Portugal Colonial - Leinster survive Toulon scare to reach Champions Cup final

The Dublin-based Irish province, four-time European kings, were cruising to victory at 29-11 with just 13 minutes left.

Toulon, however, reduced that deficit to a mere four points with four minutes remaining after a try by Gael Drean was converted by Melvyn Jaminet.

Leinster, though, clung on in the closing stages and this win ended a four-match losing streak against Toulon -- the only team they had previously played more than once and never beaten since turning professional in 1995.

Leinster have only missed the semi-finals once since the last of their Champions Cup titles in 2018 -- a quarter-final loss to Saracens in 2020 -- but have suffered four final defeats and two semi-final reverses in that time, including last year's agonising 37-34 last-four loss to Northampton.

But they will now play the winners of Sunday's second semi-final between reigning European champions Bordeaux-Begles and Bath in a Bilbao final on May 23.

A.Motta--PC