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Confirmed: Who faces who and where in the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup semis

Finn Russell of Bath celebrates after their victory during the Investec Champions Cup match between Bath Rugby and Northampton Saints at the Recreation Ground on April 10, 2026 in Bath, England. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

After another grandstand weekend of European rugby, the semi-finals of both the Investec Champions Cup and the Challenge Cup have been decided.

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Union Bordeaux Begles will face Bath after both sides bested their domestic league rivals to set up an Anglo-French face-off in the south of France.

Bordeaux beat Toulouse 30-15 in an affair largely decided by a 37-minute red card for Dorian Aldegheri. It left Toulouse down to 14 men for 20 minutes, and the Red and Blacks gave up the lead and ultimately the game.

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Bath bested Northampton Saints in an absolute stonker of a semi-final at The Rec on Friday. Saints tore the hosts apart in the first half, only for Bath to battle back and sink the Midlanders in the final 10 minutes, 43-41.

Leinster initially made heavy work of beating Sale Sharks in Dublin, although a kick up a gear in the second half saw them comfortably win on a heavy scoreline of 43-13.

Toulon beat Glasgow Warriors in another thriller, which ended in heartbreak for Franco Smith’s in-form Glaswegians. The French side won 22-19 in a game that saw the lead change hands four times. A 58th-minute try from Italy centre Juan Ignacio Brex separated the sides, with Toulon hanging on for a further 22 minutes.

In the Challenge Cup, Ulster sank Ronan O’Gara’s La Rochelle in Ravenhill, while Montpellier thumped Connacht in France. The Dragons kept their hopes of silverware alive with a win over Zebre Parma in Italy, with Exeter Chiefs also sealing a win on Italian soil with a 79th-minute penalty to beat Benetton, kicked by Henry Slade.

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The higher-seeded of each semi-finalist is awarded the home draw.

Investec Champions Cup semi-finals:
Leinster Rugby v RC Toulon, Aviva Stadium – Dublin
Union Bordeaux-Bègles vs Bath Rugby, Stade Atlantique Bordeaux Métropole – Bordeaux

Challenge Cup semi-finals:
Ulster Rugby v Exeter Chiefs, Affidea Stadium – Belfast
Montpellier Hérault Rugby v Dragons RFC, Septeo Stadium – Montpellier

Full details of the fixtures, including date, kick-off time and broadcast details are TBC. 

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