Home Semi-Final Is Leinster’s Reward After Beating Premiership Leaders

Josh van der Flier and Robbie Henshaw both touched down during an ultra-efficient first half performance from Leinster, laying the foundations for a 23-14 Heineken Champions Cup quarter-final triumph over Leicester Tigers.

Leo Cullen’s men toppled the current Gallagher Premiership leaders at Mattioli Woods Welford Road to earn a home semi-final next weekend against Toulouse, the reigning European champions.

There were elements of the second half Leinster were disappointed with, particularly conceding two tries, but a similarly strong start will be the target for the Toulouse game, according to hooker Dan Sheehan.

“Make sure we impose our game in the first 20 minutes. I think if you give Toulouse a sniff they can run off with the game but if you start well and keep it going and have a solid 80-minute performance, I think we’ll be right in there,” said Sheehan.

“Our fans are always great at home. We actually got a decent reception here (in Leicester) as well, a lot of travelling support, and to have them all back at the Aviva next week will be a massive boost.

“We’re comfortable in the Aviva, that’s what we like, we get the crowd behind us and we feed off that for the whole game.

“We would have liked to close out the (Leicester) game earlier and not give them a second sniff at a chance to win the game. Happy with how the first half went, and then we just needed to manage the game in the second half and close it out, and keep playing our game.

“We don’t want to park the bus, we want to be able to keep pushing teams and put the foot on their throat.”