Tommy McLoughlin – New Ross RFC
Leinster Rugby’s quest for a fifth European star remains on track after a chaotic, bruising 29-25 victory over Toulon. In a match defined by yellow cards, TMO interventions, and overwhelming scrum dominance, the hosts held their nerve in front of 38,555 fans at the Aviva Stadium to secure their place in the final.
A Scrappy Opening Quarter
The game began with both kickers struggling to find their range. Harry Byrne pushed an early penalty wide for Leinster, while Toulon’s Melvyn Jaminet missed an effort from the halfway line. However, the hosts quickly leaned into their superior ruck speed to assert dominance. That pressure fractured the French defense in the 12th minute, allowing Jack Conan to pick an unstoppable line off Jamison Gibson-Park and crash over for the opening try. The positive momentum was quickly dampened by a significant injury to center Robbie Henshaw on 14 minutes, forcing Jamie Osborne into the action earlier than expected. Toulon capitalized on the disruption, with Jaminet slotting a penalty to put them on the board. The crowd thought Leinster had their second try after a sensational break by Rieko Ioane put Gibson-Park over the line, but the TMO correctly ruled it out for a minor knock-on. Jaminet struck again from the halfway line following a penalty against Caelan Doris for hands in the ruck, narrowing the gap to 7-6.
Cards and Chaos Before the Break
Leinster finally broke through again in the 32nd minute. Josh van der Flier powered over from close range, and with the TMO confirming the grounding, Byrne’s conversion made it 14-6. However, the final minutes of the half descended into indiscipline. Andrew Porter was shown a yellow card for head contact on Mikheil Shioshvili. Toulon immediately exposed the numerical advantage, with Jérémy Sinzelle handling sweetly to put Setariki Tuicuvu over in the corner. Less than a minute later, Harry Byrne joined Porter in the sin bin for an infringement in the buildup. Jaminet missed the tricky conversion, but Toulon headed into the sheds trailing by just three points at 14-11.
Scrum Dominance and the Captain’s Call
Despite being down to 13 men for a period, Leinster showed immense tactical awareness. After Toulon hooker Teddy Baubigny was yellow-carded for a high tackle, Jamison Gibson-Park took a quick tap penalty, Garry Ringrose spotted a gap, and darted over to extend the lead to 19-11. Following a HIA departure for van der Flier that brought Scott Penny into the game, the Leinster pack seized total control of the set-
piece. A dominant scrum yielded a penalty that Byrne converted to make it 22-11. The introduction of Alex Soroka for his first cup appearance added further dynamism to the forward effort. When captain Caelan Doris smashed his way over on 67 minutes, followed by a Byrne conversion, the 29-11 lead appeared secure.
The Late French Rally
Toulon refused to lie down. In the 70th minute, replacement scrum-half Baptiste Serin darted over for a try. Moments later, a poor kick from Byrne invited Toulon right back into the danger zone. They punished the error ruthlessly as Gaël Drean escaped a weak tackle from Sam Prendergast to score in the 76th minute. Jaminet nailed the conversion to make it a four-point game, but a late Toulon knock-on finally allowed Leinster to secure the win.
THE VERDICT
A Fly-Half Headache for Cullen
While the result secures a trip to Bilbao, the scene of Leinster’s 2018 glory, this performance leaves Leo Cullen with massive questions regarding the number 10 jersey. Harry Byrne’s afternoon was one to forget, a wayward kick-off, early struggles off the tee, and a costly yellow card meant he never looked truly in command. The concern only deepened when Sam Prendergast was introduced. Rather than steadying the ship, Prendergast looked vulnerable defensively, notably missing a one-on-one tackle that allowed Gaël Drean to reignite the Toulon comeback. With both young playmakers appearing to have their confidence shaken under pressure, Leinster must address this tactical fragility. If they are to claim that elusive fifth star, they simply cannot afford the defensive lapses or erratic decision-making seen at the death today.
Match Squads
Leinster Rugby:
15. Hugo Keenan, 14. Tommy O’Brien, 13. Garry Ringrose, 12. Robbie Henshaw, 11. Rieko Ioane, 10. Harry Byrne, 9. Jamison Gibson-Park, 1. Andrew Porter, 2. Dan Sheehan, 3. Tom Clarkson, 4. Joe McCarthy, 5. James Ryan, 6. Jack Conan, 7. Josh van der Flier, 8. Caelan Doris (C).
Replacements: 16. Ronan Kelleher, 17. Jerry Cahir, 18. Rabah Slimani, 19. Alex Soroka, 20. Scott Penny, 21. Luke McGrath, 22. Sam Prendergast, 23. Jamie Osborne.
RCT Toulon:
15. Melvyn Jaminet, 14. Gaël Drean, 13. Nacho Brex, 12. Jérémy Sinzelle, 11. Setariki Tuicuvu, 10. Tomas Albornoz, 9. Ben White, 1. Jean-Baptiste Gros, 2. Teddy Baubigny,
3. Kyle Sinckler, 4. Corentin Mezou, 5. David Ribbans (C), 6. Junior Kpoku, 7. Charles Ollivon, 8. Mikheil Shioshvili.
Replacements: 16. Gianmarco Lucchesi, 17. Daniel Brennan, 18. Beka Gigashvili, 19. Matthias Halagahu, 20. Zach Mercer, 21. Baptiste Serin, 22. Esteban Abadie, 23. Mathis Ferte.
Match Details
Referee: Luke Pearce (RU) Venue: Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Attendance: 38,555
Half-Time Score: Leinster 14–11 Toulon Full-Time Score: Leinster 29–25 Toulon
Match Discipline & Scorers
Cards:
Leinster Rugby: Yellow Card – Andrew Porter (36′), Harry Byrne (37′)
RCT Toulon: Yellow Card – Teddy Baubigny (44′)
SCORERS:
Leinster Rugby:
· Tries: Conan (12′), van der Flier (32′), Ringrose (43′), Doris (66′)
· Cons: Byrne (13′, 32′, 67′)
· Pens: Byrne (48′)
RCT Toulon:
· Tries: Tuicuvu (36′), Serin (70′), Drean (75′)
· Cons: Jaminet (70′, 76′)
· Pens: Jaminet (15′, 25′)
PLAYER OF THE MATCH:
Andrew Porter (Leinster Rugby)
Next Up
Leinster Rugby v Fidelity SecureDrive Lions (URC) Saturday May 9th 5:30pm, Aviva Stadium, Dublin.