APRIL FOOLS DAY SPECTACULAR
Wednesday 25 January 2006

When the Heineken Cup returns on the first weekend in April it will be for the prestigious quarter-finals – and armchair fans are in for a real treat on April Fools Day with three top quality ties in England , France and Ireland .

The last semi-final place will be settled on the Sunday when Sale Sharks – the only newcomers to the knock-out stages – clash with Biarritz Olympique, the winner assured of playing their semi-final at a ground in their own country and against English opposition.

Meanwhile the 72 Pool matches saw a record 660,004 fans going through the turnstiles – 26,474 more than the old mark set last season – with the attendances in Rounds, 1, 2, 4 and 5 all new highs and with Toulouse claiming the Pool match record crowd when 34,000 saw them beat London Wasps in Round 5 at Le Stadium.

HEINEKEN CUP 2005 / 2006 QUARTER-FINALS

(All kick-offs LOCAL times)

SATURDAY 1 APRIL

12.30 Leicester Tigers v Bath Rugby (Sky Sports / Sport+)

16.00 Toulouse v Leinster (FR2 / RTE / Sky Sports)

17.30 Munster v Perpignan (RTE / Sky Sports / Sport+)

SUNDAY 2 APRIL

18.00 Biarritz Olympique v Sale Sharks (Sport+ / Sky Sports)

HOW THEY QUALIFIED …

1) TOULOUSE - Pool 6 winners - 25 points; 22 tries

2) BIARRITZ OLYMPIQUE - Pool 4 winners - 24 points; 24 tries

3) LEICESTER TIGERS - Pool 3 winners - 24 points; 19 tries

4) MUNSTER - Pool 1 winners - 23 points; 22 tries

5) PERPIGNAN - Pool 2 winners - 23 points; 20 tries

6) BATH RUGBY - Pool 5 winners - 23 points; 18 tries

7) SALE SHARKS - Best runners-up - 23 points; 17 tries in Pool 1

8) LEINSTER - Second best runners-up - 22 Points; 28 tries in Pool 5

… AND THE SEMI -FINALS DRAW

(To be played 22 / 23 April)

Biarritz Olympique or Sale Sharks v Leicester Tigers or Bath Rugby

Toulouse or Leinster v Munster or Perpignan

Provided By ERCRugby.com