The Leinster players fell to the ground, battered, beaten, broken. For the third year in a row, the Dubliners fell short on Europe’s biggest rugby stage, once again surrounded by French opposition. Around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Toulouse fans bounced and barked their triumphant tunes, joined in the throes of victory by those of their exhausted heroes who were still able to stand.
This competition has seen countless fantastic finals over the decades, but never anything like this. For more than 100 nerve-wracking minutes, these two fought in one of the greatest matches, a battle of brutal, brilliant beauty.
It took extra time to split the two European heavyweights, inseparable for eighty minutes and an occasion that matched the greatness that the Investec Champions Cup still carries. It was an affair fought with ferocity to shake the foundations of this grand, shining ground, to leap through without so much as an empty seat in sight. Their contrasting styles always made for an enthralling fight, Leinster preparing to poke away and keep their distance while their opponents chose their rounds to try and deliver a knockout blow.
That finally came in extra time, three penalties from Thomas Ramos made the difference with Toulouse down to 14 players at the end. Once again Leinster must think about an opportunity to confirm their missed greatness. Leo Cullen and co have developed an excellent squad and system, one that has so regularly been peerless in both the United Rugby Championship and in Europe, but now, after defeats to La Rochelle in 2022 and 2023, have developed a terrible habit of the biggest stages.
Cullen could not quibble with the efforts of his exhausted warriors and refused to give in until the very end. But for the sixth time, Stade Toulousain are European champions and their place as the continent’s ruling class has been secured once again.
The smoke from the pre-match pomp and ceremony had barely cleared when Toulouse’s little genius got to work. Antoine Dupont shone in the early summer sun as he brought his side to life and began a move down the right that almost set up an opening score. Only the touch of the scrum half’s boot against the right flank prevented a remarkable blind offload that prevented Juan Cruz Mallia from crossing.
Two sharp Blair Kinghorn mortars from the mid-line roundabout pushed Toulouse forward, but their intensity quickly faded as Leinster discovered their patience and potential in possession. Three times in the opening twenty minutes the Irish side came within a few yards of the line but they never managed to punch through, leaving Ross Byrne to settle for three points to open their account.
The physicality of the first half vibrated through the jaws and beams around the arena, Romain Ntamack squashed by Caelan Doris; Blair Kinghorn answers with a tonk from Byrne. Leinster had paired Joe McCarthy and Jason Jenkins in a super-sized second row in response to the elephant Emmanuel Meafou, and they were all prominent punchers in the tight skirmishes.
Dupont also remained influential – even when his magic went awry. An attempted inside ball was picked away by Dan Sheehan, who had the agility of footwork to have Ntamack grabbing the air and the sheer speed to look a safe bet to gallop home from his own half. But somehow Kinghorn covered the corner, pulled the hooker down and gave Dupont the chance to atone with a jackal turnover.
A penalty more apiece left Toulouse narrowly ahead on points as the pair retreated to their corners, while James Lowe’s celebration was cut short at the end of the half following an earlier Leinster knock-on.
A breather, a rib recovery and the players braced themselves for more as they returned from the break. Leinster turned to their six/two bench split, brought in James Ryan and Josh van der Flier, and were almost immediately level through Byrne’s boot.
There was no interruption of the physical effort, even as the battle intensified. Leinster smashed into the French coastal defenses but could not erode an opening, while Van der Flier was later carried like a cadaver to the touchline after being given a hospital pass by the otherwise excellent Hugo Keenan.
The French giants were yet to produce their signature wave in the second half, a side usually at their best in percussive outbursts and yet to seriously hit the drums. Kinghorn’s fourth penalty pushed their noses in front for a moment, but Byrne leveled with 15 minutes to go.
The blue and red flags that had been waving everywhere fell to the ground amid the nibbling of nails. Toulouse increased the intensity and introduced an assassin into their attacking line, Ramos at wing-back. He and Ntamack almost created a decisive moment, a sweeping move that resulted in the latter’s crossfield kick ending up in the lap of Matthis Lebel – Jordan Larmour crossing remarkably in time to keep Leinster alive.
Ramos – whose deadly precision had sunk England in Lyon a few months ago – was accurate from the tee, but so was fellow substitute Ciaran Frawley, who responded in kind. However, a last minute drop goal slipped by – it would be extra time. The most weary took their bodies off the canvas and had to somehow find more in long-emptied tanks.
The last thing either of them wanted was to lose a man. However, Lowe couldn’t resist raising his fingers at a Dupont offload with a Toulouse catcher waiting on the outside: penalty and a yellow card. With the wing on the naughty step there was plenty of space on the edges, and the jet-heeled Lebel this time beat Larmour in the corner to dive in the first try of the game.
A penalty from Ramos should have brought Toulouse home, but somehow the drama had barely begun. Richie Arnold’s shoulder made contact with Cian Healy’s head at a ruck, resulting in the lock’s dismissal, and Van der Flier drove to the line from point-blank range. After an endless official review of the televised match, Ian Tempest in the truck was just able to conclude that a try had been scored, the howls of French disgust being drowned out by a Dublin roar.
Could this be Leinster’s day after all? Not under Ramos’ surveillance from his sniper nest. Twice the referee’s arm was thrust in Toulouse’s direction, allowing the kicker to calmly close the box in a match that will live long in the memory.