- Bolivia's ex-president blames govt as shots fired at him
- Japan ruling coalition projected to lose majority in election
- Yildiz drags Juve back from brink in eight-goal thriller at Inter
- Ford added to England squad for New Zealand clash
- Faltering Atletico stumble again at Real Betis
- Ohtani to play World Series game three after injury scare - report
- In uncertain US election, two prestige papers refuse to pick sides
- England's Slade eager to face New Zealand after Exeter return
- 'Venom' still kills, topping N.American box office
- Conservatives top Bulgarian elections but fall short of majority
- Liverpool hold Arsenal in Premier League title clash, Man Utd beaten
- Chelsea's Palmer reminds Maresca of Blues favourite Zola
- Bayern thump Bochum to retake Bundesliga top spot
- Salah strikes late as Liverpool snatch draw at title rivals Arsenal
- Georgia opposition calls election results protests as president accuses Russia
- Egypt proposes two-day Gaza truce in hope of full ceasefire
- Ex-president of Bolivia blames government as shots fired at him
- Beaten Man Utd only lacking good fortune, claims Ten Hag
- Postecoglou says Spurs out-battled in Crystal Palace loss
- EU urges Georgia vote probe as ex-president calls for mass protests
- Malinin wins Skate Canada for North American Grand Prix double
- Mpetshi Perricard powers to 'amazing' first ATP 500 title in Basel
- Bayern thump Bochum to retake top spot
- West Ham pile more pressure on Ten Hag, Palmer fires Chelsea to victory
- Balotelli set for Italy return with injury-hit strugglers Genoa
- Japan ruling coalition projected to miss majority in election
- Netanyahu declares Iran strike a success as Israel pounds Lebanon, Gaza
- Draper holds off Khachanov for first ATP 500 title in Vienna
- Left seeks to unseat conservative in Uruguay president vote
- 'Failing' Judge vows to dig Yankees out of World Series hole
- Leon Marchand savours break from post-Olympics glare
- Ex-president of Bolivia says 14 shots fired at his car
- Netanyahu hails 'precise' strike on Iran as Israel pounds Lebanon, Gaza
- Steen Olsen wins World Cup opener as Hirscher wows on comeback
- Georgia thrown into political turmoil after disputed vote
- Japan ruling party projected to miss majority in election
- Philippines death toll from Tropical Storm Trami rises to 110
- Syria Kurd force denies links to Ankara attack as Turkey strikes
- Thousands turn out for Thai royal barge pageantry
- Mbappe and Real Madrid shaken by Clasico thrashing
- An Byeong-hun triumphs after all-Korean playoff at Genesis Championship
- Real Madrid condemn racist abuse of Barca players in Clasico
- Centre-left tipped to take power as Lithuanians vote
- Israel pounds Gaza and Lebanon after Iran strikes
- Left-field thought and patio heaters: How Pakistan turned series on head
- Bagnaia wins wet Thai MotoGP to close gap on title rival Martin
- 'Olympus has fallen': India fears end of an era after New Zealand loss
- Bagnaia wins wet Thai MotoGP ahead of title rival Martin
- Olympic champion Zheng hails consistency after Pan Pacific Open win
- Red-hot Yin Ruoning secures LPGA Malaysia title with flawless 65
Leinster gain revenge on holders La Rochelle to reach Champions Cup semis
Ireland winer James Lowe scored twice as Leinster hammered holders La Rochelle 40-13 on Saturday to claim revenge for two Champions Cup final defeats and reached the last four.
The Irish province crossed for five tries in Dublin in a dominant display to set-up a semi-final, on the weekend of May 3-5, against Northampton or the Bulls, who meet in England later in the day.
Two-time holders La Rochelle beat Leinster in classic finals in 2022 and 2023 but Leinster won earlier in the season in the group stages.
La Rochelle, coached by former Ireland and Munster fly-half Ronan O'Gara, had spent the week training in Cork following last Saturday's last-16 victory at the Stormers.
Leinster, who eased past Leicester to reach the quarter-finals, started youngster Ciaran Frawley at full-back after Hugo Keenan withdrew injured hours before kick-off.
The late change had little impact on Leo Cullen's team. Leinster led 10-0 after 19 minutes as Lowe scored his first try and Ross Byrne added a conversion and a penalty.
Leinster extended their lead to 23-6 with scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park following Lowe over the whitewash. Byrne slotted a conversion and two penalties.
Fly-half Antoine Hastoy kicked two penalties for the visitors, who were a shadow of the side who won at the same ground in last May's final.
O'Gara's side kept slim hopes alive at a packed Lansdowne Road as prop Louis Penverne crashed over and Hastoy converted to make it 23-13 at half-time.
La Rochelle's chances of victory were dashed by the 56th minute as the Irish side's flanker Ryan Baird and hooker Dan Sheehan scored.
Lowe, 31, added his second with a quarter of an hour to play as Leinster eased into the next round as the tournament favourites.
- 'Swing the bat' -
Earlier, Harlequins reached their first Champions Cup semi-final, edging a highly-fancied Bordeaux-Begles 42-41 in a breathtaking game in France.
Both sides scored six tries before France scrum-half Maxime Lucu missed a relatively straightforward late conversion which would have claimed victory for the hosts, who had hammered three-time winners Saracens in the previous round.
Quins, in their 13th campaign in the tournament, will next play record five-time champions Toulouse or Exeter, who meet in France on Sunday.
"We knew we had to dig deep and we knew we had to swing the bat, we knew we had to play," Quins director of rugby Billy Millard told reporters, using a cricket reference.
"The one thing you know about this competition is that each game you progress it gets tougher, whoever comes up will be another step up," he added.
P.Martin--AMWN