RUGBY/European Cup dates: In a repeat of the 1995 Heineken European Cup semi-final, Leinster will host the Cardiff Blues at Lansdowne Road on Friday January 23rd (kick-off 7.45 p.m.), in the penultimate round of pool matches. The match will be televised live on Sky Sports and RTÉ.
Leinster missed the chance of making it to the final stages back then but they will be expected to defeat Cardiff this time as they won the away game against the Blues earlier in the campaign.
The ERC also announced details for the final two group matches in this year's competition. Sky will also be broadcasting live Ulster's daunting Pool One away trip to Stade Francais on January 24th. Despite picking up the Celtic Cup last weekend and narrowly beating the Parisian club a week previously, Alan Solomons's men will still be hard pressed to get a result in France.
David McHugh will take charge of the other Pool One match between the Gwent Dragons and Leicester Tigers, another live match.
On the same Saturday Munster will aim to complete the double over Benetton Treviso in Italy. After their 51-0 win at Thomond Park, an upset looks unlikely. The game of the weekend, Sale v Biarritz, will be refereed by Ireland's Alain Rolland.
The television schedule has not been released for the following weekend's matches, for obvious reasons, but all three provinces will be involved in tough ties. Ulster host the Dragons on January 30th, with revenge for the opening round defeat top of their list of priorities, while Munster may have to beat Bourgoin at home the next day to ensure qualification. This match appears to be the likely match for RTÉ to pick up. Leinster surely face the toughest challenge, away to Biarritz, also on Saturday.
The date for the final has been confirmed for Sunday, May 23rd, at Twickenham, a month after the semi-finals.
Meanwhile, Connacht face Pau at home in the first leg of their second round tie in the Challenge Cup on January 10th. The away leg is the following Saturday.
EUROPEAN CUP FIXTURES
ROUND FIVE (All kick-offs local time) Friday, January 23rd: Pool Two - Edinburgh Rugby v Neath-Swansea Ospreys, 7.30, Eric Darriere (Fra); Pool Three - Leinster Lions v Cardiff Blues, 7.45, Tony Spreadbury (Eng) RTÉ/SKY; Pool Six - Celtic Warriors v Perpignan, 7.15, Giulio De Santis (Ita); Pool Four - Llanelli Scarlets v The Borders, 7.30, Dave Pearson (Eng); Agen v Northampton Saints, 8.0, Alan Lewis (Ire), Sport+/SKY (delayed). Saturday, January 24th: Pool One - Stade Francais v Ulster, 4.0, Chris White (Eng) FR2/SKY; The Dragons v Leicester Tigers, 5.0, David McHugh (Ire) SKY; Pool Five - Bourgoin v Gloucester, 7.30, Donal Courtney (Ire); Benetton Treviso v Munster, 2.30, Joel Dume (Fra), SKY; Italia. Sunday, January 25th: Pool Two - Leeds Tykes v Stade Toulousain, 1.0, Gregg Davies (Scot), SKY; Pool Three - Sale Sharks v Biarritz, 3.0, Alain Rolland (Ire), SKY/Sport+; Pool Six - London Wasps v Calvisano, 3.0, Rob Dickson (Scot).
ROUND SIX - Friday, January 30th - Pool One - Ulster Rugby v The Dragons, 7:45, Joel Dume (Fra); Leicester Tigers v Stade Français, 7:45, Alain Rolland (Ire). Saturday, January 31st: Pool Two - Neath-Swansea Ospreys v Leeds Tykes, 3.0, Rob Dickson (Scot); Toulouse v Edinburgh Rugby, 4.0, Dave Pearson (Eng); Pool Three - Biarritz Olympique v Leinster Lions, 4.0, Nigel Williams (Wal); Cardiff Blues v Sale Sharks, 3:0, David McHugh (Ire); Pool Five - Gloucester v Benetton Treviso, 5:0, Eric Darriere (Fra); Munster v Bourgoin, 5:0, Tony Spreadbury (Eng); Sunday, February 1st: Pool Four - Northampton Saints v Llanelli Scarlets, 3:0, Donal Courtney (Ire); The Borders v Agen, 3:0, Huw Watkins (Wal); Pool Six - Perpignan v London Wasps, 2:0, Alan Lewis (Ire); Calvisano v Celtic Warriors, 2:0, Roy Maybank (Eng).
European Cup quarter-finals: April 9th/10th/11th; European Cup semi-finals: April 24th/25th; European Cup Final: Sunday, May 23rd
CHALLENGE CUP
ROUND TWO: First leg, January 10th - Connacht v Pau; Second leg, Saturday, January 17th - Pau v Connacht, 7.0, Hugh Watkins (Wal).
