Champions Cup Final Preview – Europe’s best set to provide fireworks
DUBLIN, IRELAND - MAY 20: Ross Byrne of Leinster reacts towards the crowd during the Heineken Champions Cup Final match between Leinster Rugby and Stade Rochelais at Aviva Stadium on May 20, 2023 in Dublin, Ireland. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
European rugby’s two most successful sides battle it out for Champions Cup glory as Leinster face Toulouse in the final on Saturday afternoon at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
With international stars littered throughout both squads, it somewhat scratches the itch of those who wanted a French vs Irish matchup at the Rugby World Cup.
Leinster
Leinster are well aware of their previous shortcomings in this competition and this crop of players will be desperate to quash the ‘European underachievers’ tag they have picked up in the last few years.
Having fallen to La Rochelle in the last two finals, Leo Cullen’s side finally exacted revenge on Ronan O’Gara’s side with a 40-13 demolition of them in the quarter-final.
There’s a feeling that Leinster are to Toulouse what La Rochelle are to Leinster, having knocked the French giants out of the competition in the previous two editions, and a fifth Champions Cup win for the Irish province would pull them level at the top of the roll of honour with Toulouse.
Cullen has been complimentary of the five-time champions: “Toulouse are the standard bearers of the competition really,” he said.
“Going back to the start of the competition, they were the ones out of the blocks first in terms of professionalism and you could see the set-up they had when the game went professional first.
“They were light years ahead of us, let’s be honest. We sort of feel that we’ve been chasing them ever since.”
The big news with Leinster’s team selection is that the in-form Will Connors starts in the back row ahead of former World Player of the Year Josh van der Flier, who features on the bench as part of a 6/2 split.
The other notable selection is Jason Jenkins starting in the second row alongside Joe McCarthy as co-captain James Ryan is on the bench.
Elsewhere in the pack is as expected with Ireland’s starting front row of Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong all included whilst Ryan Baird and captain Caelan Doris join Connors in the back row.
Garry Ringrose has not recovered from injury in time to feature so Jamie Osbourne starts in the 12 jersey with Robbie Henshaw outside of him.
The halfback pairing of Ross Byrne and the red-hot Jamison Gibson-Park will battle it out with Antoine Dupont and Romain Ntamack.
The back three consists of James Lowe, Jordan Larmour and Hugo Keenan.
Toulouse
You have to go back to the very first edition of the Heineken Cup in 1996, and rugby union’s professionalism, for Toulouse’s only European final victory over a non-French side.
However, Ugo Mola’s side have seen their European hopes ended by Leinster in the past two years at the semi-final stage, and they haven’t been close games with a 40-17 result in 2022 before a 41-22 scoreline last year.
But Toulouse appear better equipped than they have in the past couple of years, and on a day with match-winners everywhere, including the near-unanimous best player on the planet in Dupont, the French side can go toe-to-toe with anyone.
Mola has named a completely unchanged starting side from the one that beat Harlequins in the semi-final.
Similar to Leinster, the five-time champions also have an all-international front row with Cyril Baille, Peato Mauvaka and Dorian Aldegheri starting.
In behind them is Thibaud Flament and the monstrous frame of Emmanuel Meafou in the second row with England‘s Jack Willis, Francois Cros and Alexandre Roumat filling out the back row.
Arguably the best 9-10 combination in the world starts with Antoine Dupont and Romain Ntamack together once again.
Outside of them is the ever-reliable Pita Ahki and the electric Paul Costes who has taken the tournament by storm since his introduction into the starting lineup.
Scotland international Blair Kinghorn once again gets the nod at fullback over Thomas Ramos while Matthis Lebel and Juan Cruz Mallia start on each wing.
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