29 MINS: Leinster win a penalty off a Sale scrum.
Gibson-Park opts for the tap-and-go but Jamie Osborne knocks on for Sale to turn it over. They make no progress so it’s called back for the scrum.
Play is halted while Tadhg Furlong receives some treatment but he’s soon good to go again.
Sale win a penalty from the scrum, George Ford kicking to give them an attacking lineout on the 22.
Leinster 7 Sale 0
26 MINS: Nice kick pass from Harry Byrne to find Tommy O’Brien who kicks downfield to touch. Leinster feel Sale put a touch on it but referee doesn’t concur.
The kicking duel goes on despite neither side using it to much effect so far.
Leinster 7 Sale 0
22 MINS: Joe McCarthy comes back on, Cahir making way.
Rare spill from Hugo Keenan but the referee calls a penalty for contact in the air.
Leinster 7 Sale 0
19 MINS: Rieko Ioane a bit too eager to replicate his strong showing in last weekend’s win. He’s been iffy in the air and he’s lucky not to draw a penalty for going off his feet at the breakdown.
Sale with the put-in to the scrum. Leinster manage that one better and the visitors again go to the boot for Hugo Keenan to mop up.
George Ford does well to keep Keenan’s touch attempt infield.
Leinster 7 Sale 0
17 MINS: Sale starting to knit some good phases together but opt to kick to test the Leinster backfield.
But Hugo Keenan does brilliantly under the high ball to claim George Ford’s kick.
Leinster 7 Sale 0
14 MINS: Leinster going through the hands but spill on the 22. Sale send a long kick into the Leinster half which Harry Byrne struggles to deal with.
Leinster scramble back and Gibson-Park attempts the clearance but he misses touch, giving Sale the throw in to the lineout.
Leinster 7 Sale 0
TRY FOR LEINSTER!
11 MINS: Dan Sheehan bolts over for the opener. He’s fed off the back of a ruck by Jamison Gibson-Park to cross under the posts.
Harry Byrne converts.
Leinster 7 Sale 0
9 MINS: Chance for Tommy O’Brien after another turnover. He makes a break and chips ahead but it doesn’t bounce in his favour and a good scramble from Sale’s Joe Carpenter sees it out.
Leinster win a penalty from the lineout.
Joe McCarthy is bleeding so Max Deegan comes in while he gets patched up.
Leinster 0 Sale 0
7 MINS: Sale lineout 10-meters out from their own line. They safely take it to ground and send a clearance kick which Ioane challenges for to win back possession for Leinster.
Leinster 0 Sale 0
4 MINS: Some early nerves showing as Leinster Rieko Ioane knocks on. Tommy O’Brien had done well to turn it over before Byrne went to the boot. The chase isn’t there though and the All Black knocks forward on the bounce.
And trouble for Leinster as Alex Usanov goes off injured. Jerry Cahir takes his place in the frontrow.
Leinster 0 Sale 0
2 MINS: Huge scrum for Sale to win the penalty despite Leinster having the put-in. Leinster hold firm for a start but then comes the visitors’ shove.
George Ford sends them up the line.
Leinster 0 Sale 0
In the spirit of the Grand National, they’re off.
Harry Byrne gets us under way at the Aviva.
Early penalty for the hosts after winning a turnover at the opening ruck.
Leinster 0 Sale 0
Rain has set in at the Aviva just in time for kick-off.
Three minutes out now.
Here’s Nathan Johns’ report on England’s Women’s Six Nations win over Ireland:
[ England too strong for Ireland in Women’s Six Nations opener in TwickenhamOpens in new window ]
Matthew Devine and John Devine dejected after Connacht’s defeat to Montpellier. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho
And earlier in the Challenge Cup, Connacht suffered a heavy defeat away to Montpellier:
[ Costly yellows bring Connacht’s European journey to an end in MontpellierOpens in new window ]
In the last of this weekend’s Champions Cup quarter-finals, French heavyweights Bordeaux Bègles host Toulouse tomorrow (kick-off 3pm Irish time).
In this week’s Counter Ruck newsletter, Gerry Thornley acknowledges while it may be a pity that the side’s are meeting early in the knockout stages, it’s still a mouth-watering pairing.
[ It’s a pity Bordeaux and Toulouse are meeting so soon, but enjoy it all the sameOpens in new window ]
You can sign up here to receive the Counter Ruck newsletter straight to your inbox every week.
Thirty minutes to kick-off at the Aviva.
Last night, Ulster took a big win over Ronan O’Gara’s La Rochelle in Belfast to march on to the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup.
The Ward brothers, Zac and Bryn, were in flying form, both crossing the line for Richie Murphy’s side, while Nathan Doak had an excellent evening off the tee despite fairly miserable conditions.
Read Michael Sadlier’s report on the 41-24 win below:
[ Ulster blitz La Rochelle in Belfast to reach Challenge Cup semi-finalsOpens in new window ]
“Leinster have played Premiership teams 81 times in the Champions Cup, overcoming them on 60 occasions, drawing twice and losing 19,” Gerry Thornley writes, taking a look at past encounters with English outfits.
It’s a point worth reading into given their defeat to Northampton Saints in last season’s semi-final.
GT also has a bit of trivia for us: “Of the 12 Premiership clubs Leinster have faced, the identity of the only one they have failed to beat comes as a surprise.”
Any guesses?
Answer: London Irish – “who rocked Cheika’s champions in the 2009-10 pool opener at the RDS by winning 12-9 and held Leinster to an 11-11 draw at Twickenham in the pool finale.”
[ Leinster used to thrive in English tests but Sale clash spells dangerOpens in new window ]
In the Women’s Six Nations, England have beaten Ireland at Twickenham in the opening round of the tournament.
We’ll have a report from Nathan Johns on that shortly.
“Leinster are looking for a statement performance to continue their upward curve entering the business end of the season, as well as safe passage through to a sixth Champions Cup semi-final in succession,” writes Gerry Thornley.
“But they are acutely wary of a big-hitting Sale Sharks with that dangerous concoction of having little to lose and history to make.
Sale’s Tom O’Flaherty is tackled by Harlequins’ Nick David during last weekend’s Round of 16 game. Photograph: Ben Whitley/PA
“Cast adrift of the Premiership playoffs in an injury-ravaged season, this is Sale’s biggest game yet of the season as it offers the prize of reaching a first-ever semi-final in the competition.
“Leinster are also a highly prized scalp.”
Read Gerry’s preview in full below:
[ Leinster wary Sale have little to lose in Champions Cup quarter-finalOpens in new window ]
And so we’re all in the loop with goings-on further afield, I Am Maximus has just won the 2026 Grand National at Aintree for trainer Willie Mullins and owner JP McManus.
Leinster will be without captain Caelan Doris after he had a head knock during last weekend’s Round of 16 win over Edinburgh.
Andrew Porter is also sidelined with a pec injury which saw him depart last Sunday’s game at half-time.
Leinster’s Caelan Doris during last weekend’s game against Edinburgh. Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho
Dan Sheehan fills in as captain alongside academy prop Alex Usanov in the frontrow.
“Alex has been great since he’s come into the team. In more recent times, you’re seeing him really kick on,” said head coach Leo Cullen of 23-yer-old Usanov during the week.
[ Dan Sheehan to captain Leinster against Sale with Caelan Doris missing outOpens in new window ]
Afternoon everyone! Welcome along to The Irish Times live blog of the Champions Cup quarter-final between Leinster and Sale Sharks.
The game at the Aviva Stadium kicks-off at 5.30pm.
We’ll be keeping you up to date with all the action, followed by a report from Gerry Thornley, as well as reaction and analysis from himself and Johnny Watterson.
Hugo Keenan will start at fullback for Leinster against Sale. Photograph: Will Morgan/Inpho
In the meantime, we’ll be running through some news and analysis to have you all set before kick-off.
Here’s how the two sides line out:
LEINSTER: Hugo Keenan; Tommy O’Brien, Garry Ringrose, Jamie Osborne, Rieko Ioane; Harry Byrne, Jamison Gibson-Park; Alex Usanov, Dan Sheehan (capt), Tadhg Furlong; Joe McCarthy, James Ryan; Ryan Baird, Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan. Replacements: Rónan Kelleher, Jerry Cahir, Thomas Clarkson, Max Deegan, Scott Penny, Luke McGrath, Ciarán Frawley, Robbie Henshaw.
SALE SHARKS: Joe Carpenter; Tom Roebuck, Rob du Preez, Rekeiti Ma’asi-White, Tom O’Flaherty; George Ford, Gus Warr; Si McIntyre, Ethan Caine, Asher Opoku-Fordjour; Ernst van Rhyn (capt), Ben Bamber; Jacques Vermeulen, Sam Dugdale, Dan du Preez. Replacements: Alfie Longstaff, Ralph McEachran, James Harper, Reuben Logan, Jos Gilmore, Dom Hanson, Marius Louw, Alex Wills.