Leinster dispatch Toulouse to book final berth
Next month’s Heineken Champions Cup will be an Anglo-Irish affair after defending champions Leinster impressively dispatched Toulouse 30-12 at the Aviva Stadium.
Fit-again captain Jonathan Sexton was back in command as Leo Cullen’s men set up an intriguing decider with unbeaten Saracens at St James’ Park on Saturday May 11.
James Lowe’s sixth try in eight European appearances, combined with a Luke McGrath maul effort and Sexton’s assured kicking, had them 17-6 ahead at half-time.
Thomas Ramos’ penalty brace kept Toulouse in the contest, with both sides coping well during first-half sin-binnings for Richie Gray and Robbie Henshaw.
Leinster also absorbed the losses of an ill Rhys Ruddock, who was withdrawn pre-match, and the tournament’s joint-top try scorer, Sean Cronin, who injured his right leg in the 33rd minute.
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Ruddock’s replacement Scott Fardy crossed in the 52nd minute, sandwiched by penalties from Ramos and replacement Romain Ntamack.
Man-of-the-match Sexton completed his 12-point haul with 15 minutes remaining, Leinster keeping a frustrated Toulouse try-less and adding a late Ross Byrne penalty as they advanced to their fifth European final in 11 years.
Young full-back Ramos curled over a fifth-minute penalty, rewarding a powerful start from the resurgent French club which saw Rynhardt Elstadt bounce off Lowe and Rob Kearney make an important tackle on Cheslin Kolbe.
Charlie Faumuina was pinged for not rolling away five minutes later, allowing Sexton to draw the hosts level in front of a 42,960-strong crowd.
Following an overcooked restart from Ramos, Leinster’s attack ignited as they rumbled through nine phases.
Their running angles and power in the carry got them over the gain-line and Sean O’Brien set up winger Lowe to break Pita Ahki’s tackle and score in the left corner past Elstadt.
South African speedster Kolbe threatened from a kick chase and in Toulouse’s eagerness to attack from deep, a Ramos kick was charged down by Henshaw.
The ensuing pressure saw Gray binned for a sly hand at a ruck, and Leinster duly punished him with a well-executed line-out maul sending McGrath over for a well-taken 25th-minute try.
It was 14 men apiece after Henshaw’s deliberate knock-on right on the Leinster line as Toulouse stormed back, with referee Wayne Barnes opted against the penalty try despite prop Faumuina being poised to score from the pass.
Ramos’ close-range kick was the final score of the opening half with Leinster missing out on a late Lowe try due to Jack Conan’s obstruction in the build-up.
Ramos’ right boot punished a Garry Ringrose high tackle on the restart but the hosts hit back after good work from Jordan Larmour and Cian Healy put flanker Fardy stretching over for a seven-pointer near the right corner.
Ntamack landed a penalty, with his introduction moving the dangerous Antoine Dupont to scrum half. But that kick was cancelled out in the 65th minute by Sexton in his final act, with Elstadt the guilty party for an off-the-ball tackle.
The Top 14 outfit continued to be foiled by Leinster’s resilient defence, this time Larmour swooping in to intercept close to his line and deny Yoann Huget a try.
The visitors’ race was run and with Ringrose finding gaps and Lowe agonisingly close to a deserved second try, it was left to replacement fly-half Byrne to boot the title holders to an 18-point winning margin.
Comments on RugbyPass
Not sure exactly what went wrong for him at Glasgow but it’s pretty clear he ain’t Franco’s cup of tea. Suspect he would have been better served heading out of Scotland around the same time as Finn, Hoggy and Jonny!
1 Go to commentsBulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
24 Go to commentsI wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to commentsJason Jenkins has one cap. When Etzebeth was his age he had over 80 caps. Experience matters. He will never amount to what Etzebeth has because he hasn’t been developed as an international player.
1 Go to commentsSays much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
5 Go to commentsTrue Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to commentsGeez you really have to question the NRLs ability to produce players of quality. Its pathetic. Dont the 25mil in Aus produce enough quality womens players. Sad.
1 Go to commentsBulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
24 Go to commentsI’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
11 Go to commentsGee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
80 Go to commentsPot Kettle, the English and French teams have done it for years.
24 Go to commentsHas virtually played every minute of previous games. Back row of Li Lo Willie , Grace and Blackadder would be the 1. Crusaders issue is a very average 1st 5 who cannot run. Kicking in general play is also below par They need to put Yong Kemara in. He must have so.e talent for them to bring him down from Waikato. Hoehepa would struggle to play in so.e club sided
11 Go to commentsI hope this a good thing making all these changes!
3 Go to commentsThe Hurricanes are good, especially with a decent coach now. However, let’s be real, the Crusaders and Chiefs are clearly a good degree weaker without the players they’ve lost overseas now. The Canes lost one player. It’s also why the aussie teams ‘seem’ to be stronger.
9 Go to commentsOr you could develop your own players instead of constantly taking from the SH competition and weakening it in the process? With all the player and financial resources these unions have compared to SH countries you’d think they could manage that, or is weakening the SH comps and their national sides an added bonus? Probably.
3 Go to commentsNot so fast Aaron, we might need you in black yet lol. God knows he’d be a lot less nerve-racking than hot and (very) cold players like Perofeta. It’s really a shame Reuben Love isn’t playing 10, we’ve got enough 15 options.
4 Go to commentsAnd those from the NH still seem to be puzzled (and delighted) why NZ’s depth isn’t what it once was. Over 600 NZ players overseas, that’s insane. This sort of deal is why Super Rugby coaches have admitted they struggle now to find enough quality to fill out their squads.
6 Go to commentsArticle intéressant ! La question devrait régulièrement se poser pour les jeunes français originaires de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Wallis-et-Futuna et de Polynésie entre la Nouvelle-Zélande et la Métropole… Difficile pour la fédération française de rugby de se positionner : soit le choix est fait de dénicher les jeunes talents et de les faire venir très tôt en Métropole, au risque de les déraciner, soit on prend le risque de se les faire “piller” par les All Blacks qui, telle une araignée, essaye de récupérer tous les talents des îles du Pacifique… À la France de se défendre en développant l’aura du XV de France et des clubs français dans ses collectivités d’Outre-mer !
3 Go to commentsWrong bay. He needs to come to the REAL BAY which is Bay Of Plenty and have a crack at making the Chiefs.
3 Go to comments