Leinster cantered to a 10-try, 62-0 victory over hapless Harlequins in front of over 55,000 supporters at Croke Park to set up a Champions Cup quarter-final at the Aviva Stadium next Friday night.
After winning their four pool games, Leo Cullen selected 13 Ireland internationals, plus RG Snyman and Rabah Slimani, for this last 16 encounter and the Blues utterly destroyed their Premiership opponents after a tough start.
Leinster managed to keep Harlequins scoreless in that early period and then burst into life with tries from Sam Prendergast, Joe McCarthy and Jamie Osborne helping the home side into a 19-0 lead at the break.
The English side needed a win at home against Glasgow Warriors, which was just enough to pip Racing 92 on points difference and make the last 16, but after this shellacking they must be sorry they made the knock-outs as the second half was even worse than the first for the visitors.
Man of the match Josh van der Flier cut through a risible lineout maul defence for the opening try of the half and Leinster's fans enjoyed a Harlem Globetrotters-like display in the final half hour as they watched their team attack with style, throwing off-loads around for fun.
Garry Ringrose powered in on the left wing, Dan Sheehan got his trademark lineout maul try and then a penalty try followed for the Blues after a walk-in score was denied Max Deegan by a deliberate knock-on.
It was the first of two sin-binnings for Quins replacements as both Luke Northmore and Jamie Benson were shown yellow cards.
Ross Byrne came off the bench to score a try and James Lowe completed the rout with two tries in the final three minutes, with Byrne's two late conversions moving the scoreboard over the 60 point mark.
A real statement of intent by Leinster, who look to have their attacking mojo back - although they themselves will stay grounded for the week ahead by reminding themselves how bad Quins were.
Key Events
Try Leinster!
Try Leinster!
Try Leinster!
Penalty try!
Leinster try!
Michael Scully
Andrew Porter's thoughts
"It's small margins at this stage of the competition and I think we might have got lucky with a few of our plays today, we were a bit scrappy at times and not respecting the ball a bit. But delighted to get a result like that today.
"We were watching the lads down in South Africa and they were unlucky to lose to the Bulls in the first game and then they turned it around against the Sharks, it nearly felt like it was a final down there for the lads there, and we wanted to keep that momentum going.
"We're lucky in Leinster to have so many quality players and as a whole group you want to keep that momentum going for the lads who are playing in and out each week.
"It gets tougher and tougher from here."
Michael Scully
Caelan Doris on the victory
"Very enjoyable game. We had a week off post-Six Nations and then came in last week and had a really good week, getting cohesion back and getting back into the Leinster systems.
"The boys in South Africa came back and it was a buzz on the back of a good win over the Sharks and there's been good excitement around the place this week, we really wanted to get back to playing top level rugby at our best and we showed that at times today, definitely.
"We started well, we talked about being ruthless throughout because we've seen what Quins are capable of, even when you get a bit of a lead on them they can come back and they showed that last year against Bordeaux so we were aware of that and we wanted to bring intensity to everything we did.
"There's obviously things we can improve and we'll need to do that as we get deeper into the competition, but a lot of pleasing stuff in there definitely.
"It's another exciting week ahead, a quick turnaround but lads will come in excited on Monday and turn the page pretty quickly and look to build on this performance."
Michael Scully
Josh van der Flier reaction
"Very happy with that now, it was a brilliant performance," he said. "A lot of lads stood up, it was hard work for the first 20 minutes particularly, we had to work really hard for it.
"I thought it was huge keeping them out, the scoreboard probably doesn't reflect how good a team they are but we did really well to keep them out the first 20 minutes and then some brilliant attacking play from the lads and it's brilliant to get a win like that.
"It's a very cool place to play, I really enjoy playing here and I think I heard there were 55,000 or so people here, so absolutely unbelievable. Everyone in Ireland knows how special this place is so it's always an honour to play here.
"It's hard always to peak at this time of year but it's what you have to do. It's obviously a long season to this point but a lot of rugby to play and a lot of important stuff left, so hopefully we can keep this kind of performance up as a team."
Michael Scully
Man of the match
Josh van der Flier rightly gets the nod after an all-action display. Looks to be back to his best on this evidence.
Michael Scully
Full-time
Leinster win 62-0 to advance to the last eight in Europe.
An utter rout and it was an embarrassing afternoon for Quins, who started well but fizzled out once Leinster found their rythym.
KEY EVENT
Try Leinster!
The rout ends with a 10th try and it's Lowe again.
KEY EVENT
Try Leinster!
James Lowe gets on the scoreboard as he runs in at the corner as Quins were robbed at the ruck and Leinster took advantage down the blindside. Another easy score.
Byrne's conversion from the far touchline is just to the right and wide. 55-0, 78 minutes gone.
Michael Scully
Penalty Leinster
The blue wave keeps coming and Jordie Barrett was in for a try but was tripped before he received the ball by Jamie Benson and that's another Quins replacement in the sin-bin.
Lineout for Leinster in their opponents' 22. A knock-on by Tadhg Furlong earns Quins a scrum.
KEY EVENT
Try Leinster!
The eighth try for the hosts with Ross Byrne joining the fun. It's like the Harlem Globetrotters at Croker, off-loads galore as the Quins rearguard is once more left chasing shadows.
Byrne splits the posts with the difficult conversion and the 50 point mark is up.
Humiliation for Harlequins. Seven minutes remain.
Michael Scully
A look at Dan Sheehan's try
Leinster 36-0 Harlequins
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) April 5, 2025
Six of the best for the Irish province. Sheehan finishes off another maul
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Michael Scully
Relentless stuff
Barrett flies down the right wing this time and slings a brilliant pass into Deegan, but Harlequins are penalised at the ruck and Leinster have a lineout close to the line again.
This time Quins win a penalty for obstruction and they can breathe a sigh of relief. For a moment, at least.
KEY EVENT
Penalty try!
Leinster pass the 40 points mark with that decision as Quins' replacement Luke Northmore is sin-binned.
43-0, 67 minutes gone.
Michael Scully
Another Leinster near miss
Great attack again by the home side as Jordie Barrett gets into the action but we might go back for a penalty try here.
The Blues were spraying passes around on the left flank and Max Deegan looked good to score but a Quins hand got in the way. Was it a deliberate knock-on, the officials are asking themselves.
Michael Scully
Care smashed
Veteran Quins scrum-half Danny Care did well to get up and smile after a double hit from Tadhg Furlong and Gus McCarthy took him over the touchline. We go back for a knock-on and a scrum to the visitors.
Still 36-0. 15 minutes left now. Ross Byrne is on but Prendergast stays in the game too.
Michael Scully
Another Leinster chance
Luke McGrath breaks away after Marcus Smith makes another error in flinging a pass that James Lowes intercepts, but the replacement scrum-half's attempted pass is forward. Scrum Quins close to their own line.
Michael Scully
Leinster ring the changes
Jack Boyle, Gus McCarthy and Luke McGrath are on the field
KEY EVENT
Leinster try!
Dan Sheehan gets in on the act in the 58th minute off a lineout maul. Once more the Quins defensive effort has no answer.
The prolific Ireland star makes away after scoring, along wirh Andrew Porter. Sam Prendergast misses the conversion and lead 36-0.
Michael Scully
Van der Flier's try
Leinster 24-0 Harlequins
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) April 5, 2025
Josh van der Flier finishes off a rolling maul for try number four
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Michael Scully
Jordie Barrett comes on
The contest is done as the Kiwi great makes his way on for Ringrose. Quins' misery continues.
Michael Scully
Tadhg Furlong on
It's a chance for the Campile man to get minutes in his legs in only his fourth appearance of the season, as Rabah Slimani makes way.
The big lead will allow Leo Cullen to take off some key men earlier than planned with next Friday night's quarter-final in mind. It's a great place for Leinster to be.
Michael Scully
And a fifth...
Garry Ringrose storms in on the wing off van der Flier's assist and this is turning into a rout.
Prendergast adds the extras. It's 31-0 now, 49 minutes gone.
KEY EVENT
Who else? Van der Flier try
Van der Flier caps a superlative display as Leinster comfortably drive for the line off Sheehan's throw, Snyman's take and the flanker capitalises as Harlequins' lineout defence went to pieces. Prendergast misses the conversion attempt.
24-0, 47 minutes gone.
Michael Scully
No try
The final decision is that the big lock was held up, but Leinster will receive Marcus Smith's kick-out.
Michael Scully
Officials checking it
The TMO and the officials are checking to see if Snyman actually grounded the ball.
Michael Scully
Leinster so close
Brilliant attack by the Blues early in the second half and Robbie Henshaw was just short of the try line before RG Snyman was held up. Not surprisingly, Josh van der Flier was a central part of the effort. The red-capped No.7 has been eye-catchingly good so far.
Michael Scully
Second half starts
Is there any way back for the Premiership side? The early stages will determine whether Leinster's armchair ride continues.
Michael Scully
Stark half time stats tell the tale
Leinster have made a whopping 341 metres in attack to Harlequins' 65, 77 carries to the visitors' 55 and a remarkable 11 clean breaks to Quins' 0.
And that's with Harlequins having edged possession (52% to 48%) and with the sides equal in the battle for territory.
It's been an immense last half hour or so for Leo Cullen's men.
Michael Scully
Jamie Osborne with the third
Leinster 19-0 Harlequins
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) April 5, 2025
Osborne finishes another flowing move and the hosts have one foot in the quarters after less than half an hour
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Michael Scully
Joe McCarthy with the second
Leinster 12-0 Harlequins
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) April 5, 2025
McCarthy touches down to stretch the lead after good work from Gibson-Park and Van der Flier
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Michael Scully
A look at Leinster's tries
Sam Prendergast's opener
Leinster 5-0 Harlequins
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) April 5, 2025
First blood to Leinster as Prendergast crashes over
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