Leinster managed to hold on for a dramatic victory, surviving a late surge from their opponents to clinch a place in this season's Champions Cup final with a 29-25 win over Toulon at Dublin's Aviva Stadium. The Irish side, still searching for redemption after losing their previous four European Cup finals, will now meet either the defending champions Bordeaux-Begles or the Premiership title‑holders Bath in the showdown slated for May 23.
The contest was anything but straightforward. Early in the second half Leinster found themselves reduced to fourteen men after two players were shown yellow cards, while Toulon staged a thrilling comeback that kept the match on a knife‑edge until the final whistle. Nevertheless, the home side’s resilience paid off.
In the opening half, Leinster’s forwards made an immediate impact. Flankers Jack Conan and Josh van der Flier each crossed the try line, giving the hosts an early advantage. Centre Garry Ringrose added another try, and captain Caelan Doris also put points on the board.
Fly‑half Harry Byrne contributed by slotting a penalty and converting three of the tries, helping to build a modest lead. Toulon, however, never slipped far behind. By halftime they were only three points shy of Leinster, thanks to a pair of late tries that reignited their hopes.
French winger Seta Tuicuvu, scrum‑half Baptiste Serin, and centre Gael Drean all found the line, while Melvyn Jaminet added two penalties and two conversions to keep the French side within touching distance. Both teams exchanged early penalty attempts that missed their marks. Byrne and Jaminet each tried to settle the score from just inside their own halves, but the ball was dead‑locked as the two sides launched a series of attacking phases. Van der Flier and Leinster scrum‑half Jamison Gibson‑Park came close to adding more points, but it was Conan who eventually powered over for a try, with Byrne adding the conversion.
Leinster’s momentum was threatened when centre Robbie Henshaw suffered a serious head injury after a tackle early in the match. Play was halted for six minutes while medical staff attended to him, ultimately placing him on a stretcher and removing him from the field. Despite this setback, Leinster continued to apply pressure, and although Gibson‑Park saw a potential try disallowed after a knock‑on, the team remained in contention.
Jaminet’s accurate boot narrowed the gap with a second penalty, bringing the score to 7‑6. Leinster’s patience was rewarded just before the half‑time whistle when Van der Flier collected a pass from Doris and finished a well‑crafted move for his second try of the game.
Byrne’s conversion extended the lead, but Toulon’s resolve was evident as they responded with a try from Tuicuvu. The French side also suffered a yellow card when Leinster prop Andrew Porter was penalised for a head‑to‑head clash with Toulon number eight Mikheil Shioshvili, leaving Leinster temporarily short‑handed. The first half concluded with Leinster holding a 14‑11 advantage, but the numerical disadvantage persisted into the second half.
Five minutes into the second period, Toulon’s hooker Teddy Baubigny was also shown yellow for a head‑contact offence against Van der Flier, evening the numbers again. Seizing the moment, Leinster launched a swift attack, driving the ball deep into Toulon territory.
Their forward momentum created space for Ringrose, who capitalised on the opening to score his third try of the match. Byrne added another penalty, stretching the lead further. With the clock winding down, Leinster’s dominance was clear as captain Doris capped a sustained pressure spell with a decisive try, which Byrne again converted. Toulon refused to surrender quietly.
Substitute scrum‑half Serin sparked a late rally, crossing for a try in the 70th minute that Jaminet successfully converted. A subsequent effort by Drean nudged the French side even closer, but the gap proved too large for a comeback.
In the end, Leinster’s combination of disciplined defence, opportunistic scoring, and the ability to withstand periods of being a player down proved decisive. Their 29‑25 triumph sends them to their ninth Champions Cup final, a testament to the province’s enduring quality and determination despite a recent history of final‑stage disappointments.
The upcoming final against either Bordeaux‑Begles or Bath promises to be a compelling climax to a season filled with drama and high‑stakes rugby.