Isn’t it about time they had neutral grounds for the semi-finals of the Champions Cup? Or perhaps play them over two legs like their football equivalent?
Both the home sides have a massive advantage, particularly Leinster in the 82,000+ capacity of Croke Park in Dublin.
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Leinster vs Northampton Saints – TV channel, live streaming
When: Saturday May 4th, 17:30
Where: Croke Park, Dublin
How:
UK – TNT Sports 2/Discovery+
Ireland – RTE 2
France – beIN Sports 3
Australia – beIN Sports 2
South Africa – SuperSport
Both sides are unbeaten in this competition this season, so someone’s record has to go. Leinster are firm favourites, even if they hadn’t got home advantage in front of 70,000+ fervent Irish fans at Croke Park. Leinster have been runners-up for the past two years, beaten by La Rochelle on both occasions, including in Dublin. This year they got their revenge beating the French side in the quarter-finals 40-13.
Leinster are basically Ireland in disguise, while Northampton, after a stellar season when they lead the Premiership, have suddenly provided a clutch of players, especially in the backs, to give England their cutting edge. So in the backs you have Jamison, Gibson-Park, Ross Byrne, Robbie Henshaw, James Lowe and Robbie Henshaw up against Alex Mitchell, Fin Smith,Tommy Freeman, Fraser Dingwall and George Furbank. Ollie Sleightholme is a slight doubt for Northampton on the wing, but James Ramm is a more than adequate substitute.
In the forwards it’s Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan, Caelan Doris, Tadhg Furlong, Andrew Porter and Dan Sheehan up against Alex Coles, Courtney Lawes, Lewis Ludlum (a possible doubt), Juarno Augustus and the two Sams, Matavesi and Graham.
Northampton have won this competition once in 2000, but Leinster have won it five times and beat Northampton 33-22 in the 2011 final with Courtney Lawes the only survivor from both sides involved in this semi-final. Leinster to win, but Northampton to pressurise the home side right up to the final whistle.
Toulouse vs Harlequins – TV channel, live streaming
When: Sunday May 4th, 15:00
Where: Stade Toulousain, Toulouse
How:
UK – ITV 1/TNT Sports 1/Discovery+
France – France 2/beIN Sports 1
Australia – beIN Sports 1
South Africa – SuperSport
Toulouse have already beaten Quins comprehensively in this competition this season in the group stages 47-19 at The Stoop in December. That makes Quins real underdogs in this semi-final, but they have managed two narrow away wins in France against Racing 92 and Bordeaux.
Their win against Bordeaux was built on a solid scrum and a fast start, both of which they need on Sunday. Harlequins’s front row with Fin Baxter, Will Collier. Jack Walker and Joe Marler are a match for any side and they also have a great backrow with Alex Dombrandt, Will Evans and Chandler Cunningham-Smith.
The backs aren’t too shabby either, with Marcus Smith, Andre Esterhuizen, Louis Lynagh, Cadan Murley, Tyrone Green and their two scrum-halves, veteran Danny Care and his more than capable understudy Will Porter.
Toulouse thumped Exeter 64-26 in the quarters and are looking for their sixth European title. They welcomed French fly-half Romain Ntamack back after injury for the quarter-final and with him teamed up with scrum-half Antoine Dupont, Toulouse may have the best half-back combination in the world. They also have Thomas Ramos, a metronomic kicker, and Scottish international Blair Kinghorn. In the forwards they have Cyril Bailie, Julien Marchand, Richie Arnold and in particular Jack Willis.
The Englishman seems to have added an extra dimension to his game since moving to France and is now a rampaging runner as well as a superb jackaller at the breakdown.
You know that if Quins are to win, they will keep their supporters on tenterhooks to the end and win by the odd point. They are capable of pulling off a major surprise and have nothing to lose, but home advantage should give Toulouse the edge. So a final between the two most successful sides in the competition, Toulouse and Leinster, in London at the end of the month.
