Leinster v Biarrtiz Olympique - RDS 27/04/13, 14:30 SS1 (Print your tickets!!)

Right, the most coveted prize in World Rugby, the Amlin Challenge Cup, enters its penultimate stage this weekend as Stade Francais and Perpignan do battle on Friday night and Leinster take on Biarritz on Saturday afternoon.

Possibly the most consistent Heineken Cup performers never to have won the big prize, Biarritz's star has waned in recent years as they have struggled to compete with the big-spending nouveau riche of the Top 14. Their ninth-place finish last season won't be improved upon this season, so Biarritz find themselves needing a win in the Amlin to qualify for a spot at the top table next season... and that's just what they did last year, out-pointing Toulon in a very forgettable Amlin final in London.



So with nothing else to play for this season, there is no question that Biarritz will be coming to Dublin to put up a fight.

But Leinster are no slouches when it comes to knock-out rugby and will be looking to end the season with European silverware, even if it's not the trophy they'd have been hoping for at the start of the season.


Drico's last chance at European silverware?

The injury curse that hung over the squad at the start of the season finally seems to have lifted with only Eoin Reddan and Luke Fitzgerald definitely ruled out of contention. The sparkling performance of Jonathan Sexton against Zebre will have presented Joe Schmidt with a selection dilemma at out-half, but the smart money will be on Sexton being given the nod to steer the ship and stake his claim for the Lions jersey while he's at it. With Sexton restored, Leinster will look to play the same high-tempo game that brought them to the pinnacle of European rugby.

Will it work against Biarritz? The Basque team have always had a reputation for perhaps having less flair or style than some of their compatriot teams, relying heavily on their star-men of Imanol Harinordoquy and Dmitri Yachvili to pull the strings; but a four-try, 41-point haul at Kingsholm in the quarter-final came as a surprise to many people. In Teddy Thomas and Zee Ngwenya, they have genuine pace out wide while Benoit Baby brings a creative presence to midfield. Harinordoquy's presence in the back-row has been augmented by the power of Raphael Lakafia while blind-side flanker Wenceslas Lauret makes a timely return from injury. Ian Balshaw's season is over after injury but Marcelo Bosch is an able deputy at full-back.

The bookies make Leinster odds-on favourites not just for this match but to win the tournament outright. Home advantage will be critical but there is a real 'end of an era' feel to Leinster right now; the departures of key players in Jonathan Sexon and Isa Nacewa as well as the likely promotion of Joe Schmidt will rob Leinster of three of the main pillars of their recent success and the clock is ticking on some of their stalwarts like Brian O'Driscoll, Leo Cullen and Gordon D'Arcy. Emotions will be running high in the camp and if they can focus and channel them properly, they will be too good for Biarritz.

Forecast: Leinster to win.