Too quick, too slick, Leinster too good for Toulouse

Options left and right, even a chip and chase for a stunning solo try, but once Johnny Sexton spotted a blur of red over his shoulder there was really no decision to be made.

And still that blur had to be distinguished from any of the seven Toulouse defenders that were zeroing in on the out-half, who had just sold an outrageous dummy that was bought by as many of his own players as opposition ones.

Josh van der Flier still looked an unlikely try-scorer from that position but as the players' player of the year-elect (he’ll pick up that award on Wednesday) has been doing all season, he excelled and scored.

"I certainly didn’t back myself to go the distance, I thought about chipping it but then Stu [Lancaster] would have killed me if I did," smiled Sexton when asked to talk about Leinster’s second try in the 40-17 Champions Cup semi-final win over Toulouse.

"I just saw the red scrum-hat and know the form he has been in, if I could get it to the red scrum-hat he’d score.

"He’s been incredible for the last few months, incredible performance again by him."

'Bravo Leinster' - @StadeToulousain boss Ugo Mola #LEIvTOU #rterugby pic.twitter.com/Hgut9GWlvS

Ugo Mola’s men got the first try of the day but the first half belonged to the hosts at the Aviva and Antoine Dupont’s breakaway was merely an early consolation score.

The French had no complaints about the final result, save for a line or two about the rigours of their schedule in comparison to their opponents.

"When I came out of the dressing room Johnny Sexton was exchanging jerseys with Romain Ntamack," said Mola when asked about the effects of fatigue on his heavily raced side on their third trip to Ireland in a month.

"There is one of them who is 22 and the other 36, but one has