Leinster 22 – 31 Toulouse

Full-back Blair Kinghorn kicked 4 penalties, wing Matthis Lebel scored an important attempt to substitute Thomas Ramos kicked an extra 4 penalties as Toulouse beat Leinster after extra-time in an epic Champions Cup closing at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium regardless of Richie Arnold’s pink card

Toulouse clinched a record-extending sixth Champions Cup crown, as they beat Leinster 31-22 after extra-time in an epic closing in Tottenham.

The French aspect had been by no means behind within the closing however had two potential tries dominated out by a matter of inches in both half, and had been pegged again by Leinster in an 80 minutes dominated by penalties.

Locked at 15-15 on the finish of full-time, the Champions Cup closing headed to extra-time for less than the third time in its historical past (1996, 2005), and like on every of the prior events, Toulouse lifted the trophy.

Leinster wing James Lowe was sin-binned early in extra-time for a deliberate knock-on, and when Toulouse wing Matthis Lebel scored a shocking attempt – and Thomas Ramos then kicked them right into a 10-point lead with one other penalty – the ultimate lastly appeared gained.

That was till Toulouse lock Richie Arnold was proven a pink card for a excessive sort out on Cian Healy, and a controversial Josh van der Flier attempt left Leinster three factors behind with the whole 10 minutes of the second half of extra-time to play.

The 14 gamers of Toulouse proceed to carve out two additional penalties in that interval, nevertheless, each of which Ramos dispatched to cue French delirium in north London.

The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium proved a superb venue for the 2024 Champions Cup closing

Toulouse thought that they had a attempt lower than two minutes in, as a lightning assault ultimately noticed Antoine Dupont offload inside for wing Juan Cruz Mallia to complete. The rating was dominated out after a TMO assessment, nevertheless, which confirmed Dupont’s foot had simply scraped the touchline earlier than he bought the ball away.

Toulouse thought that they had a attempt lower than two minutes in by means of Juan Cruz Mallia (No 14), however it was dominated out for an Antoine Dupont foot in contact

The French aspect saved up their dominant begin, although, and moved forward within the fourth minute when Kinghorn struck a penalty over beautifully from midway.

4 minutes later, Kinghorn repeated the trick off the tee – once more from distance – as Toulouse moved 6-0 with Leinster having barely touched the ball.

Blair Kinghorn kicked two long-range penalties as Toulouse moved into an early 6-0 lead

Toulouse centre Pita Ahki let the restart to that second penalty bounce, nevertheless, and that signalled a spell of Leinster assault throughout which they kicked to the nook twice looking for tries, however had been stopped by sturdy Toulouse defence.

Within the nineteenth minute, Ross Byrne bought Leinster onto the scoreboard because the Irish province selected to kick for factors after a Toulouse breakdown penalty.

An inch-perfect 50:22 from Dupont set Toulouse attacking within the Leinster 22 because the half drew to an in depth, and as soon as Joe McCarthy knocked on an intercept try and Leinster loosehead Andrew Porter was penalised on the scrum, Kinghorn kicked the French aspect 9-3 forward with little time remaining.

But, with the clock within the pink, Dupont selected to not kick out and finish the half close to midway, and was ruthlessly punished as Leinster gained a breakdown penalty, kicked to the touch, and carved out a penalty to slender the hole to a few factors through Byrne.

Ross Byrne bought Leinster onto the scoreboard, after quite a lot of botched possibilities

Seven minutes into the second half, Leinster had been then stage as Byrne struck by means of after a Toulouse offside.

Finish-to-end stuff noticed sensational defence from each side when beneath stress, and simply previous to the hour mark, Kinghorn kicked Toulouse again into the lead as Leinster had been caught offside.

A really harsh ahead cross name towards Toulouse fly-half Romain Ntamack in his personal half handed Leinster a route into the 22 earlier than lengthy, and when the French aspect did not roll away, Byrne levelled the ultimate once more at 12-12 from shut vary with 14 minutes to play.

With 11 minutes to go, Lebel appeared to have flown in for a telling attempt within the nook after latching onto a superb Ntamack kick-pass, however TMO replays confirmed Leinster wing Jordan Larmour had accomplished phenomenally nicely to only get his reverse wing’s trailing leg into contact earlier than a grounding.

An exceptional last-ditch Jordan Larmour sort out denied Matthis Lebel a attempt with 11 minutes to play

With 9 minutes to play, a shocking Ramos strike on the angle after a maul penalty put Toulouse inside touching distance, however a pricey scrum penalty noticed substitute Ciaran Frawley stage issues with two minutes to play.

A extremely dramatic interval of extra-time in Tottenham

A Frawley drop-goal landed extensive simply earlier than the top of regular time, however lower than two minutes into extra-time Lowe was proven yellow for sticking a hand out to dam a Dupont offload on the sting.

Leinster wing James Lowe was sin-binned lower than two minutes into extra-time

Ramos missed the penalty try, however seconds later Toulouse took full benefit of the area out extensive as Lebel seared in down the left.

Lebel raced in for the opening attempt of the ultimate three minutes into extra-time

Ramos transformed after which added a penalty with a minute to go earlier than half-time in extra-time, for a seemingly unassailable lead.

Certainly, Toulouse had been then awarded one other kickable penalty, however earlier than it might be taken, TMO replays confirmed Arnold had caught Healy within the head, for which he was despatched from the sector of play.

Richie Arnold was pink carded in extra-time for a excessive sort out, which might have confirmed so pricey

Within the closing play of the primary interval of extra-time – with Lowe again onto the pitch – Van der Flier dived for the road, however didn’t have fun as Toulouse hooker Julien Marchand appeared to carry the ball up. Regardless of the on-field resolution going up as ‘No Attempt’, the rating was ultimately awarded after a prolonged interval of replays through which referee Matt Carley determined he might see the ball grounded.

Leinster had been awarded a extremely controversial Josh van der Flier attempt within the closing play of the primary half of extra-time

Favourites from that place, Leinster did not correctly fireplace a shot within the second interval of extra-time, as Toulouse rolled their sleeves as much as power the essential penalties which sealed a dramatic victory.

Thomas Ramos emerged off the bench to kick magnificently beneath monumental stress