European Rugby Semi-Finals this weekend
The Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup competitions reach the semi-final stage this weekend with some tasty matches in store.
The Champions Cup features two English clubs playing the cream of Ireland and France respectively; the Premiership has not had a club in the Final since Exeter won in 2020 so there’s a lot riding on this weekend from an English pride point of view. Northampton Saints travel on May 4th to Croke Park in Dublin, a storied stadium in Irish history, to play Irish powerhouse Leinster in front of 82,000 spectators while Harlequins journey to Stade Toulousain in southern France on Sunday, May 5th to take on a powerful team packed with international players and supported by devoted local fans.
The English clubs are very good at scoring tries: Northampton have scored 60 tries in the Premiership (winger Ollie Sleightholme having bagged 11) and 31 in this tournament (#4). Quins have scored 63 tries in the prem and 32 in the Investec CC (#3). But so are their opponents, especially Stade Toulousain who rank #2 in France’s Top 14 currently and are #1 in points scored. They have also scored 40 tries in the Investec competition ranking them #1 overall. Leinster it must be said have not played their best this season but as proof of their quality, rank #2 in the URC with 3 games to play.
In addition to Sleightholme of Saints, players to watch this weekend will include his teammate, Courtney Lawes; for Leinster,James Low, Tadhg Furlong, Caelan Doris and Jamison Gibson-Clark; for Quins, Marcus Smith, Alex Dombrandt, Andre Esterhuizen and Tyrone Green; and in Toulouse, Cyril Baille, Antoine Dupont, Romain N’Tamack, Thomas Ramos and Englishman, Jack Willis.
The presence of devoted hometown support could tip the scales for Leinster and Toulouse but both the English clubs have the skills and depth to win - either way the final on May 25th at Tottenham Hotspur’s stadium in N. London should be a treat.
At the same time on May 4th, the semi-finals of the EPCR Challenge Cup are being played with South Africa’s Sharks playing Claremont Auvergne at the Twickenham Stoop followed by Italy’s Benetton Rugby visiting Gloucester in England. That Final (the winner automatically plays in next year’s Champions Cup) will be played also at Tottenham Hotspur’s North London stadium on Friday, May 24
All these European cup games will be available on FloRugby’s streaming service.
And not to forget, the last 2 Rounds of the Gallagher Premiership Rugby season will be played May 10/11 and May 18, with the semi-finals on June 1 and the final on June 8, shown on The Rugby Network streaming service.