Provinces take out big guns to edge closer to European glory

If you wanted an illustration of how much the picture has changed for Irish rugby in the space of a season then virtually full houses in Lansdowne Road and Thomond Park for Champions Cup quarter-finals was perfect. A year ago Ireland's leading provinces weren't mapped. Now Leinster are preparing for a semi-final in the Champions Cup, in France, while Munster are at the same stage of the same competition, though unsure as yet where they are headed.