Champions Cup and Challenge Cup semi-finals: All you need to know

It’s semi-finals time in the Europe-based top-tier Champions Cup and second-tier Challenge Cup competitions this weekend.

No South African teams have advanced to the last four of either competition this season, after the Sharks went all the way last season and won the Challenge Cup for the first time.

With the two competitions’ semi-finals taking place this weekend, there is no United Rugby Championship action. That competition will resume next weekend with the penultimate round of matches, before the final round of fixtures the following week.

With the Sharks out of the running, a new champion will be crowned in the Challenge Cup this season, but last season’s Champions Cup winners, Toulouse, who beat Leinster 31-22 after extra time, are still in the mix this season.

Champions Cup semi-finals

In the top-tier Champions Cup this weekend, Leinster, who have former Springbok World Cup-winning coach Jacques Nienaber in their coaching staff, host Northampton, in the first semi-final. The match takes place on Saturday in Dublin at 6.30pm.

In the other semi-final, in an all-French affair, Bordeaux-Begles host Toulouse, on Sunday, at 6.30pm.

Challenge Cup semi-finals

In the second-tier competition, Edinburgh, who beat the Bulls 34-28 in the quarter-finals, host Bath, who are coached by former Springbok assistant coach Johan van Graan, on Saturday at 4pm.

In the second semi-final, on Sunday at 1.30pm, Lyon welcome fellow French side, Racing 92, for whom Siya Kolisi played for some time after the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

The finals

The finals of both the Champions Cup and the Challenge Cup will take place on the weekend of 23 and 24 May at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.