Leinster secured a hard-fought 29-25 victory over Toulon in the Champions Cup semi-final at the Aviva Stadium, booking their place in the final in Bilbao. The win was far from straightforward, as Leinster squandered an 18-point lead late in the match before holding on.
Match Overview
Leinster dominated early, scoring four tries through Jack Conan, Josh van der Flier, Garry Ringrose, and Caelan Doris. However, Toulon mounted a fierce comeback in the final ten minutes, with Baptiste Serin and Gaël Dréan crossing the line to cut the deficit to four points. Dréan almost leveled the score but his pass went to ground, ending Toulon's hopes.
Key Moments
- First Half: Leinster opened the scoring in the 13th minute through Conan, following a clever lineout move. Van der Flier added a second try after Toulon's Setariki Tuicuvu failed to call a mark, and Ringrose scored just before halftime despite Leinster being reduced to 13 men due to yellow cards for Andrew Porter and Harry Byrne.
- Second Half: Toulon's Tuicuvu scored early in the second half, but Leinster responded with a penalty from Byrne and a try from Doris to lead 29-11. Toulon's late rally came too late, as Dréan's error sealed their fate.
Scrum Battle
Toulon struggled at the scrum, with Kyle Sinckler penalized multiple times by referee Luke Pearce. This allowed Leinster to maintain pressure and secure crucial penalties.
Post-Match Reaction
Leinster captain Caelan Doris admitted the performance was not perfect: "It hasn't been a perfect season. I'm sure the crowd were on the edge of their seats at times, but we're delighted. We've got another one to look forward to."
Leinster will now face either Bordeaux or Bath in the final, aiming for their fifth Champions Cup title.
