Sale have switched their home European Challenge Cup semi-final in order to prevent a clash with Stockport County who they share a ground with. Connacht had initially been drawn to travel to Sale for the first-leg but this will now not happen until the second leg.
Due to the poor condition of the playing surface in Donnybrook, Leinster have been forced to move their next game to Landsdowne Road. The game, against The Dragons has been re-fixed for Lansdowne Road on Sunday week, January 30th at 16:45.
Today the ERC finalised the days and times of the quarter finals of this year’s Heineken Cup. Munster will face Biarittz on Sunday April 3rd at 4:00pm while Leinster will be playing host to Leicester at 5:15pm on Saturday April 2nd.
Ulster’s failure to win away from home cost them dearly this Heineken Cup campaign and today’s result was no different with Ulster losing to Cardiff away. Ulster while winning all their home games, failed to win a single away game and this is what cost them a place in the quarter finals.
Both Irish sides left in the Heineken Cup will be up against it when they play two of the strongest teams in the competition in April, Biarittz and Leicester. Leinster have been ‘rewarded’ by being top seeds with a match against the eight seed, Leicester. Meanwhile Munster will have to travel to Biarittz, a venue where both Leicester and Wasps have already lost at this season.
Leinster cruised past Treviso tonight claiming a XX points to XX victory. Leinster scored X tries with Shane Horgan claiming a hat-trick and Shane Jennings claiming two for himself.
Connacht have continued their impressive form in the European Challenge Cup with another win over Grenoble in the second leg of their quarter final. Grenoble were outclassed by 19 points to 3, sending Connacht through with a 45 points to 24 aggregate score.
Munster have booked their place in the knock-out stages of the Heineken Cup yet again. Munster saw off the challenge of a spirited Harlequins side to win the match by 18 points to 10.
We have pictures of the new Ireland jerseys which will be released ahead of this year’s Six Nations.
Ulster coach Mark McCall has made six changes and one positional switch for Sunday’s final Pool Six game the Blues.