Amended 10.45 Monday
Leinster will face Ulster in the Heineken Champions Cup Quarter Final at the Aviva Stadium two weeks after the conclusion of the Guinness Six Nations.
Munster will travel to Edinburgh and then face a potential away semi-final at Saracens.
The way the pool final positions worked out after a weekend of dramatic victories for the Irish provinces does still hold out the prospect of an All Ireland final in Newcastle next May.
Whoever comes through from the Leinster Ulster tie will face either Racing 92 or Toulouse, and the result of that game matters.
if Racing win the Semi Final will be played in France. But if Toulouse come through then the winner of the Irish derby will take home advantage through finishing third and sixth in the rankings from the pool versus Toulouse’s seventh.
It’s the same basis as the NFL that the results from the pool stages, or divisions in the US carry through so affection for Simon Zebo notwithstanding, we should all be cheering for Toulouse when the games come around.
It is quite something for Irish fans with such a strong sustained presence at the highest levels of the club game.
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