Leinster To Host Bath In Quarter-Finals
With the pool stages concluding this afternoon, it has been confirmed that Leinster – the only Irish and PRO12 representatives left standing in the European Champions Cup – will host Bath in the quarter-finals in early April.
Leinster secured top spot in Pool 2 thanks to yesterday’s 20-all draw with Wasps at the Ricoh Arena, with the Coventry-based side also qualifying for the quarter-finals as one of the best runners-up.
Today’s defeat for Toulouse at Montpellier, coupled with the result of the Bath v Glasgow Warriors game, meant that Leinster were guaranteed home advantage in the last-eight.
Clermont Auvergne’s win over Saracens pushed Matt O’Connor’s men down to fourth in the quarter-final rankings, so they will host fellow pool winners Bath when the tournament resumes in April.
EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS CUP QUARTER-FINAL SEEDING:
1 – Racing Metro 92 (winners of Pool 5)
2 – Toulon (winners of Pool 3 )
3 – Clermont Auvergne (winners of Pool 1 )
4 – LEINSTER (winners of Pool 2)
5 – Bath (winners of Pool 4 )
6 – Northampton Saints (best pool runners-up)
7 – Wasps (second best pool runners-up)
8 – Saracens (third best pool runners-up)
The quarter-final dates, kick-off times and venues will be announced in due course. The four games will be played over the weekend of April 3/4/5.
* Ticket information for the Leinster v Bath quarter-final will be confirmed in the coming days, and Leinster Season Ticket holders will be contacted by email.
This will be Leinster’s first home quarter-final since they won their third Heineken Cup title in 2012. They beat Cardiff Blues 34-3 at the Aviva Stadium back then, before overcoming Clermont Auvergne and Ulster in the final rounds.
2011/12 was the same season that Leinster last met Bath in European action, securing an 18-13 win at the Rec before running out 52-27 bonus point winners at the Aviva Stadium the following week.
Last year saw Leinster bow out of the competition at the quarter-final stage, going down 29-14 away to eventual champions Toulon. If they manage to get the better of Bath, the province could have a chance to gain revenge on Toulon thanks to the semi-final draw that was made this evening.
The winners of the Leinster v Bath clash will be on the road to either Toulon or Wasps, while Clermont Auvergne or Northampton will have home advantage against Racing Metro 92 or Saracens in the other semi-final tie.
EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS CUP QUARTER-FINALS:
Racing Metro 92 v Saracens
Toulon v Wasps
Clermont Auvergne v Northampton Saints
LEINSTER v Bath
– Matches to be played over the weekend of April 3/4/5
EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS CUP SEMI-FINALS:
– The winners of the first named quarter-final in each semi-final pairing will have home country advantage
Semi-final 1: Toulon/Wasps v LEINSTER/Bath
Semi-final 2: Clermont Auvergne/Northampton Saints v Racing Metro 92/Saracens
– Matches to be played over the weekend of April 17/18/19