Summary

  • Northampton Saints thrash Bulls to reach Champions Cup semi-finals

  • Brilliant Saints score nine tries in dazzling victory at Franklin's Gardens

  • Northampton will travel to Dublin's Croke Park to face Leinster in May

  • Leinster crushed defending champions La Rochelle 40-13 to reach last four

  • Harlequins edged out Bordeaux-Begles 42-41 to make semi-finals for first time

  • They will face Toulouse or Exeter who play on Sunday

  1. 'Fantastic try'published at 20:14 British Summer Time 13 April

    Tom Varndell
    Former England and Leicester wing on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    The Saints tore the Bulls defence apart. That is a fantastic try.

    When you're playing with the number of good attacking players Northampton have you are going to score tries. It's so hard to work out who you need to tackle with so many supporting runners.

    That was a perfect first-phase strike.

  2. converted try

    Converted try - Northampton 7-0 Bullspublished at 20:11 British Summer Time 13 April

    James Ramm (con: Smith)

    That is sublime!

    Saints attack to the right, the ball goes through a few pairs of hands until James Ramm takes it. He's on halfway but his pace and then a swerve to the left takes him away and under the posts.

    James RammImage source, PA Media
  3. Postpublished at 20:11 British Summer Time 13 April

    Northampton 0-0 Bulls

    Cameron Hanekom flies away of the base of the scrum, leaving Courtney Lawes in his wake. Saints bring the number eight down, before they win a penalty at a scrum to clear downfield

  4. Postpublished at 7 mins

    Northampton 0-0 Bulls

    Mitchell gets over the try line but is held up - the Bulls defence has been excellent so far.

    Bulls then kick downfield, forcing Ollie Sleightholme and George Hendy into some quick thinking inside the five metre line, with Hendy then running it back to the 22.

  5. Postpublished at 20:06 British Summer Time 13 April

    Northampton 0-0 Bulls

    Tom Varndell
    Former England and Leicester wing on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    The Bulls will try to put pressure on Alex Mitchell. He's one of Northampton's key players and the Bulls will want to shut him down.

  6. Postpublished at 5 mins

    Northampton 0-0 Bulls

    James Ramm burst through and is tackled about 15 metres out. Alex Mitchell makes for the line but his shovelled pass to his right isn't taken cleanly and Bulls get a lineout.

  7. Postpublished at 3 mins

    Northampton 0-0 Bulls

    There's an impressive spell from the Bulls in the Saints half, until a stray pass goes straight to Juarno Augustus. The back rower makes some distance and Saints hoof it into the Bulls own half for the first time.

  8. Postpublished at 1 min

    Northampton 0-0 Bulls

    The hosts are on the back foot immediately with Alex Mitchell seeing a hooked clearance charged down close to his own line.

  9. Kick-offpublished at 20:00 British Summer Time 13 April

    Northampton 0-0 Bulls

    We are under way, with the prospect of Leinster at Croke Park for the winners.

  10. Tune inpublished at 19:53 British Summer Time 13 April

    Northampton v Bulls (20:00 BST)

    BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    This clash is also going out on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra via BBC Sounds or on this page, so we have it all covered.

  11. 'It doesn't add up'published at 19:49 British Summer Time 13 April

    Northampton v Bulls (20:00 BST)

    Bulls head coach Jake White said his players and staff would have to split into groups and use eight different flights to travel to tonight's game.

    "No sporting team today as I speak flies out with eight different aeroplanes," said White.

    "Some to Birmingham, some to London. Some land at nine. Some land at two. You're talking about a competition where you want to be the best in the world.

    "It doesn't add up."

    Jake WhiteImage source, Getty Images
  12. It's now or never for Ludlumpublished at 19:47 British Summer Time 13 April

    Northampton v Bulls (20:00 BST)

    Club captain Lewis Ludlam, who is expected to join Toulon this summer, after eight years with Northampton says tonight is the last-chance saloon as far as him winning a trophy is concerned.

    Courtney Lawes and Alex Waller are also leaving Franklin's Gardens, and Ludlam is eyeing some silverware as the perfect goodbye.

    "The fact it is literally the last chance makes it that much more special to be able to send off those two club legends, and a few others who don't always get the plaudits, in the right way."

    Lewis LudlumImage source, Getty Images
  13. Team newspublished at 19:41 British Summer Time 13 April

    Northampton v Bulls (20:00 BST)

    Saints make three changes as Juarno Augustus, Alex Mitchell and George Hendy all start.

    Northampton: Ramm; Hendy, Freeman, Dingwall, Sleightholme; Smith, Mitchell; Iyogun, Langdon, Davison, Moon, Coles, Lawes (capt), Graham, Augustus.

    Replacements: Matavesi, Waller, Hill, Mayanavanua, Scott-Young, Ludlam, James, Furbank.

    The Bulls have made 13 changes to their lineup from the last eight, with only wing Sebastian de Klerk and lock JF van Heerden retaining their places.

    They have left several Springboks at home, including backs Willie le Roux, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Canan Moodie, and have cited travel disruption as the reason behind the changes.

    Bulls: Williams; De Klerk, Immelman, Vorster, Jacobs; Smith, Burger; Matanzima, Van der Merwe, Smith, Swanepoel, Van Heerden, Carr, Gumede, Hanekom.

    Replacements: Wessels, Smith, Klopper, Olivier, Ludwig, Johannes, Van der Walt, Hendricks.

  14. Saints and Bulls all set to square uppublished at 19:37 British Summer Time 13 April

    Northampton v Bulls (20:00 BST)

    Well, we've had two cracking games so far, can Saints & Bulls follow suit?

    Northampton's Franklin Gardens in the early eveningImage source, Getty Images
  15. Full-timepublished at 19:29 British Summer Time 13 April

    Leinster 40-13 La Rochelle

    Defending champions La Rochelle have been de-throned and Leinster are into the last four of the Champions Cup after an impressive five-try win against their rivals.

    A massive statement from the Irish side and a dominant performance which will add fuel to the fire of one of the greatest rivalries in club rugby.

    Thank you for joining us!

  16. Postpublished at 19:28 British Summer Time 13 April

    Leinster 40-13 La Rochelle

    La Rochelle have a final chance to score a consolation try but the ball is turned over and the clock is in the red.

    Leinster just need to kick the ball out to seal the win...

  17. Postpublished at 19:26 British Summer Time 13 April

    Leinster 40-13 La Rochelle

    Joe McCarthy disrupts the La Rochelle lineout and the referee awards the scrum to Leinster.

    Frustrations boil over and there is some argy-bargy.

    Not long to go and La Rochelle battling until the end despite a very tough day at the office for the French side.

  18. Postpublished at 19:23 British Summer Time 13 April

    Leinster 40-13 La Rochelle

    La Rochelle have a lineout close to the Leinster line.

    Can they score a consolation try?

  19. Postpublished at 19:21 British Summer Time 13 April

    Leinster 40-13 La Rochelle

    Increasingly scrappy play from La Rochelle who seem to be fading.

    The French side are struggling with their lineout and their handling has cost them on several occasions.

    They have been stuck in their own 22 but win a scrum penalty and now have a chance to attack from slightly further up the pitch.

    Lineout close to the halfway line.

  20. Postpublished at 19:15 British Summer Time 13 April

    Leinster 40-13 La Rochelle

    Leinster causing La Rochelle all sorts of problems with their blitz defence.

    A period of possession for the visitors ends with a loose pass and a hack downfield and chase from Caelan Doris and his team-mates.

    The visitors find themselves defending on their own line and once again under pressure.