Leinster exploit Toulouse indiscipline to power into Champions Cup final

The procession continues. No matter the visit of mighty Toulouse, the only club with a richer pedigree in this competition, Leinster march into the final of the Champions Cup as if it were the most natural, obvious cadence to an already stellar season.

Whether it is in the green shirts of Ireland or the blue of their province, these players have yet to be beaten this season. Toulouse are not quite so closely a mirror of their national team, but they are not far off and include France’s best. This might represent a sobering afternoon for more than just France’s most successful club side in this, the year of their home World Cup.

Toulouse opened and closed the try-scoring, but in between they conceded five tries, four of them when down to 14 men. Leinster in Dublin, which they have been and will be throughout the knockout stages, is one thing, but offer them gifts on the discipline front and not even the aristos of the Haute-Garonne stand a chance.

A yellow card for Thomas Ramos in the first half and Rodrigue Neti, the replacement prop, in the second were all the invitation the hosts require. No team is as ruthless against a disadvantaged opponent. Jack Conan scored twice while Ramos was away to take Leinster into a 20-7 lead at the end of the first quarter, which Dan Sheehan improved the moment Ramos was back.

In the second half, Leinster’s lineout and pick-and-drive routine proved too much, after Neti senselessly went for Josh van der Flier with his head and was fortunate in the current climate to see only yellow. Van der Flier scored from the lineout set up by that indiscretion.

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