Leinster survived a nerve-shredding finale to beat RC Toulon 29-25 at the Aviva Stadium and book their place in the Investec Champions Cup final in Bilbao on 23 May.

Key moments

3 mins – PENALTY MISSED LEINSTER: Thomas Clarkson wins a scrum penalty against Jean-Baptiste Gros, but Harry Byrne drags his kick wide from a central position. (Leinster 0–0 Toulon)

7 mins – PENALTY MISSED TOULON: Melvyn Jaminet has a shot from around 52 metres after Andrew Porter and Caelan Doris are penalised, but the kick drifts wide. (Leinster 0–0 Toulon)

14 mins – TRY LEINSTER: Jack Conan crashes over from close range after a brilliant team move from a lineout. Robbie Henshaw makes the initial carry before Josh van der Flier gains metres out wide. Harry Byrne takes it to the line before Jamison Gibson-Park fires a pass right where Conan is too strong to stop. Byrne converts. (Leinster 7–0 Toulon)

15 mins – INJURY: Robbie Henshaw is stretchered off after being knocked out cold in a collision with Mikheil Shioshvili. Jamie Osborne replaces him. A lengthy stoppage follows, with Henshaw giving a thumbs up as he leaves the field.

16 mins – PENALTY TOULON: Garry Ringrose penalised for tackling Nacho Brex without the ball. Jaminet slots the penalty from in front of the posts. (Leinster 7–3 Toulon)

20 mins – TRY DISALLOWED LEINSTER: Gibson-Park dives over after two powerful carries from Andrew Porter, but the TMO rules a knock-on by the scrum-half as he picked the ball up. Rieko Ioane kept his foot in play by millimetres in the build-up.

25 mins – PENALTY TOULON: Doris penalised at the breakdown and Jaminet launches an absolute rocket from halfway, sailing through the posts. (Leinster 7–6 Toulon)

33 mins – TRY LEINSTER: From a tap-and-go penalty five metres out, Dan Sheehan steps off it before Gibson-Park finds Doris, who flicks a lovely offload out the back door to Josh van der Flier. The openside ploughs over. Byrne converts. (Leinster 14–6 Toulon)

35 mins – YELLOW CARD LEINSTER: Andrew Porter shown yellow for a high tackle on Mikheil Shioshvili. Toulon kick to the corner. (Leinster 14–6 Toulon)

36 mins – TRY TOULON: Toulon capitalise immediately on the extra man. Jérémy Sinzelle creates the overlap and Setariki Tuicuvu finishes in the corner. Jaminet’s conversion drifts wide. (Leinster 14–11 Toulon)

38 mins – YELLOW CARD LEINSTER: Harry Byrne is shown a second yellow card for Leinster for offside after repeated team infringements. Leinster are down to 13 players. (Leinster 14–11 Toulon)

Half-time: Leinster 14–11 Toulon. Leinster have been the better side for long periods, with Tommy O’Brien outstanding and Andrew Porter dominant at scrum time. But two yellow cards in the space of three minutes have handed Toulon a lifeline, and the visitors trail by just three points despite barely threatening the Leinster line for the opening half hour. Leinster will start the second half with 13 players on the pitch.

43 mins – YELLOW CARD TOULON: Teddy Baubigny shown yellow for a high tackle on Van der Flier, levelling up the numbers temporarily.

44 mins – TRY LEINSTER: With 13 men still on the pitch, Leinster strike. Dan Sheehan taps a penalty and carries hard, Van der Flier flings a low pass that misses Jamie Osborne but falls kindly for Garry Ringrose, who collects and dives over. Ringrose takes the conversion himself with Byrne off the field, but pulls it left. (Leinster 19–11 Toulon)

48 mins – PENALTY LEINSTER: Porter and Byrne return from their yellow cards. Porter immediately wins another scrum penalty and Byrne slots the kick to extend the lead to 11 points. (Leinster 22–11 Toulon)

54 mins – INJURY: Jack Conan hobbles off and is replaced by Alex Soroka.

61 mins – PENALTY MISSED LEINSTER: After Joe McCarthy destroys a Toulon maul and Jérémy Sinzelle is penalised for a seatbelt tackle on Ringrose, Byrne misses the penalty from around 40 metres, pushing it right. His second miss from a kickable position. (Leinster 22–11 Toulon)

68 mins – TRY LEINSTER: The captain gets the crucial score. From a lineout, Joe McCarthy catches at the tail and pops down to Porter, who barges close. Gibson-Park goes blind where Caelan Doris holds off Zach Mercer to ground the ball. Byrne converts. (Leinster 29–11 Toulon)

71 mins – TRY TOULON: Toulon hit back immediately from the restart. Leinster give away a penalty and Baptiste Serin snipes over from close range after quick phases. Jaminet’s conversion hits the post but rebounds over. (Leinster 29–18 Toulon)

76 mins – TRY TOULON: Game on. A brilliant falling pass from Serin finds Tomas Albornoz, whose crossfield kick picks out Gaël Drean on the right wing. The winger outmuscles Sam Prendergast to score. Jaminet converts. Four-point game with four minutes left. (Leinster 29–25 Toulon)

79 mins – DRAMA: Drean gets into space down the right touchline after a Jaminet break, but his offload inside is knocked on by Tuicuvu with Rieko Ioane making a game-saving intervention. Leinster win the scrum and then a penalty for a no-arms tackle on Osborne, allowing Byrne to kick to touch.

Full-time: Leinster 29–25 Toulon

Full match report to follow.

Teams

Leinster: 15 Hugo Keenan, 14 Tommy O’Brien, 13 Garry Ringrose, 12 Robbie Henshaw, 11 Rieko Ioane, 10 Harry Byrne, 9 Jamison Gibson-Park, 1 Andrew Porter, 2 Dan Sheehan, 3 Thomas Clarkson, 4 Joe McCarthy, 5 James Ryan, 6 Jack Conan, 7 Josh van der Flier, 8 Caelan Doris (captain).
Replacements: 16 Rónan Kelleher, 17 Jerry Cahir, 18 Rabah Slimani, 19 Alex Soroka, 20 Scott Penny, 21 Luke McGrath, 22 Sam Prendergast, 23 Jamie Osborne.

RC Toulon: 15 Melvyn Jaminet, 14 Gaël Dréan, 13 Nacho Brex, 12 Jérémy Sinzelle, 11 Setariki Tuicuvu, 10 Tomas Albornoz, 9 Ben White, 1 Jean-Baptiste Gros, 2 Teddy Baubigny, 3 Kyle Sinckler, 4 Corentin Mézou, 5 David Ribbans (captain), 6 Junior Kpoku, 7 Charles Ollivon, 8 Mikheil Shioshvili.
Replacements: 16 Gianmarco Lucchesi, 17 Daniel Brennan, 18 Beka Gigashvili, 19 Matthias Halagahu, 20 Zach Mercer, 21 Baptiste Serin, 22 Esteban Abadie, 23 Mathis Ferté.

Match details

Leinster 29 (Tries: Conan 14, Van der Flier 33, Ringrose 44, Doris 68; Conversions: Byrne 3/4; Penalties: Byrne 1/3)
RC Toulon 25 (Tries: Tuicuvu 36, Serin 71, Drean 76; Conversions: Jaminet 2/3; Penalties: Jaminet 2/3)
Half-time: 14–11

Yellow cards: Porter (Leinster, 35), Byrne (Leinster, 38), Baubigny (Toulon, 43)
Venue: Aviva Stadium, Dublin. Attendance: 38,555
Referee: Luke Pearce (RFU)

Andrew Porter has been declared fit and returns to the Leinster starting XV for this afternoon’s Investec Champions Cup semi-final against RC Toulon at the Aviva Stadium (kick-off 3pm BST, live on Premier Sports 1).

Head coach Leo Cullen has made seven changes to the side that lost 29-26 to Benetton in the United Rugby Championship last weekend, recalling a raft of frontline players for what is Leinster’s sixth successive Champions Cup semi-final appearance.

Key team news:

• Andrew Porter returns from the arm injury sustained in the round of 16 win over Edinburgh four weeks ago
• Tadhg Furlong misses out after failing to recover from the leg injury he suffered against Benetton
• Robbie Henshaw returns at inside centre alongside Garry Ringrose
• Sam Prendergast preferred to Ciarán Frawley as the replacement fly-half
• Rieko Ioane moves to the left wing after starting at centre in Treviso
• Seven changes in total from last weekend’s defeat in Italy

The most significant selection news centres on the front row. Porter, who last played in the round of 16 victory over Edinburgh where he came off at half-time with an arm injury, has been passed fit and slots back in at loosehead. It is a considerable boost for Leinster given their well-documented injury problems in the position, with Alex Usanov among those on the long-term casualty list. Furlong’s absence is a blow, however, after the Ireland tighthead limped out of the Benetton match after just 27 minutes. Thomas Clarkson steps in on the tighthead side, with Dan Sheehan completing the front row at hooker.

Joe McCarthy and James Ryan are restored to the second row, bringing Test-match experience and lineout nous to a pack that will need to stand up to Toulon’s considerable set-piece threat. Captain Caelan Doris continues at number eight, flanked by Jack Conan at blindside and Josh van der Flier at openside, the same back-row combination that has served Leinster so well in this season’s competition.

The backline sees Cullen make some notable calls. Robbie Henshaw returns at inside centre to partner Garry Ringrose, re-forming a midfield pairing that has considerable international pedigree. Rieko Ioane, who started at centre against Benetton, shifts to the left wing, with Tommy O’Brien on the opposite flank and Hugo Keenan at full-back. Jamison Gibson-Park and Harry Byrne continue as the starting half-backs.

Perhaps the most eye-catching call on the bench sees Sam Prendergast named as the replacement fly-half ahead of Ciarán Frawley, who misses the matchday 23 entirely. Jamie Osborne provides outside back cover, while Luke McGrath is the replacement scrum-half. Rabah Slimani, the Toulon-bound French international, offers tighthead cover alongside Jerry Cahir and Rónan Kelleher, with Alex Soroka and Scott Penny completing the forward reinforcements.

There is no place in the squad for James Lowe, Jordan Larmour or Diarmuid Mangan, all of whom returned to training this week but were not deemed fit enough to be risked. Ryan Baird, Charlie Tector, Jack Boyle, Paddy McCarthy, Alex Usanov and RG Snyman are also unavailable through injury.

Leinster’s form heading into this fixture has been inconsistent. The four-time European champions were outstanding in dispatching Sale Sharks 43-13 in the quarter-final three weeks ago but then lost to Benetton last weekend in what was a timely reminder of the standards required at this level. Cullen acknowledged as much after the quarter-final win, warning that his side could not afford a repeat of last season’s shock home semi-final defeat to Northampton Saints, when they were beaten 37-34 at this same venue.

Toulon, for their part, have named a strong side captained by lock David Ribbans. Pierre Mignoni has selected former England prop Kyle Sinckler alongside Jean-Baptiste Gros and Teddy Baubigny in the front row, with Charles Ollivon deployed at openside flanker and Georgian international Mikheil Shioshvili at number eight. Ben White gets the nod over Baptiste Serin at scrum-half, with Argentina’s Tomas Albornoz at fly-half. Melvyn Jaminet, whose goal-kicking has been a feature of Toulon’s European run, starts at full-back. The visitors have opted for a 6/2 bench split, with former Saracens back-rower Zach Mercer among the replacements. There is no place for former Munster centre Antoine Frisch in the matchday 23.

An intriguing sub-plot sees Daniel Brennan, son of former Leinster and Ireland forward Trevor, named as Toulon’s replacement loosehead. The Dublin-born 27-year-old is in his second season with the French club and will join Montauban in the summer.

Toulon arrive in Dublin having beaten the URC’s top two sides in successive European rounds, edging out the Stormers 28-27 in the round of 16 before a 22-19 quarter-final victory away to Glasgow Warriors at Scotstoun. Their domestic form has been less convincing, with the club sitting eighth in the Top 14, but Cullen is taking nothing for granted. Speaking after the Sale win, the Leinster head coach described Toulon as having “plenty of firepower” and acknowledged their impressive European pedigree as three-time champions between 2013 and 2015.

The winners will face either defending champions Bordeaux-Bègles or Bath in the final at San Mamés in Bilbao on 23 May. Referee Luke Pearce of the RFU takes charge.

Leinster: 15. Hugo Keenan, 14. Tommy O’Brien, 13. Garry Ringrose, 12. Robbie Henshaw, 11. Rieko Ioane, 10. Harry Byrne, 9. Jamison Gibson-Park, 1. Andrew Porter, 2. Dan Sheehan, 3. Thomas Clarkson, 4. Joe McCarthy, 5. James Ryan, 6. Jack Conan, 7. Josh van der Flier, 8. Caelan Doris (captain).
Replacements: 16. Rónan Kelleher, 17. Jerry Cahir, 18. Rabah Slimani, 19. Alex Soroka, 20. Scott Penny, 21. Luke McGrath, 22. Sam Prendergast, 23. Jamie Osborne.

RC Toulon: 15. Melvyn Jaminet, 14. Gaël Dréan, 13. Nacho Brex, 12. Jérémy Sinzelle, 11. Setariki Tuicuvu, 10. Tomas Albornoz, 9. Ben White, 1. Jean-Baptiste Gros, 2. Teddy Baubigny, 3. Kyle Sinckler, 4. Corentin Mézou, 5. David Ribbans (captain), 6. Junior Kpoku, 7. Charles Ollivon, 8. Mikheil Shioshvili.
Replacements: 16. Gianmarco Lucchesi, 17. Daniel Brennan, 18. Beka Gigashvili, 19. Matthias Halagahu, 20. Zach Mercer, 21. Baptiste Serin, 22. Esteban Abadie, 23. Mathis Ferté.

Match details: Leinster v RC Toulon, Aviva Stadium, Dublin. Saturday 2 May, 3pm BST. Live on Premier Sports 1. Referee: Luke Pearce (RFU).

Bordeaux-Bègles eliminated Toulouse from the Champions Cup for the second consecutive season with a commanding 30–15 victory at Stade Chaban-Delmas, setting up a semi-final meeting with Bath.

Key moments

23 mins – TRY BORDEAUX: The champions strike first. A devastating rolling maul from a lineout five metres out sees hooker Maxime Lamothe crash over for the opening try. Maxime Lucu misses the conversion from wide. (Bordeaux 5–0 Toulouse)

25 mins – TRY TOULOUSE: Toulouse respond immediately. From the restart, Yoram Moefana spills the ball and Santiago Chocobares gathers at the edge of the 22. The forwards pound away before Romain Ntamack finds space on the outside to score. Thomas Ramos converts. (Bordeaux 5–7 Toulouse)

37 mins – RED CARD TOULOUSE: A potential turning point. Dorian Aldegheri collides with Damian Penaud after a kick-chase and is shown a 20-minute red card. Penaud leaves the field for a head injury assessment and does not return.

39 mins – TRY TOULOUSE: Despite being down to 14 men, Toulouse produce a moment of brilliance. Playing from their own half, Ramos finds Kalvin Gourgues who feeds Teddy Thomas for a 30-metre run to the line. Ramos misses the conversion. (Bordeaux 5–12 Toulouse)

41 mins – PENALTY TOULOUSE: Thomas Ramos kicks a penalty straight after the restart following a Bordeaux infringement. (Bordeaux 5–15 Toulouse)

Half-time: Bordeaux 5–15 Toulouse. Toulouse lead despite playing the final minutes a man down. Aldegheri’s red card will see him off for the first 20 minutes of the second half, with Joel Merkler able to replace him afterwards. Penaud failed his HIA and will not return.

45 mins – TRY BORDEAUX: Matthieu Jalibert brings Bordeaux roaring back. The fly-half chases his own grubber kick to the corner, gathers the ball just before it crosses the touchline, and dives over. Lucu converts from the sideline. (Bordeaux 12–15 Toulouse)

56 mins – YELLOW CARD TOULOUSE: Antoine Dupont is sent to the sin bin for an illegal tackle on Cameron Woki near the Bordeaux line. Toulouse are temporarily down to 13 men.

57 mins – TRY BORDEAUX: With Toulouse down to 13, Bordeaux capitalise. From a lineout maul, the ball is worked to Ben Tameifuna who powers over from close range. Lucu converts and the champions lead for the first time since the opening quarter. (Bordeaux 19–15 Toulouse)

58 mins – SUBSTITUTION TOULOUSE: Aldegheri’s 20-minute red card period ends and Joel Merkler enters the fray.

62 mins – PENALTY BORDEAUX: Tameifuna wins a crucial turnover at the breakdown and Lucu kicks the penalty to extend the lead. (Bordeaux 22–15 Toulouse)

74 mins – TRY BORDEAUX: The sealing try. Jalibert makes the initial break before finding Arthur Retiere, who finishes in the corner after the forwards soften up the defence with repeated pick-and-goes. Lucu misses the conversion. (Bordeaux 27–15 Toulouse)

77 mins – PENALTY BORDEAUX: Lucu adds the final points from the tee to confirm the victory. (Bordeaux 30–15 Toulouse)

Full-time: Union Bordeaux-Bègles 30–15 Stade Toulousain

Teams

Union Bordeaux-Bègles: 15 Romain Buros, 14 Damian Penaud, 13 Pablo Uberti, 12 Yoram Moefana, 11 Salesi Rayasi, 10 Matthieu Jalibert, 9 Maxime Lucu (c), 1 Jefferson Poirot, 2 Maxime Lamothe, 3 Carlü Sadie, 4 Cameron Woki, 5 Boris Palu, 6 Pierre Bochaton, 7 Marko Gazzotti, 8 Anthony Jelonch.
Replacements: 16 Gaëtan Barlot, 17 Matis Perchaud, 18 Ben Tameifuna, 19 Tiaan Jacobs, 20 Bastien Vergnes-Taillefer, 21 Léo Banos, 22 Temo Matiu, 23 Arthur Retiere.

Stade Toulousain: 15 Thomas Ramos, 14 Louis Bielle-Biarrey, 13 Santiago Chocobares, 12 Pita Ahki, 11 Matthis Lebel, 10 Romain Ntamack, 9 Antoine Dupont (c), 1 David Ainu’u, 2 Peato Mauvaka, 3 Dorian Aldegheri, 4 Emmanuel Meafou, 5 Jack Willis, 6 François Cros, 7 Kalvin Gourgues, 8 Teddy Thomas.
Replacements: 16 Julien Marchand, 17 Cyril Baille, 18 Joel Merkler, 19 Joshua Brennan, 20 Théo Ntamack, 21 Blair Kinghorn.

Match details

Union Bordeaux-Bègles 30 (Tries: Lamothe, Jalibert, Tameifuna, Retiere; Conversions: Lucu 2/4; Penalties: Lucu 2/2)
Stade Toulousain 15 (Tries: R Ntamack, T Thomas; Conversions: Ramos 1/2; Penalties: Ramos 1/1)
Half-time: 5–15

Venue: Stade Chaban-Delmas, Bordeaux
Attendance: 32,930
Referee: Matthew Carley (England)
Player of the Match: Maxime Lucu (Union Bordeaux-Bègles)

Cards:
– Dorian Aldegheri (Toulouse) – 20-minute red card (37′)
– Antoine Dupont (Toulouse) – Yellow card (56′)