Champions Cup semi-finals dates and kick-off times confirmed

Munster play Saracens at the Aviva on Saturday, on Sunday Leinster travel to Lyon

Munster will play Saracens at the Aviva Stadium on April 22nd. Photograph: Getty Images
Munster will play Saracens at the Aviva Stadium on April 22nd. Photograph: Getty Images

As expected Munster will host Saracens in the Aviva Stadium on Saturday, April 22nd, and Leinster will face Clermont Auvergne in Lyon the following day after tournament organisers confirmed the European Champions Cup semi-finals dates and kick-off times.

The Munster-Saracens game will kick-off at 3.15 in the Aviva Stadium, and as the last English team standing in the competition so BT Sport will televise this first semi-final. The Clermont-Leinster semi-final at the Matmut Stadium de Gerland will kick-off at 4pm local time, 3pm Irish, and will be televised by Sky Sports.

Munster lead Saracens 7-2 in their European head-to-head record, including an 18-16 semi-final win in 2008 at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry, en route to their second crown, although Saracens have won two of the sides’ last three meetings, the most recent being a 33-10 win at Allianz Park two seasons ago.

Leinster lead their head-to-head with Clermont by 5-3, and on the one previous occasion that the two sides met in the last four, Leinster emerged victorious 19-15 at Stade Chaban-Delmas in Bordeaux in 2012.

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Most recently however, Clermont completed a double over Leinster in the pool stages four seasons ago.

Champions Cup semi-finals (Kick-offs Irish time):

Saturday 22nd April
Munster Rugby v Saracens
Aviva Stadium (Dublin) 3.15
Live on BT Sport

Sunday 23rd April
ASM Clermont Auvergne v Leinster Rugby
Matmut Stadium de Gerland (Lyon) 3.00
Live on Sky Sports

Gerry Thornley

Gerry Thornley

Gerry Thornley is Rugby Correspondent of The Irish Times