Road back to European honours looks longer than ever for Leinster after latest heartbreak

Somehow, some way, this reversal against Toulouse may be the most dispiriting of the three recent Champions Cup final losses.

LOOK BUT DON'T TOUCH: Leinster's Ciarán Frawley and head coach Leo Cullen after the Investec Champions Cup final between Leinster and Toulouse at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England. Photo by Harry Murphy/Sportsfile

Defeat was always a possibility for Leinster in Saturday’s Champions Cup final.

What no-one thought possible was that the hurt of losses to La Rochelle in the last two deciders could be exceeded at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.