350 : Champions Cup final wrap

🏉 Willis & Dupont

🏉 Playing the ref

🏉 2nd half chances

🏉 Managing subs

🏉 Crazy extra time

Cuan Mulligan

It was clear after 15-20 minutes that Toulouse were dominating the breakdown, and we did not change out tactics. When we kept it tight we made progress, as soon as we went out the back, we struggled.. Ross provided no treat so their defence could drift and we ended up with lone runners giving up turnovers… ref was inconsistent, but you know that’s a risk and you need to not let that dictate the outcome

Alastair McDermott

Gutted. Close game but not clinical enough from Leinster attack. Toulouse deserved the win.

Way too many 22 visits with nothing from it. Rushed the first drop goal attempt, delayed the second too much. Lot of dropped balls and too many conceded penalties.

And we have to credit Toulouse & Dupont was class with those turnovers!

William Andrew

Losing three finals is a horrible number but we are still getting to finals.

Converting the opportunities is becoming problematic.

ST and LR have given away penalties in the red zone as a matter of course to stop Leinster scoring a try. Clearly playing the odds and no yellows have been given for this gamesmanship.

Today was a good example of two identical offences punished differently.

Are these teams just doing a better job profiling Refs?

Certainly Leinster, maybe, need to change their finals decision making, to a pragmatic take three points at any opportunity. A drop goal at 15 mins out of the blue might just make these teams second guess what’s happening.

Throwing the toys out of the pram is not an answer.

The reaction should be silence and 100% focus on the URC trophy. There are no big turn arounds needed. It might be just about playing 3rd Bs Cup rugby mentality at Donnybrook for a final.

Leinster spend most of their time thrashing teams, they are used to playing with a cushion. Maybe a few plays about hard nosed cup rugby would be a bonus

Kevin Kelehan

Toulouse did their homework on the ref and managed the breakdown impeccably apart from the dangerous clear out of Cian Healy. Leinster tried to force it at times and paid the price, booking 4 tickets for Cardiff and will bring the same three friends who went to Tottenham yesterday. Leinster are still a great side and lets hope their laser focus on La Rochelle this season moves to Toulouse next term and sets up an even better final (for the neutrals) with Toulouse again next season. Doris has emerged as real leader of men and Porter has hit his full potential.

Brian Corr

Absolutely gutted and this has been very hard to take.

You could whinge about the not taking points but Toulouse were flying in defence.

Leinster players made great breaks only to have no one backing them up so turned over.

DuPont had an exceptional game, two inch perfect 50/22’s 4 turnovers even though Leinster marshalled him well, he had the ability to change it up.

They say you need a bit of luck and not for the first time Leinster luck deserted them, nothing seemed to stick and the mix up with Keenan and JVDF summed up the match, 4 Toulouse against 2 Leinster on the back foot, should have put boot to ball.

How can you criticise Sheehan after a 60m break, possibly should have passed, but DuPont was in like a light.

Greg Kelly

The problem I think is the IRFU welfare policy. A lot of guys out there looked undercooked and they took too long to get going. Hugo Keenan looked like he had forgotten who he was at times. It was evident in those who played up in Belfast last week too. Personally I think Champions Cup and interpros should not be counted towards limits or rest periods.

In the stadium it was evident that both teams were trading the same blows on attack and defence. To say Carley had a bad game is wrong but he was more then a little inconsistent. There were shades of Wales/Fiji at the world cup too because the majority of times Leinster entered the Toulouse 22 Toulouse gave away a penalty but he never issued them even a warning.

The truly sickening thing is we all know we’ll be back in Cardiff in 12 months…😩

Fergal Duffy

We’ve learned nothing. We’ve sent rusty, undercooked teams in to too many finals now. Leo is obsessed with resting players but how can a team that has played together once in 3 months be more cohesive than a team that plays together week in and week out. That exact 15 should have played in Ulster last week, we butchered 3 or 4 easy tries in the first 20 mins alone due to lack of match sharpness

Brian Patrick Donnelly

From the top tier of a wonderful stadium I was screaming at them to take their points Jeff. Toulouse attempted every single opportunity.

Left it behind…