Leinster and Ulster will hold the Irish flag in the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup semi finals in Dublin and Belfast where Leinster take on Toulon and Exeter Chiefs visit Belfast. Both sides have had mixed performances since their respective quarter final wins.
In a clear sign of intent in particular from Ulster, they made wholesale change heading down to play Munster in the URC last weekend. While Leinster mixed and matched in defeat to Benetton who won with the last kick of the evening sealing a 29-26 win for the Italian side.
Those 2 defeats have hampered there URC play off ambitions but if both sides make it through the semi final stages this weekend in Europe those 2 losses won’t overly matter as both teams will be preparing for Finals in Bilbao.
Ulster have issues in the prop department and could be forced to select a number of players short on game time vs Exeter but could also welcome back Aengus Bell and Tom O Toole if injury reports are to be believed.
Only time will tell and when the team line ups will be announced we will then find out where Ulster is in terms of fit and available props for the tough task that awaits them against Exeter.
They have managed to secure a home semi final and that will provide them with extra opportunities in terms of trying to gain victory and reach a 1st European final since the Heineken Cup final appearance back in 2012 in Twickenham.
Saturday night in Belfast offers Ulster a huge chance and they have played well enough through the campaign to feel they can secure a big win over Exeter who beat Munster in the last 16 before winning their quarter final against Benetton.
It will be a tight game between Ulster and Exeter and Ulster will back themselves on home soil but the issues they have up front could be the snag that could see them come up short. Exeter have had trouble up front themselves but seem to have found that kick and pick up in form just as Ulster have found form hard to come by in recent weeks but will know they have the attacking game plan to trouble any side.
Even though they are on home soil, I feel Exeter will just have enough to get past Ulster and book a spot in Bilbao.
Leinster will face Toulon at 3pm on Saturday in Dublin and will know they have to hit all the right notes if they are to get beyond another Euro semi final and make the big day in Bilbao. Leinster will not only have to face Toulon, they will have to battle those inner demons that have come up several times in the past couple of seasons due to a number of semi final defeats.
They have been here before and will of course dip into that experience and will pick Rieko Ioane from the off rather than leave him on the bench like they did with Jordie Barrett in a strange selection call from last year. Ioane can easily slot in on the wing as well at centre but to be fair the likes of Jimmy O Brien and JJ Kenny can lay claim to one of those wing spots with Tommy O Brien on the right wing.
Like Ulster, the form in recent times has been mixed and that is being generous from a Leinster point of view, of the 4 sides left I would put Leinster at no.4, Toulon at 3, Bath at 2 and Bordeaux Begles at number 1 as defending champions and the best positioned to retain their grip on the Champions Cup trophy.
I will go against the grain and say that Toulon will cause a shock on Saturday and beat Leinster in Dublin and the wait will go on for another Champions Cup win for Leinster.
It is certainly going against the conventional wisdom that both home sides would lose both semi finals but I am backing that very scenario to come up and say that Exeter and Toulon will make it to Bilbao over Ulster and Leinster…..