Leinster aware Toulouse probably 'bitter and hurting' from last season's loss

Hugo Keenan says Leinster are acutely aware that Toulouse will be able to call upon the hurt of last season's semi-final defeat when the sides met in Dublin on Saturday (3pm, live on RTÉ).

The French outfit arrived back in the Irish capital just seven days after an penalty shootout win over Munster after extra-time in the quarter-final in the Aviva Stadium .

Between the travel and the energy spent getting over the line, Ugo Mola’s team weren’t able to reach the same heights and were no match for a superb Leinster, who ran out 40-17 winners.

The visitors conceded 20 turnovers, missed 31 tackles and made one clean line break throughout a game that they never looked like winning.

The consensus is that Toulouse, leading the Top14, are in a better place this time around.

"I’m sure they’ve looked at that game and taken a lot of lessons out of it," the 26-year-old Ireland full-back told RTÉ Sport.

"They are probably still a bit bitter and hurting from it.

"It’s something that we have to be aware of as well. At the same time, they are the ones with five stars and they got there before us.

"It’s something that’s motivating us so we have to find things like that to keep driving us on.

"We have to use it in the right way, as a motivator but not let it seep into your mind, your thoughts.

"It’s been a disappointing last few seasons in Europe, losing in a final, semi-final and quarter-final and a lot of us haven't won a Heineken Cup so it’s definitely the number one goal for us this season.

"We are not going to be shy of motivation."

While he wasn’t at the club for last year’s encounter, Toulouse and England flanker Jack Willis (above) admits that putting right the wrongs is on the minds of the French outfit

"It’s obviously hard for me to tell not