LEINSTER....41 TOULOUSE...22
Leinster rampaged their way into a seventh Heineken Champions Cup final at the Aviva Stadium - with a little help from the loose head of Toulouse's loose head.
The Blues' defeat of five times champions Toulouse presents the province with a second chance in 12 months to join the French giants at the top of Europe's title standings, with a decider against the holders La Rochelle or Exeter Chiefs to follow at Lansdowne Road in three weeks' time.
As in last year's semi-final at the same venue, five-time champs Toulouse drew first blood with an early try but it was Leinster who came through to secure their place in the decider.
Toulouse's try in added time prevented their rivals from winning by a point more than they managed last May but this triumph was achieved without the injured Johnny Sexton, James Lowe, Robbie Henshaw and Rónan Kelleher - and against the Top 14 table-toppers who had come to Dublin intent on wreaking revenge.
They might have got it, too, but for substitute prop Rodrigue Neti.
His side had just cut the deficit from 20 points to 10 after and had Leinster under real pressure when, in the 57th minute, loosehead Neti used his head dangerously at a ruck in his own half and caught Josh van der Flier on the neck.
Initially play continued and a 50:22 kick earned Toulouse a lineout in their rivals' 22 - but after the majority of the 46,823 crowd booed and Leinster skipper James Ryan complained to ref Wayne Barnes, the officials took a look at the ruck incident.
Neti was sent to the sin-bin and Leinster awarded a penalty in their opponents' half, and fittingly it was van der Flier who scored as Leinster's lineout maul powered over.
Ross Byrne added the extras and where the Blues' lead may have been reduced to just three with over 20 minutes to go, suddenly it was out to 34-17 and Leinster were home and hosed - ultimately scoring four tries and 28 points while they had an extra man, with Toulouse punished in full for having two players sent to the bin.
Toulouse, however, had a case that Leinster prop Andrew Porter should have also been shown the yellow card when, in the 37th minute, he ploughed Juan Cruz Mallia into the turf but the incident wasn't reviewed.
After Byrne had kicked an early penalty for Leinster, Toulouse scored impressively through centre Pita Ahki in the ninth minute and Thomas Ramos nailed the conversion.
But a deserved 16th minute yellow card for Ramos for a deliberate knock-on that probably denied Jimmy O'Brien a try presented Leinster with an opportunity and they seized upon it.
The outstanding Jack Conan scored a brace of tries while the France full-back was off the field, the first off Andrew Porter's pop pass and the second after van der Flier found him on the left flank and a superb feint fooled Mallia.
O'Brien just failed to touch down for Leinster's third moments before Ramos' return but Dan Sheehan turned on the after-burners and slalomed his way over after Toulouse sub Paul Graou's pass ricocheted off his team-mate Jack Willis and into the explosive hooker's hands.
Byrne converted all three tries and Leinster led by 27-7 with 28 minutes played.
Toulouse had to find a response or their European campaign was done and it came with five minutes of the half remaining as the formidable second row Emmanuel Meafou used his massive bulk to power over, with Ramos adding the extras.
A booming 50:22 from Charlie Ngatai on his return after four months out put Leinster back on the front foot but it was the visitors who ended the half threatening to score the next try.
Leinster held on, then were forced on the defensive after the restart and somehow kept Toulouse scoreless, with Ngatai producing a massive hit to force a crucial knock-on.
The contest developed into a more cagey affair as a game of kick tennis ensued until Toulouse closed the gap to 10 points in the 56th minute, Ramos exacting the punishment when his forwards won a scrum penalty in Leinster's half.
Neti's moment of madness followed, however, and from the resultant penalty Byrne kicked to the corner. Ryan did superbly to take Sheehan's line-out throw and the Blues pack marched towards the line, with van der Flier diving in for the five-pointer.
Byrne split the posts again and Leinster added a fifth try when the tireless Conan made yet more yards before Luke McGrath found fellow replacement Jason Jenkins, and there was no stopping the big South African.
Leinster's out-half completed his perfect day off the tee with a fifth conversion before making way for his brother Harry with nine minutes to go, but Toulouse managed another try with the clock in the red as Willis finished a lineout drive, although Ramos missed the conversion.
By then the province were already looking forward to next Saturday's URC quarter-final against the Sharks and, potentially, to four more games over the next four weekends to secure the double.
Leinster: Hugo Keenan; Jordan Larmour, Garry Ringrose, Charlie Ngatai (Ciarán Frawley 54), Jimmy O'Brien; Ross Byrne (Harry Byrne 71), Jamison Gibson-Park (Luke McGrath 62); Andrew Porter (Cian Healy 68), Dan Sheehan (John McKee 68), Tadhg Furlong (Michael Ala'alatoa 60); Ross Molony (Jason Jenkins 54), James Ryan; Caelan Doris, Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan (Ryan Baird 66).
Toulouse: Thomas Ramos, Juan Cruz Mallia (Arthur Retiere), Pierre-Louis Barassi, Pita Ahki, Matthis Lebel (Paul Graou 15), Romain Ntamack, Antoine Dupont; Cyril Baille (Rodrigue Neti 51), Péato Mauvaka (Julian Marchand 51), Dorian Aldegheri ( David Ainu'u 60), Richie Arnold (Alexandre Roumat 51) Emmanuel Meafou (Rynhardt Elstadt 66), Jack Willis, Thibaud Flament, Francois Cros (Alban Placines 66).
READ NEXT:
Shane Dowling column: Job Liam Cahill and Mikey Bevans have done in Tipperary cannot be overstated
€500,000 horse going to Gordon Elliott after record breaking sale at Punchestown
Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email alerts
