Leinster and Toulouse Clash for Champions Cup Glory
London, May 25 – Two of European club rugby’s most decorated teams, Leinster and Toulouse, will battle it out for the coveted Investec Champions Cup title on Saturday at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Leinster, desperate to clinch their fifth European crown, will face a Toulouse side aiming for their sixth Champions Cup triumph. Despite making the last two finals and the 2019 showpiece, Leo Cullen’s Leinster have not won the prestigious trophy since 2018, while Toulouse last tasted European success in 2021.
Leinster’s Lineup
Leinster have made three changes to the team that defeated Northampton Saints in the semi-final, with Josh van der Flier reverting to the bench. Hugo Keenan, Jason Jenkins and Will Connors return to the starting lineup, with the latter taking over the openside flanker role from the former World Rugby Player of the Year.
Leinster’s four Champions Cup Player of the Year nominees, James Lowe, Jamison Gibson-Park, Dan Sheehan and captain Caelan Doris, all feature in the starting XV. The back three is completed by Keenan at fullback and Jordan Larmour. In the centers, Robbie Henshaw and Jamie Osborne continue their partnership, with Ross Byrne joining Gibson-Park in the half-backs.
Up front, the all-Irish front-row of Andrew Porter, Tadhg Furlong and Sheehan starts for the second consecutive European final. Joe McCarthy partners Jason Jenkins in the second-row, while Doris is joined by Ryan Baird and Connors in the back-row.
Toulouse’s Lineup
Meanwhile, Toulouse have named an unchanged starting lineup from their semi-final victory against Harlequins. France superstar Antoine Dupont once again captains the side from scrum-half, continuing his partnership with fly-half Romain Ntamack. Pita Ahki and Paul Costes link up in the midfield, with Matthis Lebel and Juan Cruz Mallia on the wings and Blair Kinghorn at fullback.
The front-row of Cyril Baille, Peato Mauvaka and Dorian Aldegheri remains intact, with Thibaud Flament and Emmanuel Meafou forming the lock partnership. The back-row battle promises to be ferocious, with François Cros, Jack Willis and Alexandre Roumat taking on Baird, Connors and Doris.
Saturday’s Champions Cup final at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London promises to be a thrilling encounter between two of the most successful teams in European club rugby history.
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