Six Important Things To Know About Leinster Rugby Before Toulouse Match
Six Important Things To Know About Leinster Rugby Before Toulouse Match
Stuck on four EPCR Champions Cup titles since 2018, Leinster Rugby faces juggernaut Toulouse in the 2024 Investec Champions Cup, streaming on FloRugby.
For all the wins Leinster Rugby has compiled the last several years, the club has very little hardware to prove it’s been a success since the start of the 2021 season.
And yet they have been successful.
Powered by star Johnny Sexton, Leinster Rugby won the Guinness PRO14 championship four straight seasons from 2018-2021. They won the Celtic Cup four times in five years from 2019-2023 and they’ve reached the Champions Cup Final four times and won once since 2018. All four of the Leinster Rugby Champions Cup Final wins have come since 2009 (2009, 2011, 2012 and 2018).
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So a lot of success. But at the same time, a lot of disappointment the last two years.
The last two seasons, and with Sexton retiring, Leinster lost in the semifinals of the United Rugby Championship playoffs after finishing first in the table.
In the Champions Cup, Leinster held leads in the 2022 and 2023 Champions Cup Finals against La Rochelle before the Top 14 squad overpowered them in the second half for wins.
But none of that bitter disappointment will matter much if Leinster can beat Toulouse, the preseason favorite to win the Champions Cup back in December, at 9:45 a.m. EDT on May 25 in Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The game is streaming live in the United States on FloRugby and the FloSports app.
Here are five important things to know about Leinster Rugby ahead of its match in the Investec Champions Cup Final vs. Toulouse.
Leinster Rugby Has Had Toulouse’s Number In Champions Cup Play The Last Two Years
While the two clubs have combined to win nine Champions Cup, they have never met in the Finals until 2024.
But they are very familiar. Leinster has ended Toulouse’s Champions Cup seasons the last two years in the semifinals.
In 2022, Toulouse had eliminated Ulster in the Round of 16, which featured three legs with Toulouse winning the last two matches, then eliminated Munster in the quarterfinals with penalty kicks. Leinster ended Toulouse’s Irish winning streak with a 40-17 win in the semifinals in Dublin
The next year, with a different playoff format, Leinster beat Toulouse again in Dublin 41-22 as the top overall seed in the semifinals.
Few teams have beaten Toulouse in knockout stages since 2021. In fact, it’s just two clubs: Leinster and Castres.
Leinster Rugby Star Jamison Gibson-Park Has Been Outstanding In Champions Cup Play
Jamison Gibson-Park often stands behind Toulouse star Antoine Dupont on a list of best scrum-halfs in rugby, but he’s making a strong case as the best in this tournament.
The New Zealand native who has been an Irish international player since 2020 is nominated, along with three of his teammates, as the Investec Champions Cup Player of the Year.
Leinster’s No. 9 scored three tries in the Round of 16 against Leicester Tigers. He has scored the same amount of tries as Antoine Dupont in the Investec Champions Cup this year, but has 67 more passes than anyone in the tournament.
The Rugby World Cup Winning Head Coach Jacques Nienaber Is On The Leinster Rugby Staff
Leo Cullen is the head coach of Leinster, but the Senior Coach of Leinster is none other than Jacques Nienaber. Last fall he led South Africa to the 2023 Rugby World Championship. The head coach from 2020-2023 of South Africa’s national team joined Leinster just before the start of the United Rugby Championship season in November.
Tasked with re-imagining Leinster’s defense, Nienaber’s hard work was evident as Leinster went 2-0 against La Rochelle in the Champions Cup season. It’ll be a successful last 12 months for Nienaber as he tries to help guide a team to a World Cup win and a Champions Cup win.
19 Ireland Rugby National Players Play For Leinster
It wouldn't take that many roster moves-- maybe a lot of money-- for Leinster Rugby to recreate the Ireland Rugby national team that is currently the No. 2-ranked team by World Rugby. Nineteen of the 44 Ireland Rugby players are also Leinster Rugby players, including all four of the Leinster players nominated for Investec Champions Cup Player of the Year.
Here are all the Irish National Players on Leinster's roster, including Dan Sheehan, Gibson-Park, Jack Conan and Caelan Doris, who are up for Investec Champions Cup Player of the Year:
- Ryan Baird, LOCK
- Harry Byrne, FLY HALF
- Jack Conan, NO. 8
- Caelan Doris, BACK ROW
- Ciaran Frawley, FLY HALF / FULL BACK
- Tadhg Furlong, PROP
- Jamison Gibson-Park, SCRUM HALF
- Cian Healy, PROP
- Robbie Henshaw, CENTRE
- Hugo Keenan, WING
- Ronan Kelleher, HOOKER
- Jordan Larmour, WING
- James Lowe, WING
- Joe McCarthy, LOCK
- Andrew Porter, PROP
- Garry Ringrose, CENTRE / WING
- James Ryan, LOCK
- Dan Sheehan, HOOKER
- Josh van der Flier, FLANKER
Leinster Rugby Has Won In London Before
The last time Leinster Rugby won the Champions Cup was in 2018 and it came in San Mames Stadium in Spain, but they are no stranger to winning in London.
Leinster's third Champions Cup title in 2012 came at Twickenham Stadium in London when they beat Ulster 42-12.
Leinster Has A Winning Record Against Toulouse All-Time
Leinster is one of the few European Professional Clubs to have a winning record against Toulouse over the years. Leinster has played Toulouse 14 times and won eight since the two clubs first met in 1997.
Where Is the Investec Champions Cup Final, EPCR Challenge Cup Final in 2025?
Cardiff, Wales takes over hosting duties for the EPCR's biggest weekend in 2025. Principality Stadium will host the two finals on a date yet to be announced. It'll be the first time since 2014 that Wales's capital has hosted the finals.
Cardiff has hosted the Champions Cup Final seven times and in the five times Principality Stadium has hosted the attendance has been above 68,000 fans.
Top 14 And URC Rugby Seasons Stream Live On FloRugby
The Top 14 and the United Rugby Championship seasons, as well as the Pacific region's professional league, Super Rugby, are all streaming on FloRugby and the FloSports app in the United States.
How To Watch The Investec Champions Cup In The United States
Every game in the Investec Champions Cup is available on FloRugby and the FloSports app in the United States, including the final in May. Match archives, highlights and breaking news will be available on both platforms.
Investec Champions Cup Semifinal Scores
Here are the scores from the semifinals:
- Leinster Rugby 20, Northampton Saints 17
- Toulouse Rugby 38, Harlequins F.C. 26
Investec Champions Cup Quarterfinals Scores
Here are the scores from the quarterfinals:
- Harlequins F.C. 42, Union Bordeaux-Bègles 41
- Leinster Rugby 40, La Rochelle 13
- Northampton Saints 59, Vodacom Bulls
- Toulouse 64, Exeter Chiefs 26
Investec Champions Cup Round Of 16 Rugby Scores
Here are the scores from the Round of 16:
- Vodacom Bulls 59, Lyon 19, Final
- La Rochelle 22, DHL Stormers 21, Final
- Exeter Chiefs 21, Bath Final
- Union Bordeaux-Bègles 45, Saracens 12, Final
- Leinster 36, Leicester Tigers 22
- Northampton Saints 24, Munster Rugby 14
- Toulouse 31, Racing 92 7
What To Know About Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
The host of the Champions Cup final moves from Aviva Stadium in Dublin to London's Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The venue is the third-largest stadium in England and home to Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Investec Champions Cup Scores In Round 1
Dec. 8
- Northampton Saints 28, Glasgow Warriors 19
- Union Bordeaux-Bègles 41, Connacht Rugby 5
Dec. 9
- Exeter Chiefs 19, RC Toulon 18
- Bath Rugby 37, vs. Ulster Rugby 14
- Toulouse 42, vs Cardiff Rugby 7
- Vodacom Bulls 27, Saracens 16
- Munster Rugby 17, Aviron Bayonnais 17
- Bristol Bears 36, Lyon 24
Dec. 10
- Sale Sharks 28, Stade Français 5
- Leinster Rugby 16, La Rochelle 9
- Leicester Tigers 35, DHL Stormers 26
- Harlequins 31, Racing 92 28
All these matches are streaming on FloRugby and the FloSports app.
Investec Champions Cup Scores In Round 2
Dec. 15
- Northampton Saints 22, RC Toulon 19
- Glasgow Warriors 12, Aviron Bayonnais 11
Dec. 16
- DHL Stormers 21, La Rochelle 20
- Saracens 55, Connacht Rugby 36
- Union Bordeaux-Bègles 36, Bristol Bears 17
- Vodacom Bulls 29, Lyon 28
- Leinster Rugby 37, Sale Sharks 27
- Bath Rugby 39, Cardiff Rugby 32
- Ulster Rugby 31, Racing 92 15
Dec. 17
- Exeter Chiefs 32, Munster Rugby 24
- Toulouse 47, Harlequins 19
- Leicester Tigers 27, Stade Français 24
All these matches are streaming on FloRugby and the FloSports app.
Investec Champions Cup Scores In Round 3
Jan. 12
- Northampton Saints 61, Aviron Bayonnais 14
Jan. 13
- Lyon 34, Connacht 20
- Exeter Chiefs 19, Glasgow Warriors 17
- Vodacom Bulls 31, Bristol Bears 17
- Munster Rugby 29, RC Toulon 18
- Leinster Rugby 43, Stade Français 7
- DHL Stormers 31, Sale Sharks 24
- Harlequins 54, Cardiff Rugby 15
- Toulouse 48, Ulster Rugby 24
Jan. 14
- Bath Rugby 29, Racing 92 25
- La Rochelle 45, Leicester Tigers 12
- Union Bordeaux-Bègles 55, Saracens 15
All these matches are streaming on FloRugby and the FloSports app.
Investec Champions Cup Scores In Round 4
Jan. 19
- Glasgow Warriors 29, RC Toulon 5
- Connacht Rugby 27, Bristol Bears 10
Jan. 20
- Harlequins 47, Ulster Rugby 19
- Vodacom Bulls 46, Union Bordeaux-Bègles 40
- Leinster Rugby 27, Leicester Tigers 10
- Racing 92 48, Cardiff Rugby 26
- Northampton Saints 26, Munster Rugby 23
- DHL Stormers 24, Stade Français 20
- Saracens 39, Lyon 24
Jan. 21
- La Rochelle 37, Sale Sharks 24
- Toulouse 31, Bath Rugby 19
- Aviron Bayonnais 40, Exeter Chiefs 17
All these matches are streaming on FloRugby and the FloSports app.
How To Watch Rugby Matches In the United States On FloRugby
The Investec Champions Cup will stream all its matches on FloRugby and the FloSports app in the United States. FloRugby and FloSports also are the U.S. home to:
- Investec Champions Cup
- EPCR Challenge Cup
- United Rugby Championship
- Currie Cup
- Top 14
- Super Rugby
- And more
FloRugby also is home to match archives and match replays.