The holder has fallen.
The Exeter Chiefs were dominated on Saturday on their lawn by the Irish from Leinster (34-22), who will play in the semi-finals of the European Rugby Cup.
The Irish will be opposed, in the last four, to three French teams: La Rochelle, who eliminated the other representing the Sale Sharks (45-21), and the winners of the two 100% tricolor quarters, Sunday, between Bordeaux-Bègles and Racing 92 then between Clermont and Toulouse.
The chiefs' fight between the reigning champion and the most successful team in the competition turned to the advantage of the province of Dublin: Leinster inflicted a great lesson in physical rugby, largely dominating his opponent in the areas of impact, whether offensively, with quick exits, or defensively, by obtaining penalties for balls held by the English.
They were also impeccable in their conquest, nabbing four of 14 hits from the Chiefs and stinging two balls in scrum.
Unlike the previous round, where they found themselves led 14-0 after 10 minutes by Lyon, Exeter had yet started this time down.
His winger Tom O'Flaherty carried the ball twice in the in-goal, getting rid of two opposing tackles in one turn on himself on the first (7-0, 3rd) and tearing off after a pass up to Henry Slade in 22 meters on the second (14-0, 10th).
Irish reaction
But the quadruple European champion did not remain without reaction and the first period was then largely to his advantage, tests by James Lowe (14-7, 17th) and Jordan Larmour (14-14, 28th) allowing them to come back to height.
Even the exit of Johnny Sexton for a blow to the head, the second try did not derail the sky blue train, his replacement Ross Byrne adding two penalties to turn in the lead (20-14) at the break.
The Chiefs tried, with pride, to regain the initiative in the second half, scoring a typical try after taking the ball in touch a few meters from the line and a big collective push to the in-goal (20 -19, 42nd), then three more points by Joe Simmonds to get back in front (22-20, 47th).
But the Chiefs could not keep the score: Byrne, with a precise kick (23-22, 50th), then Larmour, with a powerful test (28-22, 56th), gave back the advantage to the Irish.
Before Byrne, always him, gives air to his family (69th, 75th).
A dominant victory which will be enough to give complexes to Exeter: the English club has never managed to get the best of Leinster in five confrontations.
But also enough to give the French a cold sweat.
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Match sheet