The game looks up for Leinster

Toulon 24 Leinster 9: Leinster’s falling stock gathered pace on the European market on the shores of the Mediterranean yesterday evening with a third straight Pool 5 loss all but condemning the three-time champions to an early exit come January.

They still have a mathematical chance of qualifying but it looks curtains now. Toulon visit the Aviva Stadium on Saturday with their own ambitions resurrected after defeat to Wasps but the hosts will be playing for pride and to avoid a first ever quartet of consecutive losses in Europe.

Bleak times.