Following a 31-22 victory for Toulouse over Leinster within the Investec Champions Cup closing, right here’s our takeaways from the conflict at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Six star rugby

This was a sport for the ages, as as soon as once more the Champions Cup delivered a match of absolute unbelievable physicality and keenness, one which noticed 14-man Toulouse defeat Leinster after extra-time courtesy of a Matthis Lebel attempt to take their report sixth Champions Cup victory.

The match resembled a scene from MASH in the direction of the tip of the sport because the titanic breakdown battle took its toll with eight gamers leaving the pitch with numerous accidents and illnesses. It was a win primarily based upon an excellent suffocating defence from Toulouse, much more abrasive and difficult on the blitz than we’ve seen from them to date this season, and an absolute masterclass from Antoine Dupont and the Toulouse back-row who managed an unbelievable 19 turnovers between them.

With Blair Kinghorn and Thomas Ramos nailing eight penalties and a conversion between them, accuracy off the tee was a key a part of the French facet’s win, with Leinster lacking two objective kicks and two makes an attempt on the drop objective, any of which might have modified the course of the match.

Toulouse’s win consigns Leinster to their third consecutive closing defeat within the Champions Cup, an undesirable report however one that can weigh notably heavy on their shoulders, contemplating their expectation earlier than this sport.

For these fortunate sufficient to have made the journey to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to witness this Check-standard spectacle, they’ll stroll away completely happy within the information they’ve seen one of many best European finals, persevering with the positive margin dramas of 2022 and 2023 that thrilled so many, and one brilliantly refereed by the excellent Matthew Carley, a person who barely made an error all match in a fairly great show of officiating.

Antoine Dupont

Outstanding. Superhuman. Beautiful. Mindblowing.

You actually run out of phrases when describing the mercurial Toulouse scrum-half.

This was his sport, one the place he positioned his mark in each side of the sport. The stats are outstanding – FOUR jackal turnovers, three on his personal line because the French celebrity actually held Leinster’s assault up on his personal. Two 50:22s, one from a bullet of a clearing kick that wanted to be seen to be believed, and 54 metres made with ball in hand mixed to ship a private efficiency that was shut on perfection. Considered one of his turnovers, within the 73rd minute, nearly actually prevented a Toulouse loss as Leinster have been camped on the road and solely three factors behind.

Toulouse win extra-time thriller in opposition to Leinster to say SIXTH Champions Cup title

Earlier than the match, the battle between Jamison Gibson-Park and Dupont was recognized as the important thing match-up and, while no one would declare Gibson-Park was poor, his opponent produced one of many performances of his profession, proper when it mattered and thereafter, particularly when Richie Arnold was despatched off for a head contact with Cian Healy.

The breakdown contest was outstanding – completely brutal at occasions – however what was much more outstanding was the truth that a 5’8″ scrum-half dominated the ruck contest, demonstrating the entire rugby expertise of the wonderful Dupont.

Toulouse back-row

Earlier than the match, Planet Rugby columnist Paul Gustard described simply how harmful Toulouse are at focusing on the provider put up deal with of their jackal effort and his phrases couldn’t have been extra prophetic because the High 14 facet snared a report 19 ruck turnovers throughout regular and extra-time, a fairly outstanding statistic. For all of Leinster’s energy and ambition, the Toulouse defensive effort was one in every of supreme accuracy and timing, the one distinction between these two gladiatorial sides.

Alongside the ruck goblin Dupont, Jack Willis, Alexandre Roumat and Francois Cros, aided and abetted by Emmanuel Meafou, every had a sport of monumental proportions. In any sane sport of rugby, 30 tackles in response to EPCR (though TNT Sports activities consider there have been just a few extra), three turnovers and eight carries would absolutely win you the Participant of the Match award, however Willis will look again at these fairly outstanding private stats with immense pleasure – he was magnificent and massively influential for the entire 100 minutes of play.

Alongside him, the rising expertise of Roumat additionally impressed, a supreme athlete who was Toulouse’s banker within the lineout and restart construction and he, like Willis put in a large shift in carry and clatter, making 19 tackles and stealing two of the pressured Leinster lineout throws.

And naturally, subsequent to Roumat and Willis was the indefatigable Cros, arguably essentially the most constant participant in Europe this season, who made one deal with on Caelan Doris that merely vaporised the Leinster eight as he as soon as once more outlined the time period perpetual movement.

Toulouse could not have performed the operating sport we’re used to seeing, however rugby is received within the breakdown battle and, regardless of coming second at scrum-time, regardless of missing a innovative within the three-quarters and midfield, they completely monstered Leinster on the breakdown and that was the muse their memorable win was constructed upon.

Marginal moments

There have been so many micro battles and so many magical moments on this epic encounter. The way Leinster focused Romain Ntamack and Ramos as soon as Blair Kinghorn had moved to centre was rugby intelligence of the best order (one thing that maybe they wanted to have proven extra of in different sides of play). The Jordan Larmour deal with on Lebel that saved a sure attempt was completely breathtaking, while Meafou’s carry and offload within the first half was an excellent piece of talent from an unlimited man.

Ultimately, the Toulouse attempt got here from focusing on the narrowness of the Leinster defence as Planet Rugby advised final week. With James Lowe off the pitch and Leinster right down to 14, and with Ciaran Frawley down with an harm, Ntamack and Dupont focused the Leinster 13, the place Robbie Henshaw was defending two positions and with one good miss go, Lebel was despatched on his method to turn into a champion.

Toulouse participant rankings: Antoine Dupont and Jack Willis produce all-time shows to fireplace French giants to sixth title

Leinster had their probabilities; their scrummage received 5 penalties as Dan Sheehan put in a world class efficiency each within the tight and across the park, however for some motive the shut quarter dealing with and 1-3-3-1 attacking pods that usually outline their sport went lacking, but once more below the strain of impending silverware.

Leinster may additionally rue their choice coverage; Will Connors and Ryan Baird have been merely eviscerated by Willis and Cros for 45 minutes and it wasn’t till Josh van der Flier and Jack Conan, two world-class back-rowers got here trotting on, that Leinster began to win a number of the collision contests.

Leinster pressured

It’s laborious not to take a look at this match and keep in mind the earlier two Champions Cup finals and Eire’s exhibiting within the World Cup and never marvel in regards to the temperament of a number of the Leinster gamers below excessive strain, as they crumbled as soon as once more when it got here to the massive prize.

Toulouse shocked them on Saturday by altering their ruck and defence dynamic into a way more abrasive and aggressive system, one which caught the Irishmen off guard by way of its depth. Nonetheless, whenever you look at the match objectively relatively than emotionally, Leinster actually struggled to get go ahead and form from their nameless midfield, missing centered techniques to drive Leinster into positions the place they might actually damage Toulouse.

Given the Leinster scrum superiority and their means to hold shut across the breakdown, their propensity to deal with the ball within the center third of the pitch, a tactic that price them 9 factors via three penalties, was past foolhardy. There appears to be an excessive amount of of a deal with set planning and coaching floor performs throughout the Leinster sport plan and as soon as once more, they merely did not react to the way the sport wherein the sport was altering in entrance of them.

This would be the hardest lack of the final three; one the place they’d Toulouse right down to 14 males, with a rearranged backline and no recognised second-rows on the pitch, they usually merely failed on each an emotional and mental degree.

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