Investec Quarter Finals - tries galore April 14, 2026
Bookended by two thrilling matches that displayed the talents of league-leading English and French clubs, the Final Four of European Rugby emerged from the weekend..
First up, the Premiership leader Northampton Saints visited Bath - last year’s Prem champion and current #2 - for a match that was a classic by any club standards; 9 tries were scored in the first half as Saints scored 2 running tries in the first 6 minutes before Bath gathered their wits. Despite putting 4 tries past the Saints in the first 40m, Bath went in at the half down 26-35. Bath won the 2H battle partly due to Saints indiscipline - 2 yellow cards in the 55th and, crucially, the 72nd minute, outscoring the visitors by 17-6. Bath took the lead for the first time in the 75th minute, converting a try that ran them out winners 43-41.
Next, the URC league-leading Glasgow Warriors hosted RC Toulon, not having lost at home in nearly a year. But with a roster depleted by injuries and facing a tough French side whose performance in the Top 14 has been relatively poor, they led for much of the game but couldn’t hold on at the end. The physical French side scored a go-ahead try in the 58th minute and held off the Scots until full-time, winning 19-22.
In Dublin, defending champions Leinster took on Sale Sharks, another team whose disappointing domestic league performance has them in 7th place (with only 3 wins this season) and in need of some silverware. The Aviva is not the best place to go when in need of a break although a quiet first half (7-3 to the hosts at the break) might have given reason for hope. Yellow cards for Sale either side of HT meant they played 17 minutes of the game down a man (and 2 minutes down 2) and the floodgates opened. Leinster scored 6 tries (5 converted) in H2 against a lone try for the visitors. Final score 43-13.
Sunday’s match rounded off the QF weekend in fine fashion as the 2 French juggernauts, defending Investec champions Bordeaux played defending Top 14 champions (and current leaders) Toulouse. Toulouse had all the play in HI and were disappointed to go in at the half only ahead 5-12, not helped by a 20-minute red card for Toulouse prop, Aldegheri after 37 minutes. H2 was very different; despite an early penalty for the visitors (5-15), 3 tries for UBB in a 12 minute period where Toulouse talisman, Dupont was binned for tripping, took the hosts into the lead 19-15. Toulouse had no answer and another try and 2 penalties saw UBB up 30-15 at the close.
The Investec Chamions Cup takes a break until the semi-finals on May 2 when Leinster will host RC Toulon and May 3 when Union Bordeaux-Begles will host Bath. A fine weekend in store no doubt.
Meanwhile the leagues resume on April 17 with URC leaders Glasgow 4 points clear of the Stormers with 4 rounds to play. In the Top 14, Toulouse are 12 points clear of the pack with 6 regular season games left to play. In the Gallagher Premiership. with 6 games left before the playoffs, #1 Saints play at #4 Exeter; #2 Bath host #8 Harlequins; and #3 Leicester is at home to bottom-placed Newcastle.
All games streamed by florugby.com