Losing to Conference B winners Glasgow Warriors may not have been the best preparation for Leinster as they head into their semi-final showdown with Toulouse. Things were looking good when they sealed the bonus point after 53 minutes, but Glasgow ended up streaking away near the end.
Leinster can take solace from the performances of Joe Tomane as well as youngsters Josh Murphy and Jack Dunne, but they will need to put together a more complete performance against four-time European champions Toulouse on Sunday. Toulouse will pose Leinster a different challenge as two of their most dynamic playmakers Antoine Dupont and Romain Ntamack, have been at the heart of the team’s recent resurgence.
At the Stade de France back in February, a relatively young French side tore apart Scotland with a scintillating display of attacking rugby. Many heralded it as the start of a new chapter for a team that had been floundering ever since the Six Nations began. It was no coincident that it was Antoine Dupont’s first start of the Six Nations as he was instrumental on the day, setting up Huget’s try and marshalling his pack around the field with a superb display of kicking.
Fly-half Romain Ntamack was equally impressive, scoring the first try of the day and combining wonderfully with his teammates, as his crisp passing set a tone for how they would attack. At Toulouse Ntamack has often been shifted to inside centre to make way for Australian fly-half Zack Holmes, but he’s shown no matter where he plays he’s a serious threat with ball in hand.
The chemistry between Dupont and Ntamack was clear to see against Scotland, and spirits must have been high when they rolled into Dublin the following week. Unlike Scotland though, Ireland pressured the French from the off, kicking in behind the defensive line and pinning them in their own 22. The play which encapsulated this early pressure was James Ryan’s spear tackle on Dupont behind his own goal line. While the play ultimately went back for a penalty, the intent to put pressure on France’s playmakers was clear.
Racing 92’s approach in the quarter-final against Toulouse wasn’t all that different by comparison. They shot off the line in an attempt to stop Toulouse from building up a head of steam. This was all well and good until Toulouse scored within the first six minutes. Dupont crossed over the line after some wonderful interplay with Médard. He scored his second later in the half when he slalomed his way through two Racing defenders.
They were at their tantalising best when on the 30-minute mark Ntamack sailed a beautiful pass out to winger Lucas Tauzin, who came up with a worldy of an offload as with one hand and his back turned, he popped off the perfect pass. Médard would eventually finish things off, showing just how devastating Toulouse can be. It was a remarkable result for a side who were down to 14 men for most of the game.
There has been a lot of talk recently about having a blueprint for stopping Ireland. In the Six Nations, England targeted Ireland’s kicking game and won the collisions, which slowed down Ireland’s momentum. In the Champions Cup quarter-final Ulster employed similar tactics as they dared Leinster to play out of their own 22. Ringrose’s blocked kick typified this as Ulster shot off the line to close the space.
When it comes to a blueprint for stopping Toulouse, Leinster needn’t looking any further than the Ireland vs France game in the Six Nations. Dupont and Ntamack both struggled when they were put under pressure and they never took control of the game like they so often do for Toulouse.
Another key to Ireland’s win that day was the amount of possession they had, starving the young playmakers of any creative spark. While both players still have a lot to learn defensively, they can hurt any team with their speed and creativity. Leinster will look to make sure on Sunday that these young guns don’t get a chance to fire any shots.
When the two teams last met in January, Toulouse only showed glimpses of what they could do as Leinster dominated possession and won the battle up front. The semi-final is unlikely to play out the same way as Toulouse are on an upward trajectory. Leinster meanwhile haven’t hit the heights of earlier in the season, but with first team regulars like Sexton, Toner and Henshaw back in the fold, it’s all set up for a classic encounter at the Aviva.
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