Sexton and Leinster produce perfect answer for critics

Not everyone had faith that Leinster were capable of overcoming the challenge of Toulouse in Dublin and yet the European champions rose to the challenge on Easter Sunday to dispel all doubts and tee up a Heineken Champions Cup final to savour against Saracens.

Unimpressive across four games since the Six Nations, hindered by wholesale chopping and changing to their squads, and with questions over the form and fitness of some of their main men, it was far from blasphemous to feel that this would be more of a trial for them.