Leinster seek back-to-back finals

The Irish province were beaten by another TOP 14 outfit, Stade Rochelais, in last season’s showpiece game but had overcome Toulouse in stunning fashion in the last four.

Four-time champions Leinster are once again seeking to equal Toulouse’s record of five EPCR crowns, though the star-studded visitors will provide their toughest examination of this campaign.

Both teams boast 100%-win records in this season’s Heineken Champions Cup, with Leinster having been unbeaten in all competitions until a much-changed side lost at Vodacom Bulls in the BKT United Rugby Championship (URC) last week.

The two EPCR heavyweights enjoyed commanding wins in the quarter-finals as Leinster thrashed Leicester Tigers 55-24 and Toulouse crushed Cell C Sharks 54-20.

The game at the Aviva Stadium kicks off at 15:00 (UK & Irish time) and is available to watch on RTE, BT Sport, beIN SPORTS, France TV, ITV, SuperSport and FloRugby.

Key quotes

Leinster Rugby No.8 Jack Conan: “We have to be at our utmost best and that’s what we’re building for. The lads are really excited for the challenge. Hopefully we get a decent day for it, and we can be at our best. I think we’re in the best place we’ve ever been to go and do it.”

Stade Toulousain lock Richie Arnold: “I think we learned a lot from last year’s defeat, just watching them, how they play. The big ones for beating them is winning the collisions, a solid set piece and just defence. You have to be connected in defence.”

Key facts

Leinster Rugby

Andrew Porter conceded the most penalties by a player in the quarter-finals, a total of four.

Josh van der Flier is the leading try-scorer in the competition with five.

Jimmy O’Brien made as many clean breaks as any other player in the quarter-finals (5). His total for the season is a competition-leading 11.

Leinster have conceded an average of 9.8 penalties per game this season, the second-best disciplinary record of the 24 starting clubs.

Stade Toulousain

Thomas Ramos scored 29 points in the quarter-final against Cell C Sharks – more than any other player and the most points scored by a player in a single match this season. He also made the most kicking metres in the round (449).

Antoine Dupont made five try assists against Cell C Sharks, the most in a single Heineken Champions Cup match. He also made a joint round-high five clean breaks with Leinster’s Jimmy O’Brien.

Dupont has also made more support carries (7) and support carry metres (63) than any other player.