Leinster Confident Ahead of Champions Cup Final Showdown with Toulouse
London, England (BBC Sport) – As the two most decorated teams in Champions Cup history prepare to clash in the 2024 final at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday, Leinster scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park believes his side’s recent record against Toulouse provides a crucial confidence boost.
Toulouse have won the prestigious European title five times, while Leinster have four tournament victories to their name. However, the Irish province has emerged victorious in their last three encounters with the French giants since 2019.
“We’re confident because we’ve had some good results against Toulouse the last few seasons,” said Ireland international Gibson-Park. “But they have changed a lot since our last clash. They are the best team in the competition and have beaten everyone fairly comfortably this season.”
Toulouse’s impressive attacking game, orchestrated by the likes of France star Antoine Dupont and Pita Ahki, has been a key factor in their dominant run. The reigning champions will arrive in London brimming with confidence, but Leinster are determined to disrupt their opponents’ flow with a solid defensive system.
“They manage to break down opposition defences with their impressive attacking game and players of international class,” Gibson-Park acknowledged. “They’re on fire at the moment and so I think they’ll arrive in London super-confident. It should be a very good match.”
Leinster have not been crowned European champions since 2018, falling just short in the final against Saracens (2019) and La Rochelle (2022 and 2023). Toulouse’s last Champions Cup triumph came in London three years ago, when they defeated La Rochelle at Twickenham.
“We’ve done our best in the last two finals, but this season we’ve put everything into trying to move forward with the arrival of some new coaches, who have changed a lot of things,” Gibson-Park said. “We hope that our defensive system will make the difference in the final by disrupting a Toulouse team who like to run with the ball a lot.”
The battle between Gibson-Park and Dupont, the world’s premier scrum-half, promises to be a captivating sub-plot.
“He’s the number one player, the best player in the world these last few seasons,” the Leinster star admitted. “It’s a huge challenge for players in our position. But it’s the team who are facing him.”
With both sides boasting an array of international talent, the 2024 Champions Cup final is set to be a thrilling affair that will captivate rugby union enthusiasts worldwide.
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