Tipoki: Munster have the momentum to win the cup

Munster centre Rua Tipkoi believes they have momentum on their side after today's semi-final draw meant they could enjoy a home run to the final.

Munster, who have a home quarter-final against the Ospreys, will host the winners of Harlequins v Leinster if they progress at Thomond Park.

The holders won five out of their six matches in Pool One and Tipoki said: “We knew we had to hit the ground running.

“We had some really tough games against Sale and Clermont Auvergne, which have hopefully put the team in good stead now for these quarter-finals, which are going to be really tough.”

Munster v Ospreys – the top two in the Magners League – is the pick of the quarter-finals and Tipoki reckons it can live up to top billing.

“All the teams are really good but Ospreys are a team we’ve got a lot of respect for and we actually like the way they play the game,” he said.

“They use the ball well and use the space well so we’re definitely going to have our hands full in the quarter-final, but hopefully the Thomond Park crowd can bring us home.”

Cardiff Blues head coach Dai Young insisted this year’s Heineken Cup is wide open after today’s semi-final draw at Murrayfield.

The Blues are nicely poised to reach the final, with a home quarter-final against Toulouse followed by another home match against the winners of Leicester’s all-English clash with Bath should they overcome the French giants.

Cardiff sailed through Pool Six, winning every game to ensure they were seeded first in the quarter-finals.

That set up a rematch with Toulouse, who beat them at this stage of the competition last season.

Young believes the fact the three-time European champions are the eighth seeds proves how strong the quarter-final line-up is.

He said: “To get six out of six, obviously we’re thrilled with that.

“But how much of a reward for being number one seed drawing Toulouse is, I don’t know!

Young added: “Anyone of the eight could go all the way, I feel, in this competition.

“There’s no easy game there. There’s no-one that you’d prefer. But we’re just happy to be in there for the second European quarter-final in a row.”

Toulouse captain Jean Bouilhou, whose side scraped through in Pool Five after Saturday’s 3-3 draw at Bath, was under no illusions over the task facing his side.

“It’s a big challenge, a big, big challenge, playing Cardiff,” he said.

“They were first in the pools so it will be a very hard game for us. But it’s a quarter-final so we will play to our maximum and we’ll see after the game.”

The surprise package of the quarter-finals are Harlequins, who beat Stade Francais home and away to top Pool Four and reach this stage of the competition for the first time in 11 years.

Director of rugby Dean Richards said: “There’s no expectations from our point of view, as there haven’t been all season on the players in terms of the Heineken Cup.

“We didn’t win a game last year so to come out and win five out of six this year, we’re extremely pleased with.

“The same goes for the quarter-finals and – if we get through – into the semis. The expectations aren’t there because of the history we’ve got in the cup.

“But – at the same time – it probably makes us a little bit more dangerous as well because we’re not going to put any pressure on the boys at all.”