Munster face another away day

Munster will face another away trip if they emerge victorious from their Heineken European Cup quarter-final with Gloucester at Kingsholm.

Declan Kidney's side will be disappointed to learn they must travel for the semi-final but relieved that it is away to either Saracens or Ospreys and not Toulouse or Perpignan.

The draw also averts a potential headache for the organisers given that Thomond Park is currently only capable of holding 13,000 spectators and Munster would have been forced to play a home semi-final in either the RDS or Ravenhill.

Saracens were the top-seeded team in the quarter-finals and top scorers in the pool stages but nevertheless would be a less daunting trip than winner takes all clash in France.

The Vicarage Road side are coached by former Munster boss Alan Gaffney and lost just once in pool stages, when they were edged out by one point in Biarritz.

Gaffney;s tenure with Munster between 2002 and 2005 was a reasonably successful one as he guided the province to a quarter-final and two semi-finals in the European Cup.

Ospreys were second in Pool 2 behind Gloucester.  They too lost just one game when facing the group winners in Kingsholm, but made up for the defeat with a 32-15 win at the Liberty Stadium.

First-time quarter-finalists London Irish, have been paired at home against either Toulouse or Cardiff Blues in the first semi-final - providing they get past previous finalists and pool opponents Perpignan.

The Exiles edged out the French side in Pool 1 thanks to two try-bonus points. The only game htey lost was in Perpignan when they were beaten 23-6. At home, however, they beat the French side 24-16.

The semi-finals will be be played on April 26th and 27th.

The times of the quarter-finals were also confirmed today.

Munster's match in Gloucester will kick-off at 5.30pm on Saturday, April 5th, immediately after London Irish take on Perpignan at the Madejski Stadium. Both ties will be televised on Sky Sports.

On Sunday 6th, Saracens take on Ospreys at 12.30 pm, while Toulouse host Cardiff at 3pm.