Match Centre: Heineken Champions Cup: Leicester Tigers 14-23 Leinster

Leicester Tigers 14-23 Leinster Rugby, Mattioli Woods Welford Road

Leinster are through to the semi-finals of the Heineken Champions Cup after they defeated Leicester Tigers 23-14 in the quarter-finals at Mattioli Woods Welford Road on Saturday.

Leinster will now face defending champions Toulouse in the semi-finals of the competition.

Jonathan Sexton started the proceedings for Leinster with an early third minute penalty goal after James Ryan forced a knock-on and 11 minutes later they kicked a penalty to the corner where Jack Conan sent Josh van der Flier over the line and the Irish skipper kicked the extras to make it 0-10.

The end of the first quarter saw Robbie Henshaw powering over between George Ford and Jasper Wiese for their second try and Sexton, who slotted the extras also followed with the penalty goal to make 0-20 at the end of the opening half.

The home side showed better response in the second half as a well-timed pass from George Ford allowed Chris Ashton to dot down and the England fly-half also improved it to make it 7-20. Nemani Nadolo was held up over the line by Jimmy O’Brien and van der Flier after Ford kicked a penalty to the corner.

A carry from Conan helped Leinster earn a penalty which Ross Byrne kicked to perfection in the 65th minute to extend their lead to 16 points. As the full time was nearing, Nic Dolly grounded at the back of a maul and Ford kicked the conversion but it went in vain as Leicester succumbed to a nine point defeat to end their European campaign.

Team line up:

Leicester: Steward, Ashton, Moroni, Porter, Potter, Ford, B. Youngs, Genge, Montoya, Cole, Chessum, Green, Liebenberg, Reffell, Wiese.

Reserves: Burns , Nadolo, Wigglesworth, Whitcombe, Dolly, Heyes, Wells, Martin

Leinster: Keenan, J. O'Brien, Ringrose, Henshaw, Lowe, Sexton, Gibson-Park, Porter, Kelleher, Furlong, Molony, Ryan, Doris, van der Flier, Conan.

Reserves: T. O'Brien for J. O'Brien (71), Byrne for Sexton (61), McGrath for Gibson-Park (70),Healy for Porter (61), Sheehan for Kelleher (46), Ala'alatoa for Furlong (61), Mccarthy for Ryan (75),Ruddock for Conan (70).