Irish powerhouse Leinster, who topped the Vodacom United Rugby Championship log, outscored the Cell C Sharks by five tries to one for a convincing 35-05 quarter-final victory at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Saturday to book a home semi-final next week.
With Leinster finishing the pool stages as the top team, they will face the winner of the quarter-final between the Glasgow Warriors and Munster - which will play out in Scotland later on Saturday night - in Dublin next weekend.
Leinster dominated the first half, scoring three tries to one by the Cell C Sharks for an encouraging 21-5 lead, which set up their victory.
They added two tries in the second half and denied the Durbanites a single point despite the visitors' determined attempts to add to their score, which saw the Irish outfit snatch the comprehensive victory.
The Cell C Sharks put the first points on the board in the seventh minute with Springbok scrumhalf Grant Williams scoring a fantastic try after dancing his way through the defence. This, however, proved to be their only points of the half, as they were penalised close to the tryline later in the half which denied them from adding to their score.
Leinster, in turn, capitalised on most of their point-scoring chances, with No 8 Caelan Doris scoring their first points of the game in the 14th minute after collecting the ball at pace following a slick pass from a lineout to score and the successful conversion by flyhalf Harry Byrne nudged them into a two-point lead.
Unfortunately for the Cell C Sharks, they lost a man in the process as wing Makazole Mapimpi received a yellow card for a dangerous tackle on Doris, which reduced them to 14 men.
The Irish province took full advantage of this with prop Michael Milne scoring their second try in the 21st minute as he dived over a ruck to touch down, and they added their third five-pointer soon after as wing Jordan Larmour finished off a great try from a brilliant break in the midfield, which pushed them 21-5 up.
The Durbanites had a chance to reduce their deficit with a penalty goal on the stroke of halftime, but flyhalf Boeta Chamberlain’s attempt went wide of the uprights, which left them trailing by 16 points at the break.
The home side continued to stamp their authority with their enterprising attack in the second half and their efforts paid off in the 52nd minute with flank Max Deegan receiving the ball in space out wide to dash over the chalk, and the extra two pushed their score to 28 points.
Despite their determined attempts to break away on the scoreboard, the Cell C Sharks did well to keep them out on defence, while they also fought until the end with replacement back Rohan Janse van Rensburg crossing the chalk in in the 73rd minute, but the try was reversed after flanker James Venter received a yellow card for a dangerous tackle in the lead-up to the try.
Leinster again pounced on this numerical advantage with Jamison Gibson-Park receiving a well-timed kick into space to score their fifth and final try of the match and they added the conversion for a rewarding 35-5 victory, and an invaluable home semi-final.
Scorers:
Leinster: Tries: Caelan Doris, Michael Milne, Jordan Larmour, Max Deegan, Jamison Gibson-Park. Conversions: Harry Byrne (4), Ross Byrne.
Cell C Sharks: Try: Grant Williams.
Teams:
Leinster: 15 Hugo Keenan, 14 Jordan Larmour, 13 Ciarán Frawley, 12 Charlie Ngatai, 11 Dave Kearney, 10 Harry Byrne, 9 Luke McGrath (c), 8 Caelan Doris, 7 Scott Penny, 6 Max Deegan, 5 Jason Jenkins, 4 Ryan Baird, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 2 Dan Sheehan, 1 Michael Milne Replacements: 16 John McKee, 17 Andrew Porter, 18 Cian Healy, 19 Joe McCarthy, 20 Jack Conan, 21 Jamison Gibson-Park, 22 Ross Byrne, 23 Liam Turner.
Cell C Sharks: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Marnus Potgieter, 13 Lukhanyo Am (c), 12 Ben Tapuai, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Henry Chamberlain, 9 Grant Williams, 8 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 7 Vincent Tshituka, 6 James Venter, 5 Gerbrandt Grobler, 4 Corne Rahl, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Mbongeni Mbonambi, 1 Retshegofaditswe Nché. Replacements: 16 Fez Mbatha, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Carlü Sadie, 19 Jeandre Labuschagne, 20 Phendulani Buthelezi, 21 Cameron Wright, 22 Nevaldo Fluers, 23 Rohan Janse van Rensburg.