Former All Black Jerome Kaino has a chance to end his decorated rugby career with a European title.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The two-time Rugby World Cup winner has reached the final of the Champions Cup with Toulouse, who've beaten fellow French side Bordeaux-Begles 21-9 in the first of the semi-finals.
Kaino, 38, will retire at the end of the season.
Former Blues team-mates Charlie Faumuina and Pita Ahki also started the semi-final for Toulouse, who have won a record-equalling four Champions Cup titles, with the last coming in 2010.
The French Top 14 leaders will play either La Rochelle or Leinster in the final at Twickenham in London later this month.
Covid outbreak forces cancellation of Japan Top League quarter-final
The Japan Top League quarter-final between Ricoh Black Rams and Suntory Sungoliath has been cancelled after 22 players from Ricoh tested positive for Covid-19.
Ricoh Black Rams. Photo: Photosport Ltd 2021
Ricoh reported nine cases on Wednesday, followed by another 13 on Friday, and the Japan Rugby Football Union (JRFU) decided on Saturday to scrap the game at Showa Denko Dome Oita on May 9 as the team cannot register the required 23 players.
Former All Black Elliot Dixon is amongst a handful of New Zealanders in the Black Rams squad.
Suntory will advance to the May 16 semi-final if they can register 23 players.
All Blacks first-five Beauden Barrett plays for Suntory.
Japan last month declared "short and powerful" states of emergency for Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and Hyogo as the country struggles to contain a resurgent coronavirus pandemic.
- Reuters/RNZ
Brumbies to face Reds in Super Rugby AU final
The ACT Brumbies will defend their Super Rugby AU title against the Queensland Reds in Brisbane next week after beating the shorthanded Western Force 21-9 in a tight semi-final playoff in Canberra.
Photo: Photosport Ltd 2021
The Force, playing a first playoff in their 16 years of existence, fought to the bitter end but playing for 20 minutes with only 14 men after former Chiefs winger Toni Pulu was shown a red card took its toll in such an attritional battle.
Tom Wright and Tom Banks scored first-half tries while Noah Lolesio and Ryan Lonergan contributed 11 points from the kicking tee as the Brumbies set up a re-match of last year's inaugural Super Rugby AU final.
"Probably a little bit too close for comfort," said Wright. "The Force are probably a bit under-rated so all credit to them, their defensive stuff was pretty on point tonight. Hopefully, we can build on some of our attacking stuff for next week."
"We were in it right to the end," said the Force's former All Blacks centre Richard Kahui. "The red card really hurt us."
- Reuters
