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Riaan Swanepoel: 15 points

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Riaan Swanepoel kicked all of Brive’s points as the French side booked their place in the semi-finals of the Amlin Challenge Cup with a 15-11 win over the Scarlets.

Scarlets full-back Liam Williams scored the only try of the game at Stade Amedee-Domenech but it was not enough to see off the hosts.

Brive built their victory on a staunch defence and dominant scrum, with Swanepoel stepping in to kick five penalties to reward the forwards’ hard work.

The sides had gone into the interval level at 6-6 after Swanepoel and Scarlets fly-half Stephen Jones had each kicked two penalties.

Swanepoel then gave the hosts the lead after the break with two more penalties as the Scarlets began to feel the strain.

Scarlets then scored a 58th-minute try through Williams but Rhys Priestland could not add the conversion as the French side remained narrowly ahead at 12-11.

With the Welsh visitors unable to put any more points on the board, Swanepoel sealed the victory with another penalty in the last minute to kill the game off.

The victory ensures the last four will be an all French affair, with Brive travelling to Biarritz on April 28 while Toulon will host Stade Francais on April 27.

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Mark McCall: English clubs at a disadvantage

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Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall blamed English rugby’s lack of success in European competition on the gulf in the salary cap between the Aviva Premiership and their rivals.

Saracens crashed out of the Heineken Cup with a comprehensive 22-3 quarter-final defeat to the star-studded French giants Clermont Auvergne.

For only the third time in the history of English clubs’ involvement in the Heineken Cup there will be no Premiership representatives in the semi-finals.

McCall said: “You could almost see the difference in the salary caps as you looked down on the pitch at various times today, there is no question about that.

“The squad they were able to bring is outstanding and the stats don’t lie. It is getting increasingly difficult to get into the quarter-final stages.

“For England to have absolutely no involvement in the semi-finals of the Amlin or the Heineken Cup speaks for itself.”

The French Top 14 operate a salary cap but it is far greater than that agreed by Premiership Rugby, the English clubs’ umbrella body.

But Clermont coach Vern Cotter does not believe the result, which saw his side overpower the Premiership champions, was down to money.

“There is a salary cap in France as well, it is probably slightly more elevated than it is here. I don’t believe that was the reason for the result today,” Cotter said.

McCall conceded that, on the day, his side had been distinctly second best as Clermont fly-half Brock James kicked 17 points while Lee Byrne scored the only try of the afternoon.

“Today we came up against an outstanding team who played a great game,” McCall said.

“I was a little bit surprised (how much more physical Clermont were than Saracens). This stage of the competition is a step up to what we are used to.

“Their team is star-studded and the internationals they brought off the bench, they were just too good for us today.

“They will be a very difficult team to beat. Their semi-final against Leinster will be tremendous.”

Lee Byrne: the full-back bagged the only try of the game at the start of the second half

Brad Barritt is stopped by two Clermont players in the quarter-final at Vicarage Road

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Clermont Auvergne triumphed 22-3 over Saracens to boot England’s last representatives out of the Heineken Cup and keep French hopes alive.

Brock James came off the bench to kick 17 points, including the conversion following Lee Byrne’s try, as the Top 14 big-spenders reached the semi-finals of Europe’s premier club competition for the first time in their history.

Standing in their way of a place at Twickenham will be reigning champions Leinster, the same opponents who knocked them out in 2010.

All Sarries could muster at Vicarage Road was a penalty from Owen Farrell, meaning they will now have to focus their attentions for the rest of the season on defending their Aviva Premiership crown.

Painful exit

They were simply kicked into submission by James, a man who had every reason to impress after his horror show against Leinster two years ago during his side’s painful 29-28 exit at the same stage of the competition.

Exactly 24 months on from missing three drop goals, four penalties and a conversion at the RDS, the Australian was the hero as his trusty right peg continuously put points on the scoreboard.

Had it not been for an early injury to David Skrela, James may not have even had the chance to exorcise his demons; he started amongst the replacements but found himself thrust into the action after a mere three minutes.

Thankfully for his employers, he did not need long to warm up. Penalties in the seventh, ninth – awarded after Charlie Hodgson’s high shot on Morgan Parra – and 13th minute quickly put Clermont 9-0 ahead.

Farrell cut the gap to six with a penalty of his own, but Sarries were struggling to make an impression with ball in hand. Brad Barritt bashed away and the ever-willing Alex Goode did his best to sparkle, but a side that only scored 13 tries in the Pool stages looked devoid of ideas with ball in hand.

Clermont, in contrast, had the class required to carve out an opportunity to score a pivotal try that put them out of sight three minutes into the second half.

Superb offloads

Nathan Hines and Aurelien Rougerie produced superb offloads to set Parra free and the scrum-half in turn passed the ball on to the supporting Byrne, who simply had to dive over on the right.

James kicked the conversion and then, as if to show his mental scars were now completely healed, popped over a drop goal that made it 19-3.

His fourth penalty of the afternoon finally cracked Saracens on Easter Sunday and despite the hosts throwing the kitchen sink at their rivals in the closing stages, they still couldn’t find a way through.

Only a last-ditch tackle by Parra stopped David Strettle from scoring and Clermont refused to have their line breached when repelling phase after phase of attack as the clock ticked down.

Their reward for executing a perfect gameplan is the chance to have another crack at Leinster, this time in Bordeaux on April 29. If the current holders are to become just the second side in the competition’s history to retain the trophy, they will have to do it the hard way on the road.

Brian McLaughlin: Something to shout about after Ulster beat Munster to make the semis

It was a big highlight in my career, probably the biggest day in my life in rugby terms.

Brian McLaughlinQuotes of the week

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Ulster head coach Brian McLaughlin hailed ‘probably the biggest day in my life in rugby terms’ after his side’s stunning Heineken Cup quarter-final victory over Munster.

The visitors pulled off a 22-16 victory to become only the second team to beat Munster at Thomond Park in the history of the competition, joining Leicester who won a pool game there in January 2007.

The win sets up semi-final against Edinburgh at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday, April 28 and McLaughlin hailed a memorable victory.

He said: “Unbelievable. It was a big highlight in my career, probably the biggest day in my life in rugby terms.

“It is also important to mention the impact and energy we gleaned from our fans in the stadium. The support was outstanding.”

Key contribution

Ruan Pienaar had a key kicking contribution of 14 points for the victors, landing four penalties from five attempts and converting a sensational early try from the nippy Craig Gilroy.

McLaughlin added: “Ruan’s place-kicking was exemplary and Craig Gilroy’s try, to be 19-0 up after 25 minutes was a dream.

“We played brilliantly. It was our game plan personified.

“We knew Munster were going to come at us and they certainly did. To be 19-10 at half-time, (our captain) Johann Muller said if we were given that beforehand, we would have taken it.

“We knew after half-time it was going to be another battle. We talked about that all week as well. All credit to the guys on the pitch, they were magnificent today.

“Today is the culmination of three years’ really hard work. We have been emphasising the whole way through the importance of getting Ulster up the ladder and getting to that top table.

“We are not there yet. We are under no illusions. Edinburgh showed in their quarter-final win over Toulouse what they can do and it is all set up for another magnificent semi-final.”

McGahan disappointed

Munster head coach Tony McGahan, who returns to his native Australia this summer, was hugely disappointed by the result.

“It is difficult to put it into words at this stage. You need to give the opposition credit. I thought Ulster were terrific today right across the park,” he said.

“They got into a substantial lead. Three penalty kicks from inside their own half. They controlled the scoreboard and they controlled field position in that first half.

“Full credit to the Munster team for the way they fought back to 19-13. But when Ulster pushed out to 22-13 it put a big dent in what we were trying to do.”

Golden boot: Ruan Pienaar helped fire Ulster to victory

Well done! Craig Gilroy is congratulated after scoring for Ulster in their win at Thomond Park

Cup joy: Johann Muller the Ulster captain celebrates his team’s victory over Munster

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Ulster shocked provincial rivals Munster 22-16 on Sunday to set up a home Heineken Cup semi-final clash with Edinburgh later this month.

Munster suffered their only defeat in this season’s Heineken Cup after being hit by a northern whirlwind in the opening 20 minutes at Thomond Park, with Ruan Pienaar booting a trio of long-range penalties and converting a stunning try from 21-year-old winger Craig Gilroy.

The Reds’ own whizz kid Simon Zebo grabbed a try back and the hosts cut the gap to 19-10 with a Ronan O’Gara penalty on the stroke of half-time.

In a gripping, defence-dominated second half, O’Gara kept Munster’s comeback bid on course but a fourth penalty from Pienaar sent the Ulstermen through to their first European semi-final since they won the tournament back in 1999.

This was only the third ever Irish interprovincial derby in Heineken Cup history, with Munster having faced Leinster in two previous semi-finals.

Munster were hoping to pick up where they left off in January when they handed Northampton Saints a Pool One thrashing, but boosted by Stephen Ferris’ inclusion Ulster made a purposeful start.

Amid a spine-tingling opening, ex-Ulster prop BJ Botha was penalised at the second scrum allowing Pienaar his first shot at the posts – it was a superb strike that sailed over from 54 metres out.

Red-hot atmosphere

A rain shower did little to quell the red-hot atmosphere, and Pienaar punished further Munster indiscipline with a second monster penalty in the 11th minute.

The South African’s half-back partner Ian Humphreys kicked poorly out of hand early on, but collectively Ulster were quicker off the mark.

That point was underlined when Gilroy did Denis Hurley on the outside near halfway, cutting in off his wing to beat tackles from Felix Jones and Lifeimi Mafi before reaching over the line for a superb 16th-minute score.

Pienaar tagged on the conversion and after Paul O’Connell was pinged for holding onto the ball on the deck, the Springbok star landed his third towering three-pointer.

Errors from Conor Murray and O’Gara did little for Munster’s confidence and too often they were outfought at the breakdown, not something that often occurs on a big European day in Limerick.

Johann Muller and his fiery band of forwards drove on to set up another penalty, but Humphreys used the advantage to land a cracking drop goal from 35 metres out.

Munster needed to respond before the break and they did just that. Having sucked in the Ulster defence for once, a long accurate pass from Keith Earls gave his centre partner Mafi the opportunity to put Zebo over in the left corner.

O’Gara’s successful conversion gave his side added momentum and Ulster were on the back foot after flanker Chris Henry was sin-binned for playing the ball on the ground.

The lead was down to nine points when O’Gara drove a 44-metre penalty over with the last kick of the half, rewarding an improved scrum from his forwards.

Successful

O’Gara was successful with the second of two penalty efforts, early in the second half, as James Coughlan hurtled forward on a good run.

Poor kicks from Pienaar and Andrew Trimble did little for a clearly rattled Ulster, and Pienaar’s fourth penalty of the afternoon was quickly cancelled out by O’Gara.

The game developed into a slugfest between the packs as the intensity showed no sign of decreasing and Ulster’s tackle count hit the three-figure mark.

A lineout steal from O’Connell kickstarted a dominant spell for Munster, yet they could not turn pressure into points as Ferris, John Afoa and tough-tackling centre Darren Cave each came up with key contributions in defence.

Staring at only their second ever Heineken Cup defeat in Limerick, Munster rallied and hunted for another game-changing moment.

Although Humphreys was inches away with a drop goal attempt and Pienaar drilled a penalty wide for his only miss of a high-octane tie, Ulster hung on to claim a famous victory and a semi-final against the Scots at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday, April 28.

The quarter-final success was all the more remarkable given the fact that Brian McLaughlin did not use any replacements, and injury doubt Ferris showed immense will to last the full 80 minutes.

Joe Schmidt: expecting a tough semi-final

To win away from home in a semi-final doesn’t happen very often. It is an extremely tough feat to achieve.

Joe SchmidtQuotes of the week

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Leinster boss Joe Schmidt is expecting a “horrendously tough” Heineken Cup semi-final despite seeing his side thrash Cardiff 34-3 in Dublin.

The reigning European champions ran in four tries to brush aside the Blues and set up a showdown with either Saracens or Clermont Auvergne.

Whichever team they end up facing Leinster are certain to be on the road, something Schmidt admits will make their task of trying to retain the crown even harder.

“The semi-final will be horrendously tough,” he said. “To win away from home in a semi-final doesn’t happen very often. It is an extremely tough feat to achieve.

“There was a lot of pressure and expectation on us today, and I was really happy with our execution in the first half.

“We relaxed a little bit after that, but we defended our line well. We dug in.”

Leinster made sure they would reach the last four with a first-half blitz at the Aviva Stadium, Isa Nacewa, Rob Kearney and Brian O’Driscoll all running in tries. Kearney grabbed another shortly after the interval.

Pick holes

“We are in the last four, which is where we wanted to be,” O’Driscoll, who was first Heineken Cup start since last season’s victory over Northampton in the Millennium Stadium final, said.

“But good sides always pick holes in any victory, It was not an over-elated dressing room – we conceded too much territory and possession to be pleased – but we are in the semi-finals.”

The heavy defeat capped a tough week for the Blues, who lost Jamie Roberts for the rest of the season through injury and then sacked Gavin Henson following his behaviour on a flight home from Glasgow last weekend.

“Leinster are a very good side with some exceptional players. They were constantly on the front foot in the firs -half and they found the gaps,” Blues forwards coach Justin Burnell said.

“We can feel sorry for ourselves or we can get back to work on Monday. We’ve got three league games left, and we have got to salvage some pride.”

And Blues skipper Xavier Rush added: “We couldn’t get any rhythm into our game in the first half. They put us under a lot of pressure and we couldn’t put much back on to them.

“You want to do better when you get to a quarter-final, but we were beaten by a better team. There is no way around it.

“We are not looking for excuses. We had a good side out there, one that I thought could compete, but Leinster are a class outfit.

“The mood is fairly quiet and sombre, but we will pick each other up.”

Rob Kearney: bagged a try in each half to cap a tremendous personal display

The talismanic centre is congratulated by his team-mates after touching down

Brian O’Driscoll: marked his return to Heineken Cup action with a try in the first half

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Leinster issued a warning to their Heineken Cup rivals that they are in no mood to relinquish their grip on the trophy with a 34-3 hammering of Cardiff at the Aviva Stadium.

The reigning kings of Europe set up a semi-final showdown with either Saracens or Clermont, who are the last side to beat the Irish province in the competition back in 2010, by crushing their RaboDirect PRO12 rivals.

Rob Kearney crossed twice and Brian O’Driscoll marked his Heineken Cup return with a try as the hosts piled on the points in a one-sided first half.

The Blues did better after the break, though an already tough week – one in which they lost Jamie Roberts for the rest of the season and dispensed with the services of Gavin Henson after issues on a return flight from Glasgow – ended with a right good thumping in Dublin.

Hope

Thankfully there were no issues for the club on their journey across, though the absence of both Roberts and flanker Sam Warburton meant they always travelled in hope rather than expectation.

The early signs were at least promising when Leigh Halfpenny wiped the blood from his nose to kick a penalty in the opening minutes, but all that blow seemed to do was anger Leinster into action.

A Sexton penalty levelled matters and the fly-half was then twice involved in the move that led to Isa Nacewa going over, Kearney opting to give the ball to the winger on his outside rather than any of those in support on his left.

Cardiff’s creaky scrum gave away a further three points and when full-back Kearney broke through some paper-thin tackling to waltz in under the posts, the race was run for the visitors after just 30 minutes.

A sublime line-out move allowed O’Driscoll to get his name on the scoresheet, Luke Fitzgerald offloading to the centre after being set free by a no-look inside ball from Sexton that drew gasps from the crowd as they watched the replays on the big screen.

The conversion made it 27-3 at the break, suggesting a repeat of the 52-9 mauling the Blues suffered at the RDS earlier this season was on the cards.

Defensive stand

It took just six minutes of the second half for a fourth try to arrive too, Kearney on hand to take O’Driscoll’s offload and Sexton adding the extras.

However that proved to be the last points of the evening as both teams showed off their defensive capabilities, albeit a little too late in the day for Cardiff.

Martyn Williams thought he’d got across the line for the Blues but the TMO ruled the veteran flanker had not grounded the ball properly, denying the Welsh side even a consolation effort.

To their credit, though, they refused to be breached again at the other end of the field, despite Tom James seeing yellow in a frantic final few minutes.

Leinster certainly made a case for their defence in the second half, even if they may have wanted to be more clinical. Still, they remain on course to become just the second team to win the trophy in successive seasons.

Michael Bradley: historic victory for his side

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Edinburgh coach Michael Bradley admitted his side needed an element of fortune to beat Toulouse and become the first Scottish side to reach the last four of the Heineken Cup.

Bradley said: “We have the ability to trouble anybody on our day and there was plenty of confidence in the side.

“We’ve played a lot of good rugby in this competition, and under pressure we’ve been able to deliver in critical moments in matches in the pool stages.

“And I think we rode our luck a little bit in it as well. Today was very similar to that and we were on the right side of the result.”

Bradley is also hopeful that this win will provide a boost for Scottish rugby as a whole.

He added: “All of this is about Edinburgh Rugby and, by extension, Scottish rugby. The fact that Edinburgh Rugby are now in the semi-final of a European Cup is a fantastic achievement for the club and gives us an opportunity to move forward.

“We have a very strong connection with the fans who came today and it’s up to us to convert that into Pro12 attendances and try to move the club up.”

Speaking about the game, Bradley added: “We were obviously very fearful of Toulouse’s ability, in particular up front, but we also felt that just to play Toulouse one way would be too easy for them to defend.

Turnovers

“So what we tried to do was use multiple tactics, sometimes going wide, sometimes going close. We kicked more ball today than we would normally kick because Toulouse’s defence is very strong and they score a lot of tries from turnovers.

“Their breakdown work is excellent, so we just had to keep varying the target.”

Toulouse coach Guy Noves was magnanimous in defeat, saying: “We were expecting them to be a dynamic team ready to give its best.

“It wasn’t a surprise that Edinburgh won and they deserved to win because they played well.

“We produced a good first half and a very bad second half, so we have to accept that it’s our fault and congratulate Edinburgh.”