Summary

  1. 'That try was too easy'published at 15:23 British Summer Time 5 April

    Leinster 12-0 Harlequins

    Jacob Atkins
    Former London Irish fly-half on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    I don't even know where to start breaking down this passage. There was so much going on.

    Leinster used that passage that we saw Sexton and D'Arcy use all the time.

    If you give Leinster a tiny thing to exploit they will turn that into a massive moment. That was too easy.

  2. try

    Converted Try - Leinster 12-0 Harlequinspublished at 17 mins

    Joe McCarthy (con Sam Prendergast)

    Too easy.

    Josh van der Flier charges through one defender before the ball is moved wide and Leinster can smell an opening.

    Sam Prendergast turns from scorer to provider with a neat pass for Joe McCarthy to cross unopposed.

    Prendergast adds the conversion.

    Joe McCarthy scores a tryImage source, Getty Images
  3. Postpublished at 15:18 British Summer Time 5 April

    Leinster 5-0 Harlequins

    Matt Gault
    BBC Sport NI at Croke Park

    Timely finish from Sam Prendergast on what is his first start since Ireland's humbling Six Nations loss to France a few miles away in Aviva Stadium last month.

    Harlequins started brightly but will already be ruing their inability to put scoreboard pressure on their hosts early doors.

  4. try

    Try - Leinster 5-0 Harlequinspublished at 14 mins

    Sam Prendergast

    I wonder if someone has told Sam Prendergast that Andy Farrell is in the stands?

    The Leinster 10 starts the move with a terrific delayed pass for Jack Conan to break the gain-line.

    The blue shirts pour forward and Prendergast smashes his way over the line. He cannot add the conversion though.

    Sam PrendergastImage source, Getty Images
  5. 'Harlequins could put on an impressive performance'published at 15:12 British Summer Time 5 April

    Leinster 0-0 Harlequins

    Jacob Atkins
    Former London Irish fly-half on BBC Radio London

    Harlequins look really good in both attack and defence. They look good and like they are going to turn up.

    If they can keep this going and score first, they will thrive off that momentum. There is no way they can't put on an impressive performance.

  6. Postpublished at 9 mins

    Leinster 0-0 Harlequins

    Chandler Cunningham-South is a man who doesn't know how to take a back step.

    The England back row carries hard and makes a dent in the blue wall.

    Quins get over the line in the corner but are adjudged to be held up. Leinster are yet to gain a foothold in this one.

  7. Postpublished at 15:08 British Summer Time 5 April

    Leinster 0-0 Harlequins

    Matt Gault
    BBC Sport NI at Croke Park

    British and Irish Lions head coach Andy Farrell is here, as is his scrum coach John Fogarty.

    Plenty of players of interest in both line-ups, of course. This is a good chance for a lot of Lions hopefuls to impress the big man.

    Prendergast and SmithImage source, Getty Images
  8. Postpublished at 6 mins

    Leinster 0-0 Harlequins

    Quins have started brightly and move the ball into midfield.

    Jamie Osborne is off his wing and nearly makes the interception after juggling the ball over his head but he eventually loses control.

  9. Missed penalty - Leigh Halfpenny (Harlequins)published at 4 mins

    Leinster 0-0 Harlequins

    It sounds obvious but you'd think taking points on offer and building scoreboard pressure will be crucial in Quins are to cause an upset here.

    Leigh Halfpenny misses his first shot at goal and it remains scoreless.

  10. Postpublished at 2 mins

    Leinster 0-0 Harlequins

    Leinster retain the ball well in the opening exchanges before RG Snyman spills a simple catch.

    Solid start defensively by Quins.

  11. Kick-offpublished at 15:01 British Summer Time 5 April

    Leinster 0-0 Harlequins

    Sam Prendergast gets us up and running in Dublin...

  12. All setpublished at 14:59 British Summer Time 5 April

    Leinster v Harlequins (15:00 BST)

    Both sets of players have made their way onto the field at a raucous Croke Park.

    We're all set for an Anglo-Irish last 16 tie...

  13. Postpublished at 14:58 British Summer Time 5 April

    Leinster v Harlequins (15:00 BST)

    This could be another cracker, and who better to take you through it than, fresh from his match report on Toulon's win over Saracens, my learned friend Mantej Mann?

  14. Leinster expecting another Croke winpublished at 14:51 British Summer Time 5 April

    Leinster v Harlequins (15:00 BST)

    Matt Gault
    BBC Sport NI at Croke Park

    Sam PrendergastImage source, Inpho
    Image caption,

    Leinster fly-half Sam Prendergast kicks the ball during the warm-up

    Nice day in Dublin, blue sky and sunshine. We're not really getting much heat high up in Croke Park's Hogan Stand though. It's always freezing up here.

    Leinster's wins in this stadium over Northampton last season and Munster in October attracted crowds of over 80,000. There won't be quite that many in this afternoon, but there's already a healthy smattering of Leinster blue on Hill 16.

    Those fans are expecting their side to win today. Leinster have lost just one game all season and that was when their understrength team fell to the Bulls in Pretoria a few weeks back.

    Leo Cullen has his big hitters back for this one, though, and has a strong cohort of reserves including Tadhg Furlong and Jordie Barrett.

    Harlequins, who are coming off a defeat at Bath last week, have plenty of international experience in their line-up, but this is a daunting challenge for the side lying seventh in the Premiership.

    Leinster haven't lost a game in Dublin since the 2023 Champions Cup final and they certainly don't plan on having that run ended today.

  15. Marcus and his musicpublished at 14:44 British Summer Time 5 April

    Leinster v Harlequins (15:00 BST)

    I wonder what Marcus is listening to? What's his pre-match 'jam'? Fleetwood Mac? Crowded House? Wings? Hmmm....

    Marcus SmithImage source, Getty Images
  16. Team newspublished at 14:41 British Summer Time 5 April

    Leinster v Harlequins (15:00 BST)

    Alex Dombrandt's return at number eight is one of six changes Harlequins boss Danny Wilson has made following last weekend's Premiership loss to Bath.

    Joining the England international in the back row is Will Evans, while Dombrandt's inclusion means Chandler Cunningham-South switches to the second row alongside Joe Launchbury.

    Leigh Halfpenny starts at full-back for the injured Rodrigo Isgro and Ben Waghorn returns to partner Oscar Beard in midfield.

    Harlequins: Halfpenny; Green, Beard, Waghorn, David; Smith, Porter; Baxter, Walker, Lamositele; Launchbury, Cunningham-South; Kenningham, Evans, Dombrandt (capt).

    Replacements: Riley, Jones, Kerrod, Herbst, Hammond, Care, Benson, Northmore.

  17. Team news - Leinsterpublished at 14:40 British Summer Time 5 April

    Leinster v Harlequins (15:00 BST)

    A neck issue has prevented hooker Ronan Kelleher from making the Croke Park contest, but Leinster boss Leo Cullen is able to call upon Dan Sheehan with Gus McCarthy on the bench.

    Leinster's returning Ireland players are led by captain Caelan Doris, with Sam Prendergast, Jamison Gibson-Park, Andrew Porter and Josh van der Flier also among those set to feature for the first time since the Six Nations.

    The Irish province's bench contains prop Tadhg Furlong, who returned from injury for Ireland against Italy last month, and New Zealand international Jordie Barrett.

    Leinster: Keenan; Osborne, Ringrose, Henshaw, James Lowe; Prendergast, Gibson-Park; Porter, Sheehan, Slimani; McCarthy, RG Snyman; Conan, Van der Flier, Doris (capt)

    Replacements: McCarthy, Boyle, Furlong, Baird, Deegan McGrath, Byrne, Barrett.

  18. Postpublished at 14:37 British Summer Time 5 April

    Leinster v Harlequins (15:00 BST)

    The next game has a lot to live up to, doesn't it? Team news next!

  19. 'We couldn't live with their big men'published at 14:31 British Summer Time 5 April

    FT: Toulon 72-42 Saracens

    Saracens back Alex Goode on Premier Sports: "It's disappointing but we shocked them in the first half, put them under pressure and it was a great feeling.

    "We were right in it until the last 20 minutes but they were relentless, very physical and we couldn't live with their big men.

    "It's an amazing experience playing here. This is one of the great grounds in world rugby, and our young guys will now understand how hard it is at this level with the noise of the crowd and when the momentum is against you.

    "They are a quality side at home but we scored some great ties and showed how good we can be."

  20. Postpublished at 14:26 British Summer Time 5 April

    FT: Toulon 72-42 Saracens

    Toulon captain David Ribbans on Premier Sports: "I enjoyed it at the end but there's plenty to work for next weekend. There were a lot of errors in defence.

    "The last 10 minutes of the first half we came together and stopped playing as individuals. We started playing our game.

    "I am proud the way we fought back - there have been times in the last where we haven't done that.

    "This is a special place to play rugby and we're looking to create our own history."