No all-Welsh tie as Ospreys and Blues are drawn apart

THE Ospreys will host Stade Francais – and not rivals Cardiff Blues – in the quarter-finals of the European Challenge Cup.

Stade’s 27-17 win over Harlequins at the Stade Jean Bouin in Paris yesterday means they will head to Swansea in the last eight, leaving the Blues with a tough trip across the Severn Bridge to take on Gloucester.

Steve Tandy’s Ospreys made history by becoming the first side to claim a maximum 30 points in the pool stages of European competition when they defeated Newcastle 26-21 at Kingston Park to progress into the last eight as top seeds.

And the Blues were also celebrating after securing an impressive 37-21 win over Bristol at the Arms Park to go through.

The Welsh regions would have locked horns in a potentially mouth-watering quarter-final contest at the Liberty Stadium if the Quins had claimed victory yesterday.

The other two quarter-final matches see Bath host Brive while Edinburgh are at home to the other French qualifiers, La Rochelle.

The last-eight ties will take place between March 30 and April 2 – with the semi-final games being played three weeks later ahead of the showpiece final at Murrayfield on May 12.

Victory for the Ospreys would see them host Bath or travel to Brive in the semi-finals, while the Blues will be at home to Edinburgh or away at La Rochelle in the last four if they overcome the Cherry and Whites.

Swansea City take on Middlesbrough at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday, April 1, meaning the Ospreys are likely to play on either Thursday, March 30, or Sunday April 2.