Jonathan Sexton kicked 16 points as Racing Metro defeated Benetton Treviso 26-10 at Stadio Comunale di Mongio.

Four quarter-finals, each with fascinating sub-plots. Our rugby analyst looks for the tell-tales indicators.

Racing Metro 13 Clermont Auvergne 9

ASM Clermont Auvergne 15 Toulon 16

After 15 minutes of Saturday’s gripping Heineken Cup semi-final, I feared for Munster.

Clermont 16 Munster 10

Munster's Heineken Cup adventure has taken them to the south of France today for a semi-final shoot-out with Clermont Auvergne today.

Heineken Cup semi-final

Munster are a team who have often faced — and overcome — huge hurdles in the Heineken Cup. Tomorrow, in the south of France, they face another of those seemingly impossible challenges.

Clermont Auvergne may be the envy of most clubs in Europe with the wealth of talent at their disposal but while that depth is apparent at out-half, filling the 10 shirt on Saturday is their biggest concern at the moment.

We’ve been spoilt over the years with the frequency of Munster and Leinster being paired with Toulouse and Clermont Auvergne in either the pool or knockout stages of the Heineken Cup. At its best, French club rugby is irresistible and in those two outstanding sides, we have been exposed to the very best it has to offer.

Clermont Auvergne 36 Montpellier 14

Clermont Auvergne 46 Exeter 3

Leinster 21 Clermont Auvergne 28

On a weekend when defeat for all four Irish sides in Europe was not beyond the bounds of possibility, a return of three from four with a losing bonus point procured from the only defeat was exceptional considering the quality of opposition faced.

Clermont Auvergne 15 Leinster 12

French approach

South Africa 49 Fiji 3

IT IS a measure of the Irish impact on the Heineken Cup that Leinster’s appearance in the decider in Cardiff on Saturday marks the seventh by an Irish side in the competition’s 16-year history.

Fergus McFadden continues to reap the rewards of a positional change that today propelled him into the Ireland team.

Leinster 24 Clermont Auvergne 8

David Marty and Maxime Medard scored tries as France eased to a 34-12 win over Fiji in rain-swept Nantes this evening.

IF THE recent Six Nations defeat to Scotland has taught us anything, it’s that despite all the heroics and accumulation of trophies last season, Irish rugby has no divine right to silverware.

THERE isn’t much in the way of history between Leinster and Clermont Auvergne, but what little there is will always remain a source of some satisfaction for the Irish province.

Clermont Auvergne 27 Ospreys 7

IT’S when you examine the clubs of the Fijian players in this evening’s Guinness Series international against Ireland at the RDS that you appreciate how short they are of the quality needed for success at the highest level.

A STUDY of the clubs providing Fijian players for this evening’s Guinness Series international against Ireland is an interesting indicator of the challenge Declan Kidney’s side can expect.

Scotland 23 Fiji 10

Sale Sharks 26 Clermont Auvergne 17

IAN DOWLING says today’s rematch with ASM Clermont Auvergne in Thomond Park represents a mission of atonement, following defeat to the Frenchmen last weekend.

Sebastien Tillous-Borde and Sebastien Chabal have been drafted into France’s starting XV for Saturday’s Test against Australia in Paris.