Rugby: Leinster and Ulster will have home advantage in the Heineken Cup semi-finals if they make it past the quarter-finals stages against Leicester and Northampton, respectively. The draw means that an all-Irish final is a possibility, should both teams negotiate two tricky ties between now and May.
If Leinster win a repeat of the 2009 final against Leicester, in which they will also be at home, they will take on the winner of the all-French quarter-final between Biarritz and Toulouse.
A tough trip to Northampton stands between Ulster and a home tie against either Perpignan or Toulouse.
Leicester ran Perpignan close this afternoon, when demolishing Benetton Treviso 62-15 in Italy, but ultimately fell short on their head-to-head record with the French side, despite finishing level on points.
The English side will be looking for revenge for 2009, when a second half fightback from Leinster helped them to a 19-16 win and their first and only European Cup win.
Ulster, who made it through to the last eight for the first time since winning the competition in 1999, face a Northampton side with a 100 per cent record in pool one.
The English side won six out of six but, despite being seeded eighth in the draw, Ulster won five of their six and only missed out on edging Biarritz into second by virtue of a losing bonus-point they conceded to the French at Ravenhill.
Speaking after yesterday’s 43-6 win over Aironi at the Luigi Zaffanella, Ulster coach Brian McLaughlin hailed a "fantastic achievement that has been a long time coming for everyone involved with Ulster over the year.”
He added: "It's a smashing day for us and we'll just have to wait for the outcome of the other games to see what the story will be in the quarter-final. But to be involved at that stage is a magnificent achievement.
"In terms of Biarritz winning, well you can never rely on anyone else to do a job for you. You have to do it yourself so we came here to win and push for the bonus point and maybe that would keep things in our hands.
"But all credit to Biarritz - they are a very good team."
The quarter-finals will be played on the weekend of April 8th, while the semis are scheduled for the week of the 30th.
Munsterhave also been drawn at home for the semi-final of the Amlin Challenge Cup but first they must beat Brive away.
If they achieve that, they will hosts either Harlequins or Wasps, and the winner will be guaranteed French opposition in the final.
Stade Francais and Montpellier will face off in a quarter-final bid to face either La Rochelle or Clermont Auvergne.
Heineken Cup semi-finals
Leinster/Leicester v Biarritz/Toulouse
Ulster/Northampton v Perpignan/Toulon
Amlin Challenge Cup semi-finals
Stade Francais/Montpellier v La Rochelle/Clermont
Brive/Munster v Harlequins/Wasps
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