Leinster will play French side Toulouse in the Heineken Champions Cup semi final on Saturday. Both teams are top of their domestic league playing impressive rugby. Here is how you can watch Leinster v Toulouse.
This will be the second year in a row that these two teams face each other in the semi final of this competition. Leinster hammered Antoine Dupont's team 40-17 last year at the Aviva. This might be the chance for Toulouse to take revenge on last year's disastrous semi final.
14 May 2022; Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
They are very similar clubs in many aspects this season. Not only are they both top of their leagues but they also are undefeated in this year's Champions Cup. Leinster finished first of their group with 20 points in four games. Four bonus point wins gave Leo Cullen's side a great position entering the playoffs.
Toulouse finished second of their Group B as Ronan O'Gara's La Rochelle also won all their games in the group stage. They only got one bonus point which ultimately cost them the best position in the group.
When is Leinster v Toulouse?
Leinster will welcome Toulouse to the Aviva Stadium on Saturday the 29th of April. The game is scheduled to start at 3pm.
How to watch Leinster v Toulouse?
The match will be live on RTE 2 from 2.15pm ahead of the 3pm kickoff.
Form Guide
Leinster have suffered their first defeat of their season last week. They got absolutely destroyed by South African side Bulls. Leo Cullen put a weakened side up against the Bulls and they got severely punished as they lost 62-7.
However, that is nothing to worry about for Leinster as they finished the regular season of the URC atop the table. Their European campaign has been perfect so far. Cruising through the group stage, they then managed to knockout Ulster in a hundred percent Irish round of 16. In the quarter finals they easily beat Leicester 55-24.
They will now welcome a different type of opponent who are exactly like them. They will have to be strong and play well if they want to beat Toulouse who are also on a nearly perfect season too.
The French team are also undefeated in Europe this year. Victories against Sale Sharks and Munster guaranteed them a spot in the playoffs. They welcomed two South African teams in the round of 16 and quarter finals of the Champions Cup. They gave no chance to both teams as they knocked out the Bulls first with a 33-9 win and then beat the Sharks 54-20 in a one sided quarter final.
Just like Leinster they are also top of their domestic league. However the battle is tight at the top of the Top 14. La Rochelle, who are in the other Champions Cup semi final, are only one point behind Toulouse.
14 May 2022; Photo by Harry Murphy/Sportsfile
Team News
Leo Cullen went for the best team possible. All regular starters are set to start tomorrow against Toulouse. In the absence of Johnny Sexton, James Ryan will be the captain.
📥 | 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐬!
Here is the #LeinsterRugby team to face @StadeToulousain in tomorrow's @ChampionsCup Semi-Final in @AVIVAStadium #LEIvTOU #FromTheGroundUp pic.twitter.com/reQCyDVP7z— Leinster Rugby (@leinsterrugby) April 28, 2023
Just like the Irish province, Toulouse will fields their best team. World class players like Antoine Dupont, Thomas Ramos and Jack Willis all start. Dupont will captain the team as usual.
𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒐 I 𝑫𝒆𝒎𝒊-𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒍𝒆 I #LEINST 📋
Découvrez le XV de départ pour la demie de samedi 💥
Tous avec le Stade ❤️🔥#ToulouseIsRed🔴 pic.twitter.com/nup2ivXlzk— Stade Toulousain (@StadeToulousain) April 28, 2023
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