Leinster will host Toulon at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday, May 2nd in the Champions Cup semi-final, with a 3pm kick-off.
In Sunday’s last quarter-final, Bordeaux Bègles beat Toulouse 30-15 to set up a last-four tie against Bath, who saw off Northampton on Friday. Their semi-final will be played at the Stade Atlantique Bordeaux Métropole on Sunday, May 3rd.
Leinster earned a sixth successive semi-final appearance courtesy of Saturday’s 43-13 win over Sale in front of 18,839 spectators at the Aviva, a good turnout considering the six-day turnaround from their Round of 16 win over Edinburgh.
Toulon’s victory away to Glasgow earlier on Saturday ensured Leinster would have another home semi-final rather than a trek to Edinburgh.
In the Challenge Cup, Ulster will also have hosting duties on May 2nd, entertaining Exeter Chiefs in the first of the competition’s semi-finals, with a 5.30pm kick-off.
On their home semi-final, Leinster head coach Leo Cullen signalled his side will be taking nothing for granted. “We were here for a semi-final last year and we didn’t manage to get the job done,” he said following Saturday’s win over Sale, referencing the 37-34 loss to Northampton.
“From a logistical point of view, it saves a bit of work anyway, but we need to make it pay if you’re playing at home in a semi-final. But again, that’s the reward of all the work that goes in during the pool stages and doing everything you can, battling it out for wins, they’re not knockout games but that’s the reward when you win four games in your pool.
“We weren’t in the top two seedings, we were third seeds, but it’s off the reward of winning at the end against La Rochelle here, dogging out a win away in Leicester and Bayonne, we were losing both of those games at half-time.
“Those sort of battles are good for us as a group because they harden you up for this time of year. But URC action is on my mind now and we’ll make some plans for Toulon. We definitely haven’t seen as much of them. Glasgow are a team we played a ton at the tail-end of last season and obviously a few weeks ago.”
On Toulon’s 21-18 win at Scotstoun, Cullen added: “It’s very impressive what they’ve done. We’ve just gone to Glasgow ourselves and were well beaten, so we know how hard it is to go over there. They have a mix of pace, power and some big marquee players.”
Champions Cup semi-finals (live on Premier Sports)
Leinster v Toulon, Aviva Stadium, Saturday, May 2nd, 3pm
Bordeaux Bègles v Bath, Stade Atlantique Bordeaux Métropole, Sunday, May 3rd, 3pm Irish time
Challenge Cup semi-finals (live on Premier Sports)
Ulster v Exeter Chiefs, Affidea Stadium, Saturday, May 2nd, 5.30pm
Montpellier v Dragons, Septeo Stadium, Sunday, May 3rd, 1.30pm Irish time