Investec Champions Cup 2024-25: Semi-final ties, times and dates revealed
Leinster and Northampton Saints, who will face each other in the Champions Cup semi-finals, celebrate tries.
The semi-finals of the Investec Champions Cup have been confirmed for early May, including Leinster’s rematch with Northampton Saints.
Leinster, Bordeaux-Begles and Northampton Saints all secured dominant victories in their respective last-eight encounters, with the closest fought the all-French clash on Sunday.
On Friday, the Irish province made a statement of intent as they absolutely hammered Glasgow, who are currently second in the United Rugby Championship, with a 52-0 triumph at the Aviva Stadium.
Leinster have lost the past three Champions Cup finals to La Rochelle (twice) and Toulouse, but they appear determined to right those wrongs this season.
Leinster’s remarkable record
Leo Cullen’s men have scored 114 points in their two knockout matches so far and conceded a staggering zero.
For the second time in a week, they were once again exceptional and scored eight tries, with Max Deegan going over for a brace and James Lowe, Tommy O’Brien, Hugo Keenan, Garry Ringrose, Dan Sheehan also touching down, while they were awarded a penalty try.
They will face Northampton at the Aviva Stadium in the semi-finals after the English outfit hammered Castres at Franklin’s Gardens on Saturday.
The Saints dominated throughout, setting the tone early on with tries for Tommy Freeman and Curtis Langdon. Although Jeremy Fernandez briefly gave the Top 14 side hope, the hosts were ultimately too slick for their opponents.
England’s rising star Henry Pollock once again shone, crossing the whitewash twice in the second period, and he was joined on the scoresheet by Alex Coles, the returning George Furbank and Tom Pearson.
Meanwhile, the other semi-final sees Bordeaux-Begles taking on Toulouse at Matmut Atlantique, guaranteeing a French finalist for the sixth season in a row.
UBB proved much too strong for Munster despite a brave fightback from the Irishmen. The visitors could ultimately not repeat their heroics in La Rochelle the previous weekend as Bordeaux claimed a 47-29 triumph on Saturday.
Tries for Damian Penaud, Maxime Lucu, Pete Samu, Jon Echegaray, Maxime Lamothe and Louis Bielle-Biarrey were enough to take them into the last-four.
Alex Nankivell and Andrew Smith (twice) crossed the whitewash for Munster, with a penalty also helping their cause, but it was not enough as their tournament ended at the quarter-final stage.
The best clash was duly saved until last as the defending champions faced Toulon at the Stade Mayol on Sunday.
The hosts enjoyed an impressive first half, moving 12-3 ahead just before the break thanks to four Melvyn Jaminet penalties.
Thomas Ramos responded for Toulouse and then added a second three-pointer on the stroke of half-time. Ugo Mola’s men would then dominate the third quarter following Baptiste Serin’s yellow card with Jack Willis and Pita Ahki touching down to take them ahead, but two more Jaminet penalties set up a thrilling finale.
It was a tense last few minutes but it was the champions who held their nerve as they earned a penalty which Thomas Ramos converted to take them into the next round.
Champions Cup semi-final draw
Leinster (2) v Northampton Saints (3) on Saturday, May 3 at 17:30 local
Bordeaux-Begles (1) v Toulouse (5) on Sunday, May 4 at 16:00 local (15:00 BST)