Leinster clinch hard-fought win over Toulon to enter final

DUBLIN: Leinster clinched a hard-fought 29-25 victory over Toulon on Saturday to book their place in the Champions Cup final, but only after surviving a tense late scare from the French side.

Backed by a vocal home crowd, Leinster made a strong start and took the lead in the 12th minute when Jack Conan powered over for the opening try. Toulon stayed within reach through two penalties from Melvyn Jaminet, keeping the pressure on the hosts.

Leinster appeared to gain control when Josh van der Flier crossed for their second try just after the half-hour mark. However, discipline issues disrupted their momentum. Andrew Porter was shown a yellow card, and Toulon quickly capitalised as Setariki Tuicuvu went over. Things worsened when Harry Byrne was also sent to the sin bin, briefly leaving Leinster down to 13 men.

Despite being two players short, Leinster showed resilience early in the second half. Sustained attacking pressure paid off when Garry Ringrose scored their third try. Toulon’s challenge became tougher when Teddy Baubigny was yellow-carded for a high tackle.

Captain Caelan Doris extended Leinster’s lead in the 67th minute, and Byrne’s conversion pushed the score to 29-11, seemingly putting the result beyond doubt.

But Toulon mounted a dramatic comeback. Baptiste Serin’s quick try in the 70th minute sparked hope, and Gael Dréan added another soon after to reduce the deficit to just four points, setting up a nervy finish.

Toulon pushed hard in the closing stages, but a crucial knock-on ended their final attack, allowing Leinster to hold on and secure their place in the final, where they will face either Bordeaux or Bath in Bilbao on May 23.