It’s more than a quarter of a century since the Berlin Wall came down and communism was rolled up like a musty carpet across Eastern Europe.

Champions Cup

There was no fluttering of eyelids to foreign suitors this time.

Leo Cullen has backed Jonathan Sexton and the rest of his Leinster team to turn the corner after three European defeats that leave them all but out of the Champions Cup reckoning ahead of Toulon’s visit to the Aviva Stadium tomorrow. 

If you’re a beleaguered fan of Munster or Leinster, pining for the glory days when knockout rugby in European competition could be taken for granted at the turn of the year, then you’re in good company.

During the glory days, Jonathan Sexton stood tall as the living embodiment of all that was good about Leinster.

Twenty years, 421 games, six titles.

The prospect of Ian Madigan leaving Leinster for Munster may excite supporters in the southern province but head coach Anthony Foley believes both he and the player in question have more pressing concerns this week.

Leinster have not yet accepted defeat in their bid to extend Kiwi centre Ben Te’o’s stay at the province beyond next summer, despite considerable reported interest in the 28-year old from clubs in England, France and Australia.

Heyneke Meyer believes “the time has come for change” after bringing an end to his reign as South Africa head coach.

Four games into the Champions Cup for the Irish provinces and just a solitary win to show for our efforts. Even that was achieved at home by Munster against the tournament’s basement side Treviso. 

At some point next year, work will start on the new main stand at the RDS.

This may be the Rugby Champions Cup’s inaugural season, but the feeling this weekend, as the two semi-finals are contested on French soil, is one of familiarity, given the identities of the four clubs involved.

It has been framed as a mission impossible, but Matt O’Connor’s coaching colleagues in Munster and Ulster believe Leinster can return from France next Sunday with Toulon’s scalp swinging from their pelts.

Leo Cullen believes Leinster’s surprise defeat of Munster in the classic 2009 Heineken Cup semi-final at Croke Park can serve as a template as the province contemplates the prospect of facing Toulon at the same stage in Marseille.

Lost amid the disappointment of Leinster’s PRO12 defeat to Newport Gwent Dragons and their upcoming European semi-final in Marseille has been the fact that the province’s Champions Cup ambitions for next season have already been seriously compromised.

Saturday’s quarter-final was Leinster’s 19th knockout game over the last four seasons... the fact they won 15 of those shows their understanding of what’s required on these occasions, writes Donal Lenihan.

Things could certainly be better for Leinster.

Guinness PRO12 

Ireland’s provinces remain every bit as capable of seeing off the biggest and best English and French clubs the European game has to offer, according to Sean O’Brien who is desperate for another crack at reigning champions Toulon.

Wasps 20 Leinster 20: European Champions Cup Pool 2: Matt O’Connor put a mostly positive spin on a game that got away from his Leinster team in Coventry on Saturday, but there can be no escaping the difference between the worth of a home and an away berth in the last eight.

Leinster’s weekend of mixed emotions continued through to tea-time yesterday when the three-time Heineken Cup champions were handed a daunting potential Rugby Champions Cup semi-final assignment ‘away’ to reigning champions Toulon in mid-April.

European Champions Cup Pool 3

Saracens and England fly-half Owen Farrell missed his club’s 24-23 loss to Gloucester on Friday with a "minor strain" but coach Mark McCall insisted: "We are very confident he will be fit for Munster next week."

Champions Cup: Leicester ended Toulon’s nine-match unbeaten run in Europe as Owen Williams kicked 20 points to see the Tigers home at Welford Road.

Champions Cup: Toulon were made to battle hard by Scarlets before starting their Champions Cup defence with a 28-18 victory at Stade Felix Mayol.

Come Sunday the veins under Cedric Abellon’s war paint will be throbbing.

Leinster 34 Glasgow 12

Munster’s proud history and record of achievement in Europe demanded they be afforded a fighting chance coming into this monumental Heineken Cup semi-final challenge but, in truth, they were always going to be hard pressed to come out on top.

Munster head coach Rob Penney has demanded his players not fall into the same trap Leinster did when they were dominated by Toulon as they prepare to stop the Heineken Cup champions in their tracks in tomorrow’s semi-final showdown in Marseille.

It was while gazing through the NFL schedule for 2014, which was revealed earlier this week, and other gridiron-related matters that our eyes happened to stray across a well-worn quote from John Madden, the Hall of Fame ex-coach, broadcasting legend and the face of millions of American football computer games around the world.

Munster head coach Rob Penney has admitted Heineken Cup semi-final opponents Toulon have nothing to fear from his side going into Sunday’s showdown at Marseille’s Stade Velodrome.

The scars of Munster’s last meeting with Toulon remain with Damien Varley but the hooker is determined the time is right for the province’s new breed of stars to make their mark in Marseille on Sunday.

Execute better

Munster will have to produce the best game they have ever played if they are to overcome Toulon in Marseille next Sunday and reach the Heineken Cup final, head coach Rob Penney has warned.

Isaac Boss has been brought into the Leinster team to face the Ospreys tomorrow evening (KO: 7.05pm).

Rob Penney claimed last Saturday that he would have preferred the two-hour drive to Dublin over the two-hour flight to France later this month, but Toulon in Marseille’s Stade Velodrome it will be for the Munster coach.

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A weekend that promised to be a financial bonanza for Irish rugby ended in disappointment at the Stade Felix Mayol yesterday with Leinster’s defeat by Toulon following on Ulster’s elimination by Saracens at Ravenhill on Saturday.

After Munster’s heroics on Saturday, all eyes were firmly focused on the Stade Felix Mayol yesterday to see if Leinster could seal the dream semi-final for Dublin.