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. Postpublished at 34 mins

    Bordeaux 12-21 Harlequins

    Boof! A mighty kick from the 22 by Lucu rolls into touch near the Quins try line.

    That gives another chance for a water break, much needed in the sweltering heat.

  2. converted try

    Converted try - Bordeaux 12-21 Harlequinspublished at 30 mins

    Will Porter (con: Smith)

    What a brilliant try from the scrum-half!

    Alex Dombrandt burst over halfway on the left, then fed Will Porter inside him. He chipped the ball up, then collected it after it bounced nicely for him to roll over the line.

    They had a quick check for a forward pass from Dombrandt, but it went backwards.

    Marcus Smith converts to extend the lead.

    Will Porter scores a tryImage source, Getty Images
  3. Postpublished at 28 mins

    Bordeaux 12-14 Harlequins

    Quins have gone backwards from that electrifying start, They are on the back foot again as Louis Bielle-Biarrey is swallowed up on the Quins 22.

  4. converted try

    Converted try - Bordeaux 12-14 Harlequinspublished at 25 mins

    Romain Buros (con: Lucu)

    It's given!

    Bordeaux are right back in this now as Lucu slots the conversion from right of the posts.

  5. TMO checkpublished at 15:36 British Summer Time 13 April

    Bordeaux 5-14 Harlequins

    Buros appears to have fallen short and then tried to move the ball onto the line.

  6. TMO checkpublished at 15:35 British Summer Time 13 April

    Bordeaux 5-14

    Full back Romain Buros is buried under some bodies - the onfield decision is 'no try'. They go upstairs...

  7. Postpublished at 23 mins

    Bordeaux 5-14 Harlequins

    That try has stirred the home fans, and they crank it up to 11 when Yoram Moefana burst through to the 22 until his wild pass goes astray.

  8. The try standspublished at 15:30 British Summer Time 13 April

    Bordeaux 5-14 Harlequins

    After a lengthy check, the referee sticks with his original call.

    Lucu misses a tough conversion, but Bordeaux are back in this, and are back to 15 with Garcia now back on the pitch.

  9. try

    Try - Bordeaux 5-14 Harlequinspublished at 15:26 British Summer Time 13 April

    Maxime Lucu

    Textbook stuff from the hosts - they drive from a lineout a few metres out before the scrum half and skipper Maxime Lucu picks uop and dives over near the flag.

    But hang on, the TMO is checking for an infringement...

  10. Postpublished at 15 mins

    Bordeaux 0-14 Harlequins

    Quins are into the 22 and Louis Lynagh spins iot to his left, but Cadan Murley cannot hold it and knocks on. Bordeaux clear, then there is a break for an injury with the rest of the players taking on some fluids.

    The Bordeaux players are sheltering under umbrellas to shield them from the sun...

    Bordeaux players under umbrellasImage source, Getty Images
  11. Postpublished at 13 mins

    Bordeaux 0-14 Harlequins

    But Quins win the lineout and bravely run it from five metres out. Will Evans does well at a ruck and Smith clears to halfway - Quins have a man advantage at the moment as well with Garcia off.

  12. Postpublished at 12 mins

    Bordeaux 0-14 Harlequins

    Some relief for the hosts as they win a penalty just into the Quins half, which they kick for position.

  13. try

    Penalty try - Bordeaux 0-14 Harlequinspublished at 15:13 British Summer Time 13 April

    Yes, a clear knock on by Mateo Garcia and Quins have another seven points.

    The silence from Bordeaux fans is deafening.

  14. Postpublished at 9 mins

    Bordeaux 0-7 Harlequins

    Here come Quins again, with Oscar Beard brought down just shy of the line. They spin it right, and Smith's pass looks to have been deliberately knocked on. The ref is having a chat with upstairs...

  15. Postpublished at 7 mins

    Bordeaux 0-7 Harlequins

    Quins were talking about giving it a go in the preamble this week, and they have certainly done that so far.

    But the hosts break out of defence with Romain Buros getting to halfway until he loses the ball in contact.

  16. converted try

    Converted try - Bordeaux 0-7 Harlequinspublished at 4 mins

    Will Porter (con: Smith)

    What a start for Quins!

    Andre Esterhuizen scoots down the lefthand touchline, just staying in play, and then delays his pass just enough for Will Porter to hare over the whitewash.

    Marcus Smith pots the conversion but doesn't look happy with how he connected with it. No matter, it's a great start for the English side.

    Quins score a tryImage source, Getty Images
  17. Kick-offpublished at 15:04 British Summer Time 13 April

    Bordeaux 0-0 Harlequins

    Marcus Smith gets us under way with a chip to just short of the Bordeaux 22.

    Quins get the ball back and try to run it from halfway but Chandler Cunningham-South spills it.

  18. 'Bordeaux have gelled'published at 14:56 British Summer Time 13 April

    Bordeaux v Harlequins (15:00 BST)

    Chris Ashton
    Former England winger

    "Bordeaux have had the biggest average crowd in the Top 14 for years,.

    "It has just taken them a bit of time for them to get their recruitment right and the blend of the team to make everyone happy, pushing in the right direction."

  19. Phew! It's a scorcher!published at 14:53 British Summer Time 13 April

    Bordeaux v Harlequins (15:00 BST)

    There's a big, bright yellow hot thing in the sky over Bordeaux. I haven't seen the sun myself for weeks, maybe it's been locked over France.

    Anyway, that it is 29 degrees down there might that have an effect on today's game. We'll find out quite soon.

  20. Tale of the tapepublished at 14:45 British Summer Time 13 April

    Bordeaux v Harlequins (15:00 BST)

    Sam Riley celebratesImage source, Getty Images

    How did we get here? Harlequins fought back from behind in the second half to snatch a dramatic 28-24 win over Glasgow, thanks to a late try from hooker Sam Riley.

    Bordeaux hammered Saracens 45-12, with Mateo Garcia, Nicolas Depoortere and Louis Bielle-Biarrey grabbing two tries apiece.