Toulon vs. Leinster: Score, Reaction from 2015 European Champions Cup Semi-Final

Defending champions Toulon booked their spot in the final of the European Champions Cup with a thrilling 25-20 win over Leinster, needing extra time to dispose of the Irish visitors in Marseille.

Fans were treated to a tremendous match of rugby played in the pouring rain, where Toulon's star power ultimately made the difference deep in extra time.    

As The42_ie's Murray Kinsella shared, the visiting fans' French counterparts outnumbered them by a huge margin:

Leinster's start couldn't have gone any worse: Ian Madigan's kick went straight through the back of Toulon's try line, and the defending champions pushed forward in numbers and nearly scored a try. Luckily for the visitors, Chris Masoe was offside, and Leigh Halfpenny eventually kicked a penalty to put his side up 3-0.

Madigan answered right back with a penalty of his own, and ByTheMin RugbyU thought the score was a vital one for Leinster:

"

11' Madigan levels it up. Leinster will be glad to be back in it after that scare a few minutes ago. TOU 3-3 LEI

— ByTheMin RugbyU (@ByTheMinRugbyU) April 19, 2015"

The match was played at a terrific pace early, with strong kicking making sure the pressure was always on one of the defences. Toulon's raw athleticism was on full display, but Leinster countered with great physicality and disrupted passing lanes beautifully.

To the horror of the crowd in Marseille, the visitors even took the lead after 16 minutes. Masoe left his feet at the ruck, and Madigan kicked his second successful penalty of the match.

Suddenly, Leinster were in full control, and Toulon started committing error after error. A poor lineout gave the visitors another penalty, and Madigan stepped up once again. Rugby World couldn't believe how many mental mistakes were being made:

The rain was making it hard for both teams to grip the ball, with Toulon struggling the most. The hosts tried to push forward with numbers, but every time a strong move appeared to be coming to fruition, the ball was seemingly turned over.

A strong kicking game and penalties appeared to be the only way to put points on the board, and after great work from Masoe, Halfpenny reduced the gap to three points.

Those would be the final points of the first half, as Rugby World shared:

The Sunday Mirror's Ciaran O Raghallaigh believed Leinster still had their work cut out for them:

Toulon needed a shift in tactics, and they came out with a more physical approach in the second half. Their power in the maul was on full display early, putting Leinster on the back foot as they drove deep into Irish territory.

Halfpenny had the chance to pull his team on level terms minutes into the second half, but incredibly, the Wales international missed his penalty attempt. The Champions Cup's official Twitter account was as shocked as everyone:

He redeemed himself minutes later, however, tying things up at 9-9.

Leinster suffered another big blow when Fergus McFadden was forced to come off with what looked like a severe arm injury. According to Sky Sports, the centre may have broken it.

Despite these setbacks, the visitors continued to give Toulon a hard time. The hosts briefly took the lead through Halfpenny, but less than a minute later, things were tied up again when Madigan made a fantastic kick from long range. ESPN Scrum.com noted the scoring was becoming a bit repetitive:

Leinster applied more pressure entering the final 10 minutes, sensing an upset was very much on the cards. Jimmy Gopperth tried to kick a drop goal but put his effort wide, while Rob Kearney's attempt from distance dropped well short.

Delon Armitage was then given a final chance to win it for Toulon, kicking a penalty from inside his own half. The kick didn't even come close to the target, and both teams headed for extra time.

Irish Examiner's Tony Leen wasn't shocked Armitage missed with his attempt:

Toulon struck first in extra time, Halfpenny converting a penalty after a Leinster foul on the scrum. But once again, Leinster's answer was immediate, with Madigan matching his Welsh colleague. 

It always looked as if a crucial mistake would decide this match, and late in the first half of extra time, Leinster were given a golden opportunity. Ali Williams was harshly yellow-carded for making contact with Devin Toner in the air, forcing the hosts to continue with 14 men on the pitch.

Even Irish journalist Pirate Irwin didn't agree with the decision:

Despite the man advantage, Leinster couldn't immediately take advantage. Instead, Toulon grabbed the lead after a great break. The penalty was followed up by the first try of the match, Bryan Habana picking up a long pass and racing across the pitch to shock the visitors.

Rugby writer Gavin Mortimer knew the speedster was capable of a vital move like that all along:

"

Ahem, see my tweet of 2 hours ago, quoting Max Evans: "Habana is a great reader of the game... & his positioning is excellent."

— gavin mortimer (@gavinmortimer7) April 19, 2015"

Leinster answered with a try of their own in the second half, as the maul carried Sean O'Brien over the line. Gopperth's conversion smashed into the upright, however, meaning the visitors had to score a second try or kick two more penalties to win.

Toulon's defence tightened, and with Williams returning to the pitch, there was no space or time for Leinster to force a final push, as the defending champions comfortably held on to their 25-20 lead.

Speaking to the Guardian, Leinster's Luke Fitzgerald predicted a tight match, although he expected a different outcome.

"They’re a great team, but I think everyone here is ready to go to war," he said. "I can’t see us running out the gate again. I can’t see it. I just think it’s going to be tight. I can’t call it, but obviously I have the belief in our guys that we can do it."

Toulon will meet French rivals Clermont in the final of the European Champions Cup, with both teams entering the semi-finals as favourites in their respective matches. It should be a cracking match of rugby between two clubs familiar with each other, and Clermont will present a massive challenge to Toulon's bid of winning their third European crown in a row.

Clermont lost a thriller to Toulon in the 2013 edition of the tournament, and a similar match should be expected at Twickenham.    

Follow @ReverschPass