And then there were two. A pulsating European quarter-final weekend is done and dusted and two of the Guinness PRO14’s brightest and best are into the Champions Cup semi-finals. Munster came from behind to down Edinburgh in the Scottish capital while Leinster outlasted their provincial rivals Ulster at the Aviva Stadium. It was less good news for Glasgow Warriors who were put to the sword by Saracens while in the Challenge Cup, Connacht’s run was ended by Sale Sharks. JAMES IS A GIANT Ross Byrne finished with a 16-point haul and typified this blood and thunder encounter between Leinster and Ulster as he slotted the final penalty on one leg. But it was James Ryan who really got Leinster over the line, keeping the defence of their title alive. The lock combined for a scarcely believable 27 tackles and 21 carries for the boys in blue. Still only 22, the second row is now the cornerstone for club and country and, most impressively of all, appears to grow on the biggest stages of all. Special mention too for Jack Conan on a day that saw Leinster lose Dan Leavy for the season, the No.8’s bullocking run set up Adam Byrne’s crucial late score. Selected top tacklers in Champions Cup QFs James Ryan – Leinster – 27 tackles Rob Herring – Ulster – 23 tackles Jordi Murphy – Ulster – 22 tackles Nick Timoney – Ulster – 21 tackles Tadhg Beirne – Munster – 19 tackles For a game that saw such a high ball in play time, it was always going to be a gruelling encounter with some eye-popping stats. Jacob Stockdale beat five defenders and made the most metres of any man on the Aviva Stadium pitch, but unfortunately will be remembered for dropping the ball over the try line in the second half as Ulster tried to stretch their lead. A word too for Garry Ringrose, the Leinster centre whose early clearance kick was charged down to create Kieran Treadwell’s try but bounced back in sublime style. Jordi Murphy, the man to lift the trophy in Bilbao for Leinster a year ago, gave it everything for his new side Ulster as well, and did not deserve to finish on the losing side. Selected most defenders beaten in Champions Cup QFs Garry Ringrose – Leinster – 8 Jacob Stockdale – Ulster – 5 Darcy Graham – Edinburgh – 5 Chris Dean – Edinburgh – 4 MUNSTER GET IT DONE Keith Earls was the hero for Munster once more. The Ireland winger showcased his remarkable finishing skills with a try in each half and that proved enough for Munster to down Edinburgh. It was a resilient defensive effort from Johan Van Graan’s side as Edinburgh gave it everything in an attempt to try and break them down. Two men in particular stood out for the hosts in a losing cause, both of whom are familiar to a Guinness PRO14 audience after their efforts this season. No.8 Bill Mata, who recently signed a new deal and is the top carrier in the Guinness PRO14, topped the count this weekend as well with 26. Selected top carriers in Champions Cup QFs Bill Mata – Edinburgh – 26 James Ryan – Leinster – 21 Jordi Murphy – Ulster – 17 Jack Conan – Leinster – 16 Pierre Schoeman – Edinburgh – 16 Darcy Graham – Edinburgh – 15 In addition to Mata, the way Darcy Graham slotted in at full-back for the injured Blair Kinghorn was a joy to behold. The diminutive speedster looked so dangerous every time he got the ball in his hands, creating space and breaking tackles while also defusing high Conor Murray kicks all afternoon. Edinburgh return to the Guinness PRO14 and still have a place in the Finals Series at stake, and Graham and Mata will be vital to their hopes of improving on last year’s efforts. Selected top metre makers in Champions Cup QFs Darcy Graham – Edinburgh – 110 metres Stuart Hogg – Glasgow Warriors – 100m Jacob Stockdale – Ulster – 94m Bill Mata – Edinburgh – 84m Michael Lowry – Ulster – 72m Finally, Glasgow Warriors were unable to stop the Saracens juggernaut at Allianz Park. But the return of Stuart Hogg was a real boost for Glasgow – who have won four in a row in the league to top their Conference. The full-back caught the eye, his three clean breaks were a game-high to go with 100m with ball in hand. Connacht are also pushing hard for a Finals Series spot, but their European adventure was ended on Friday night by Sale Sharks. Despite that, Darragh Leader’s 121m with ball in hand impressed while Kyle Godwin continued his fine season with a try and five defenders beaten. The Guinness PRO14 Final is one of the most entertaining games in the rugby calendar and takes place in Glasgow’s Celtic Park on May 25. Tickets start at just £25 for adults, £1 for kids. Visit www.pro14rugby.org/finaltickets
