ERC Chairman Jean-Pierre Lux and Sky Sports analyst Scott Quinnell drew out the Heineken Cup semi-final pairings in Limerick this evening, and both Ulster and Leinster could have home advantage if they progress to the last-four.
Ulster will have home advantage in the semi-finals if they can overcome Saracens in their Ravenhill quarter-final, while a home semi-final is also the prize on offer for Leinster who travel to reigning champions Toulon in the last-eight.
Indeed, if Leinster manage to dethrone Toulon and Munster get the better of Toulouse in their Limerick quarter-final encounter, there will be an all-Irish semi-final between the provinces who have won five Heineken Cups between them.
Giving his reaction to the semi-final draw, Munster head coach Rob Penney told Sky Sports 2: “We’ve got a massive hurdle to get over against Toulouse here (at Thomond Park) first. We won’t be looking too far beyond that.
“It’s disappointing not to potentially go through and have another game in the region, but it’s just the way the draw goes.
“Traditionally, Munster have never feared going away and this group (of players) certainly have that in them as well.
“We had a really good performance against a tough Harlequins team in the quarter-final last year at the Stoop, and then we pushed Clermont close in the semi-final.
“Although there’s some great sides in the top eight, if we manage to get through Toulouse there’s nothing there that Munster should really, really fear and not give a good crack to.”
HEINEKEN CUP SEMI-FINALS:
ULSTER/Saracens v Clermont Auvergne/Leicester Tigers
Toulon/LEINSTER v MUNSTER/Toulouse
– Matches to be played over the weekend of April 25/26/27
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