All eight Heineken Cup quarter-finalists were involved in domestic action this weekend with only Toulouse and Ospreys failing to win.
In what was a potential Heineken Cup semi-final dress rehearsal, Leinster travelled to the Liberty Stadium and defeated the Ospreys 13 points to 8 with both sides weakened by international call ups. Leinster, second in the Magners League, and third place Ospreys, could potentially meet again in May with a spot in the Edinburgh Heineken Cup final up for grabs, if they are both successful in their respective Heineken Cup quarter-finals against Harlequins and Munster.
The other two Celtic teams in the last eight in Europe, Cardiff Blues and Munster, also won in domestic action away to Connacht and Dragons.
Munster sit top of the Magners League with nine wins from twelve games and are very much still in the running for a domestic and European double, which has previously been achieved by Leicester Tigers, London Wasps and Toulouse.
In England, all three Heineken Cup quarter-finalists won at home with Bath comprehensibly beating Bristol 45 to 8, Leicester overcoming Gloucester 24 points to10 and Harlequins defeating European Challenge Cup quarter-finalists Saracens by 21 points to15.
The sole French representative in the quarter-finals Toulouse travelled to Perpignan without many of their seasoned internationals and received a heavy 32 points to 8 beating from USAP but still manage to hold top spot in the championship.
