http://planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,16016_6868585,00.html
All four Heineken Cup quarter-finals produced enthralling spectacles, making the selection of Planet Rugby's XV of the week all the more difficult.
What a weekend! The two all-French clashes in Spain saw attendance records broken as the Catalan and Basques fans brought an atmosphere that will long be remembered.
It could not have been closer in San Sebastian as last-year's finalists slogged it out. Toulouse had to dig very deep to hang on in extra time to set up a rematch of their semi-final clash with Leinster - this time in Dublin.
Judging by their performance in the Irish capital - and your votes on our recent poll - the Irish province are favourites to lift the trophy in Cardiff in May.
But don't discount Northampton, who are the only unbeaten team in Europe this season!
Leinster lead the way with five representatives in our line-up, Northampton and Toulouse have three each, Biarritz have two while Perpignan and Ulster both have a player amongst the backs:
15 Isa Nacewa (Leinster) - Our selection committee had a tough choice to make between Nacewa and Cédric Heymans. Both scored quite brilliant tries but the Toulouse full-back had a relatively quiet second half while Nacewa was faultless from start to finish.
14 Vincent Clerc (Toulouse) - Chris Ashton deserves a mention, especially for his part in creating Saints' winning score, but Clerc's step through the Biarritz defence to set up Toulouse's opening try was out of the top draw. For a little guy, he also put in some brave tackles.
13 David Marty (Perpignan) - Not too many stand out performers here. Jon Clarke was solid for Northampton and Tigers' Manu Tuilagi wasn't given much room to move. Brian O'Driscoll was a class act - as usual - but won't want to see the replays of Alesana Tuilagi going straight over the top of him!
12 Clément Poitrenaud (Toulouse) - We cringed when we saw Poitrenaud's name at twelve in the Toulouse team announcement, but the versatile French international showed the form that prompted Guy Novès to leave Yannick Jauzion on the bench as he made his opposite number - Charles Gimenez - look very ordinary.
11 Simon Danielli (Ulster) - Although Ulster's try came from their other wing Andrew Trimble (who was pretty good too) Danielli deserves some kudos for a number a incisive runs out wide and in midfield.
10 Jonathan Sexton (Leinster) - Another top class performance from the 25-year-old who was excellent in defence, kept his cool on the big occasion and made sure Leinster's dominance on the field was reflected on the scoreboard.
9 Lee Dickson (Northampton) - Dimitri Yachvili was brilliant for Biarritz but missed the conversion that would have won the game (albeit from the touchline) and then was charged down to hand victory to Toulouse. So we'll settle for Dickson, who scored the match-winning try for Saints.
8 Louis Picamoles (Toulouse) - Jamie Heaslip certainly gave Leicester the runaround, but when the rain came down and the going got tough in San Sebastian, Picamoles carried the ball like a monster.
7 Sean O'Brien (Leinster) - Once again O'Brien showed that he is one of Europe's top flankers and made the Tigers suffer at the breakdown. George Smith had one of his better games for Toulon.
6 Magnus Lund (Biarritz) - Unlike his fellow former England international Iain Balshaw - who had a shocker - the "Viking" was on top form. The rematch of last year's final turned into a real battle of attrition and Lund was still charging in the font lines after 100 minutes.
5 Leo Cullen (Leinster) - We picked Cullen as one to watch before the game and the veteran second rower didn't disappoint as he made life hell for his former club in the line-outs and was also immense in defence. A mention too for Toulon's Dean Schofield who was instrumental in creating a try for his skipper Joe van Niekerk.
4 Courtney Lawes (Northampton) - A man-of-the-match performance from the England lock who was brutal in the tight stuff and impressed with his all-round athleticism.
3 Sylvain Marconnet (Biarritz) - When Biarritz needed their pack to take control, France's most-capped prop stepped up to the plate. The Basque scrum dominant after half-time and effectively dragged their team back into contention.
2 Richardt Strauss (Leinster) - One of the hardest choices to make as William Servat and Guilhem Guirado were tireless grafters for Toulouse and Perpignan respectively. But the former Cheetahs' eye-catching off-loads and barnstorming runs couldn't be ignored.
1 Soane Tonga'uiha (Northampton) - Props aren't supposed to be regular try scorers, but it seems no one has told Saints' Tongan tank. Three minutes after kick-off and boom! He strikes again.
All four Heineken Cup quarter-finals produced enthralling spectacles, making the selection of Planet Rugby's XV of the week all the more difficult.
What a weekend! The two all-French clashes in Spain saw attendance records broken as the Catalan and Basques fans brought an atmosphere that will long be remembered.
It could not have been closer in San Sebastian as last-year's finalists slogged it out. Toulouse had to dig very deep to hang on in extra time to set up a rematch of their semi-final clash with Leinster - this time in Dublin.
Judging by their performance in the Irish capital - and your votes on our recent poll - the Irish province are favourites to lift the trophy in Cardiff in May.
But don't discount Northampton, who are the only unbeaten team in Europe this season!
Leinster lead the way with five representatives in our line-up, Northampton and Toulouse have three each, Biarritz have two while Perpignan and Ulster both have a player amongst the backs:
15 Isa Nacewa (Leinster) - Our selection committee had a tough choice to make between Nacewa and Cédric Heymans. Both scored quite brilliant tries but the Toulouse full-back had a relatively quiet second half while Nacewa was faultless from start to finish.
14 Vincent Clerc (Toulouse) - Chris Ashton deserves a mention, especially for his part in creating Saints' winning score, but Clerc's step through the Biarritz defence to set up Toulouse's opening try was out of the top draw. For a little guy, he also put in some brave tackles.
13 David Marty (Perpignan) - Not too many stand out performers here. Jon Clarke was solid for Northampton and Tigers' Manu Tuilagi wasn't given much room to move. Brian O'Driscoll was a class act - as usual - but won't want to see the replays of Alesana Tuilagi going straight over the top of him!
12 Clément Poitrenaud (Toulouse) - We cringed when we saw Poitrenaud's name at twelve in the Toulouse team announcement, but the versatile French international showed the form that prompted Guy Novès to leave Yannick Jauzion on the bench as he made his opposite number - Charles Gimenez - look very ordinary.
11 Simon Danielli (Ulster) - Although Ulster's try came from their other wing Andrew Trimble (who was pretty good too) Danielli deserves some kudos for a number a incisive runs out wide and in midfield.
10 Jonathan Sexton (Leinster) - Another top class performance from the 25-year-old who was excellent in defence, kept his cool on the big occasion and made sure Leinster's dominance on the field was reflected on the scoreboard.
9 Lee Dickson (Northampton) - Dimitri Yachvili was brilliant for Biarritz but missed the conversion that would have won the game (albeit from the touchline) and then was charged down to hand victory to Toulouse. So we'll settle for Dickson, who scored the match-winning try for Saints.
8 Louis Picamoles (Toulouse) - Jamie Heaslip certainly gave Leicester the runaround, but when the rain came down and the going got tough in San Sebastian, Picamoles carried the ball like a monster.
7 Sean O'Brien (Leinster) - Once again O'Brien showed that he is one of Europe's top flankers and made the Tigers suffer at the breakdown. George Smith had one of his better games for Toulon.
6 Magnus Lund (Biarritz) - Unlike his fellow former England international Iain Balshaw - who had a shocker - the "Viking" was on top form. The rematch of last year's final turned into a real battle of attrition and Lund was still charging in the font lines after 100 minutes.
5 Leo Cullen (Leinster) - We picked Cullen as one to watch before the game and the veteran second rower didn't disappoint as he made life hell for his former club in the line-outs and was also immense in defence. A mention too for Toulon's Dean Schofield who was instrumental in creating a try for his skipper Joe van Niekerk.
4 Courtney Lawes (Northampton) - A man-of-the-match performance from the England lock who was brutal in the tight stuff and impressed with his all-round athleticism.
3 Sylvain Marconnet (Biarritz) - When Biarritz needed their pack to take control, France's most-capped prop stepped up to the plate. The Basque scrum dominant after half-time and effectively dragged their team back into contention.
2 Richardt Strauss (Leinster) - One of the hardest choices to make as William Servat and Guilhem Guirado were tireless grafters for Toulouse and Perpignan respectively. But the former Cheetahs' eye-catching off-loads and barnstorming runs couldn't be ignored.
1 Soane Tonga'uiha (Northampton) - Props aren't supposed to be regular try scorers, but it seems no one has told Saints' Tongan tank. Three minutes after kick-off and boom! He strikes again.
