Reality bites for threadbare Leinster

IT was billed as a meeting between two of Europe’s heavyweights but some pugilists pack a harder punch than others and that was true down by the banks of the River Garonne on Saturday.

It is a painful but unavoidable fact of life that, for all Irish rugby’s recent advances and success, the likes of Toulouse are still in a different league in terms of finance and strength in depth.

Having turned the screw with an hour or so of wincing physicality, Toulouse had the luxury of summoning fresh grinders like Jean-Baptiste Poux and Louis Picamoles.