Toulouse set for Sunday

English challengers Leicester and Northampton will play on different days of the Heineken Cup quarter-final weekend later this season.

Tigers' clash against Leinster - a repeat of the 2009 final - will take place on Saturday, April 9 at Dublin's Aviva Stadium, with a 6pm kick-off.

Top seeds Saints, meanwhile, will face Ulster at the stadium:mk in Milton Keynes the following day at 2pm.

Perpignan's quarter-final against Toulon is set for the 55,000-capacity Olympic Stadium in Barcelona on the Saturday, with Sunday's action concluded by Heineken Cup holders Toulouse facing Biarritz at Estadio Anoeta, San Sebastian.

The semi-finals see Leinster or Leicester facing Biarritz or Toulouse, with Northampton or Ulster meeting Perpignan or Toulon.

Cockerill: No more Twitter!

SIMON SHAWE faces a thorough test of his propping credentials when he packs down against experienced Argentinian Marcos Ayerza this evening as Leinster face Leicester Tigers in their final pre-season friendly at Welford Road (7.30).

Shawe was called into the Leinster set-up this week as coach Joe Schmidt found himself short on tight-head cover after Stan Wright was ruled out of action for six months and Mike Ross was unavailable for tonight's clash with a hamstring strain.

The 30-year-old Ballymena prop, who has represented Ulster at various levels as well as the Ireland club team, has an opportunity to show that he can do a job for Leinster when the season gets under way with the trip to Glasgow next week and Ayerza, who has just agreed a new contract with the Tigers, will provide a stern examination.

It is also another opportunity for Ireland internationals Luke Fitzgerald and team captain Sean O'Brien to reaffirm their return to form and fitness following their injury woes, while Nathan Hines and Devin Toner will look for big games in the second row with Leo Cullen on the long-term casualty list.

It is a powerful Leicester selection, featuring a host of internationals such as Ireland's Geordan Murphy, Italian powerhouse prop Martin Castrogiovanni and England internationals Toby Flood, Ben Youngs and George Chuter.

LEICESTER -- G Murphy; S Hamilton, M Smith, A Allen, A Tuilagi; T Flood, B Youngs; M Ayerza, G Chuter, M Castrogiovanni; C Green, G Skivington; C Newby, B Woods, T Waldrom. Reps: TBA.

LEINSTER -- L Fitzgerald; D Kearney, E O'Malley, F McFadden, N Morris; I McKinley, I Boss; H van der Merwe, R Strauss, S Shawe; N Hines, D Toner; D Ryan, S O'Brien (capt), S Keogh. Reps: J Harris-Wright, J McGrath, S Maguire, E O'Donoghue, P Ryan, P O'Donohoe, I Nacewa, M Keating, M Galarza, E Sheriff, I Madigan, E Sheridan.

- Hugh Farrelly

Irish Independent

The Irish province reached the semi-finals of Europe's premier competition before surrendering the defence of their crown to eventual winners Toulouse.

The draw for next season's group stages took place in Cardiff last Tuesday with Leinster drawn against French Champions Clermont Auvergne, English runners up Saracens and the improving Racing Metro.

But, despite the toughness of the group, Australian skipper Elsom believes his former Leinster team-mates will raise their game to emulate their 2009 triumph over Leicester Tigers at Murrayfield.

"Leinster weren't far away in the Heineken Cup last season and I fully expect them to bounce back next year,” said the 27-year-old flanker.

"I actually think they performed well in Europe but they were just beaten by a much better Toulouse side on the day.

"In the end, I wasn't surprised to see Toulouse win the competition at all but, to be honest, they did produce their best display of the tournament in the semi-final.

"Leinster seem a much more complete side now but, in the big games, you can never be sure of anything.

"They have established themselves now as one of the leading sides in Europe and they just have to go again. They will definitely be in the mix to win it."

Elsom is currently on international duty with the Wallabies and won his 51st cap in the 27-17 win over England at the weekend.

He is preparing for Saturday’s second Test against Martin Johnson’s men, followed by a one-off clash against Ireland which will reunited the back-rower with some of his Leinster pals in Brisbane on June 26.

And, although his focus will soon be on Ireland rather than Leinster, the inspirational blindside is convinced the Dubliners will still pose a major threat on the European stage, despite the departure of coach Michael Cheika to Stade Francais.

"Leinster won't have a problem even if coaches or players are leaving or retiring,” added Elsom.

"I still look out for Leinster's scores and I did watch a lot of their matches last season.

"It didn't end the way they wanted in both Europe or the Magners League. But people must remember titles are hard to win."

by Andy Howell, Western Mail

LEICESTER Tigers are to be represented by a leading firm of sports law specialists as they step up their protest following last Saturday’s 16th player controversy against the Ospreys.

The Tigers have already lodged an official complaint with European Rugby Cup after Wales and Lions full-back Lee Byrne’s 50-second appearance as the Ospreys’ 16th man.

ERC are to investigate the matter, but Leicester chairman Peter Tom will now write to ERC chairman Jean-Pierre Lux, while bringing the lawyers on board.

A Leicester statement read: “The Leicester Tigers board of directors have reviewed the footage of Saturday’s Heineken Cup Pool Three game against Ospreys and believe there is a clear case for concern.

“The board has a duty to the club and the other teams in the competition to do everything in their power to help ERC to determine, as fully and speedily as possible, who was responsible for a 16th player being on the pitch.

“To that end, the club have lodged an official written complaint with ERC which they are now in the process of investigating.

“Everyone at the club is totally committed to supporting the investigation in any way they can.

“Leicester Tigers chairman, Peter Tom CBE, is also writing to the chairman of ERC, Jean-Pierre Lux, to detail our concerns in respect of the incident.

“The club has also instructed a leading firm of sports law specialists to represent them in this matter.”

Leicester argue the Ospreys gained an unfair numerical advantage after Byrne returned from the blood bin without any of his team-mates leaving the field.

Sonny Parker had gone on to replace Byrne three minutes earlier, before fly-half Dan Biggar eventually departed following Byrne’s reappearance.

Leicester maintain that Byrne helped thwart a Tigers attack sparked by scrum-half Ben Youngs during his time on the field as a 16th player.

Leicester lost the game 17-12, crashing out of the tournament as a result, while the Ospreys booked a quarter-final clash against Biarritz on April 10.

If any action is taken against the Ospreys though, it still seems likely to be a financial penalty rather than any points deduction.

Leicester Tigers have continued their efforts to ensure action is taken after the Ospreys briefly fielded a 16th man during their Heineken Cup defeat on Saturday.

The loss meant that Leicester slipped out of Europe at the expense of their hosts and Top 14 side Clermont Auvergne.

Ospreys fullback Lee Byrne returned to the field early from the blood-bin in the second-half and gave his side an extra man as Sonny Parker had not left the pitch, with Byrne re-joining the defensive line that thwarted a counter-attack from Tigers scrum-half Ben Youngs.

Leicester immediately confirmed that they had complained to ERC about the irregularity and have now sent an official letter of complaint to the tournament organisers as well as hire a leading firm of sports law specialists to represent them. Tigers chairman Peter Tom has also written a letter to his ERC counterpart Jean-Pierre Lux detailing their concerns.

"The Leicester Tigers board of directors have reviewed the footage of Saturday's Heineken Cup Pool 3 game against Ospreys and believe there is a clear case for concern," read a club statement. "The board has a duty to the club and the other teams in the competition to do everything in their power to help ERC to determine, as fully and speedily as possible, who was responsible for a 16th player being on the pitch.

"To that end, the club have lodged an official written complaint with ERC which they are now in the process of investigating. Everyone at the club is totally committed to supporting the investigation in any way they can."

Meanwhile, Biarritz have confirmed that their quarter-final against the Ospreys will be moved from their home ground, the Parc des Sports Aguilera, to the 32,000 capacity Estadio Anoeta in San Sebastian.