Leinster overcame an astonishing fightback by Toulon to reach the Champions Cup final with a thrilling 29-25 win at Lansdowne Road on Saturday.
The Dublin-based Irish province, four-time European kings, were cruising to victory at 29-11 with just 10 minutes left.
Toulon, however, reduced that deficit to a mere four points with four minutes remaining after a try by Gael Drean was converted by Melvyn Jaminet.
Leinster flankers Jack Conan and Josh van der Flier scored first-half tries, while centre Garry Ringrose and captain Caelan Doris also crossed Toulon's line.
Flyhalf Harry Byrne kicked a penalty and three conversions.
💥 Tries from Jack Conan, Josh van der Flier, Garry Ringrose and Caelan Doris saw us through to the @ChampionsCup final in a 29-25 win at the Aviva today!
— Leinster Rugby (@leinsterrugby) May 2, 2026
📰 Read the match report: https://t.co/7Cu4SdwjSF#LEIvRCT #NeverLessThanEverything pic.twitter.com/b4TcUsr369
French club Toulon, themselves three-time European champions, were just 14-11 behind at half-tim.
But in the end tries from Seta Tuicuvu, Baptiste Serin and Drean, plus two conversions and two penalties from Jaminet penalties, were not quote enough to secure what would have been a stunning win.
Leinster clung on in the closing stages to reach their ninth final in the Champions Cup's history.
"You know a team like Toulon will up things at some stage," Leinster skipper Doris told Premier Sports.
"They started to throw it around and some stuff came off. A tough fixture.
"Massive effort from everyone to reach another final. It feels good out there this season."
For Toulon it was a question of what might have been. At one point Leinster had two players in the sin bin but they were unable to take advantage.
And in the last minute, the irrepressible Drean produced a threatening break down the right before spilling his pass inside forward.
Aaaaaaaand breathe 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/D1IC16kNxb
— Leinster Rugby (@leinsterrugby) May 2, 2026
"We had match point," said a frustrated Pierre Mignoni, Toulon’s director of rugby.
"But unfortunately we dropped the ball. That’s how it is, that’s elite sport, that’s life, that’s rugby.
"Not many people thought we could win here. We weren’t far off but now we have to work to get back into the Champions Cup next season."
Leinster's success also ended a four-match losing streak against Toulon – the only team they had previously played more than once and never beaten since turning professional in 1995.
They are now into their fourth Champions Cup final in five seasons but Leinster have not lifted the trophy since the last of their quartet of titles in 2018.
Leinster will play the winners of Sunday's second semifinal between reigning European champions Bordeaux-Begles and Bath in a final in Bilbao, northern Spain, on May 23.