens (WRU), Stefano Penne (FIR)
TMO: Carlo Damasco (FIR)
