Leinster-Toulouse ratings: Mighty Porter can't halt divine Dupont
A MAN APART: Antoine Dupont of Toulouse is tackled into touch by Jamison Gibson-Park of Leinster in the build up to a try for Toulouse which was subsequently disallowed during the Investec Champions Cup final between Leinster and Toulouse at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
Back in the fold, back to do what he does best. Reliable at the rear and a clever presence in attack, looking for space as well as opportunity. In a tight game, he was a steadying influence. Â
There were precious few openings for Larmour to exploit and the ball never seemed to find its way to him in attack yet it was his incredible last-ditch tackle on Matthis Lebel that saved the day for his side as well as his harrying of Ramos under the high ball. Â
The senior figure in the Leinster back-line, Henshaw kept a steady nerve after Toulouse got off to a rattling start. Solid in defence and made threatening busts up-field.
Osborne may have benefitted from the injury to Leinster stalwart, Garry Ringrose, and he has shown increasing signs of his youthful maturity. Â
There were plenty of sightings of Lowe, restless and industrious. Lucky when charged down by Dupont but that good fortune ran out when trying to intercept a pass from the scrum-half in extra-time and was yellow-carded, a ruinous mistake with Toulouse scoring.
There was a heap of pressure on Byrne’s shoulders to do as Johnny Sexton used to do and drive the game. There was fair and foul in Byrne’s game, hooking the ball out from a re-start but he stood firm although nobbled by an ankle knock. 7Â
The tussle between the scrum-halves was a blue-chip contest in its own right and it lived up to its billing with the two 9s sniping and hustling, both of them showing what fabulously fine and committed defensive players they are.
he loosehead prop is an attacking force in the scrum, an attitude that can cause problems if he crosses the line of legality as he did when ceding a three point penalty just before the interval. But increasingly prominent in the tight as well as the loose. A mighty display. Â
There are few faster forwards in the world than Sheehan as he showed when stripping Dupont and galloping 60 metres upfield and only just hauled down metres from the try-line. Dangerous throughout.
The tighthead prop become more and more influential as the Leinster forward pack was boosted at the interval and into the second-half. The Leinster scrum became stronger and more dominant.
There was a huge responsibility on McCarthy to lead the charge against the heavy-duty Toulouse pack and he did just that, scragging and competing at every turn.
The selection of the South African was a surprise and he got on with his basic chores to reasonable effect. He was steady but didn’t catch the eye and it was no surprise to see him replaced at half-time.
One of the go-to forwards on the field, Baird was prominent at the lineout and also in the loose, roaring with approval after helping to win a turnover early in the second-half. Â
Connors was there for his chop-tackle defensive prowess and while he shirked nothing it was notable that Leinster’s work at the breakdown improved after Connors gave way to Josh van der Flier early in the second-half.
There was never any reason to doubt that Doris would not lead from the front and that is exactly what he did throughout, flattening Ntamack at one point and holding firm himself when hammered by Cros.
A significant contribution. The forward subs made a difference, Josh van Flier in particular who was immense, but it was not quite enough. Leinster opted for a 6-2 split on the bench in anticipation of a fierce contest up-front against what is an exceptionally heavyweight Toulouse pack. It was no surprise to see them use their bench early and there was an immediate upturn when James Ryan and then van der Flier entered the fray in the second-half. The Leinster pack had the whip hand as they turned the screw in the scrum. Ciaran Frawley had a chance to win it at the death of normal time but duffed his drop-goal.
Kinghorn’s worth was shown by the fact that he kept high-scoring Thomas Ramos out of the starting XV, returning here despite breaking his nose in the semi-final. Fast, fearless, elusive, Kinghorn proved his value with the boot also and it was a nonsense that Ramos took over later.
The 27 year old Argentina wing is a predatory player, always available, always willing to do the hard yards and ready to pounce. Almost scored a corker in the second minute.
Costes is schooled in the Toulouse way, son of former international, Arnaud, and a graduate of the Academy, part of the club’s golden generation. There is solidity to his game as well as that distinctive flair.
The Tongan international has been an important figure, resolute in defence and a target man in attack but he was struggling from a knock early in the game and only lasted 23 minutes.
The long-striding France international is another to have been nurtured in the club’s ways since an early age. The 25 year old is a menace if given enough ball and space and finally he was, striding clear for the only, and decisive, try of the game. Â
Even Leinster fans would acknowledge how heartening it is to see Ntamack back in action after injury kept him out of the Rugby World Cup. There are few more dangerous operators, twitchy and explosive and involved in everything.
We shall soon run out of superlatives to describe the all-encompassing play of the Stade Toulousain captain. The fulcrum of the team, Dupont almost triggered a score within 90 seconds and constantly harassed his opposite number, his piece de resistance a pinpoint 50:22. His passing was not at its most polished but his defensive interventions were extraordinary. Â
The France loosehead cedes to no-one, even his captain, in terms of his importance to the side, an absolute rock in the tight scrummage as well as powerful around the park, an all-round presence.
So assured, so technically accomplished, so forceful at the breakdown, Mauvaka keeps a man of the quality of Julian Marchand on the bench. Fully lived up to his billing.
The front-row battle was worth the admission price alone to this game and Aldegheri gave no quarter in trying to lay the foundations for his team’s attacking prowess in the back-line.
Flament follows a long line of hard-nosed operators such as Fabien Pelous and Patricio Albacete in the Toulouse engine room and the 27 year old was true to those traditions with a hearty contribution.
You don’t have to scratch your head for too long to work out just what it is that Meafou adds to a team – sheer size. The Auckland-born player of Samoan ancestry tops the scales at over 22 stone and that heft was put to good use. Meafou ran out of puff but contributed a lot.
Willis is the one player above all others that England head coach, Steve Borthwick, would want to return home and be eligible for test duty. Willis is a clever, robust, industrious back-row forward, bossing the breakdown, ensuring Toulouse a clear advantage in that phase.
Cros is one of those unsung players, like a Richard Hill of old in England colours, getting his hands dirty, grafting and chiselling all round the field, getting huge hit on Doris.
Like Romain Ntamack with his father, Emile, Roumat has followed in the family way, emulating dad, Olivier, in winning international honours, a looming figure in the forward exchanges.
Argentina centre, Santiago Chocobares was into the action early after injury forced off Pita Ahki and found himself in the thick of what was an intensely physical battle from first whistle to last. The front-row came under increasing pressure as Leinster grew stronger, causing Toulouse to bring on three forwards in the 55th minute, front-rowers, Julian Marchand and Joel Merkler as well as lock, Richie Arnold. With his side on top and in the lead the Australian was then red-carded for dangerous contact with Cian Healy, another heinous failing allowing Leinster to get back into the game. Arnold’s sigh of relief at the final whistle echoed round the stadium.
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