The first Champions Cup semi-final is under way. A final in Bilbao against Bordeaux or Bath is the reward.

Around 40,000 have packed into Dublin's Aviva Stadium for this one.

Thumbs up for Leinster, thumbs down for Toulon.

Toulon finished second in Pool 2 and faced South African side Stormers at home in the last 16.

A dramatic 28-27 win - sealed by Charles Ollivon holding up a try in the final play - set up a tough away tie against high-flying Glasgow Warriors.

Toulon, who are eighth in the Top 14, then produced an epic performance to shock the tournament's second seeds, winning 22-19.

With belief high, can they produce another big away win?

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Since Leinster turned professional in 1995, Toulon are the only team that they have played more than once and never beaten.

All four previous meetings came in a short spell between April 2014 and December 2015, when the French side - European champions in 2013, 2014 and 2015 - were at their pomp.

And one of those meetings came in the 2015 Champions Cup semi-final, when Bryan Habana's interception try in extra time sealed a dramatic win in Marseille.

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Leinster agonisingly lost three Champions Cup finals in a row from 2022 to 2024.

Cruising through their pool and knockout rounds, only to come up short, became the theme of their seasons.

That is why Northampton Saints' 37–34 semi-final win in Dublin came as such a shock last season.

Leinster have not been at their best this year, either in Europe or in the league, but they remain in a strong position.

They topped their pool and, after some early pressure, delivered comfortable wins over Edinburgh and Sale Sharks.

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Toulon include former England prop Kyle Sinckler and Scotland scrum-half Ben White in their starting line-up, with Junior Kpoku, who won the under-20 World Cup with England's age-grade side in 2024, earning the nod at flanker.

South African-born second row David Ribbans, who won 11 England caps between 2022 and 2023, captains the side.

Toulon: Jaminet; Drean, Brex, Sinzelle, Tuicuvu; Albornoz, White; Gros, Baubigny, Sinckler, Mezou, Ribbans (c), Kpoku, Ollivon, Shioshvili

Replacements: Lucchesi, Brennan, Gigashvili, Halagahu, Mercer, Serin, Abadie, Ferte

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Andrew Porter returns at loose-head prop to shore up Leinster's front row against Toulon.

Porter hasn't played since picking up an injury in the last-16 win over Edinburgh at the start of April.

His return comes as a big boost because of long-term injuries to Ireland props Paddy McCarthy and Jack Boyle.

However, fellow Ireland international Tadhg Furlong is missing after limping out of the defeat by Benetton at the weekend, with Tom Clarkson coming in at tight-head.

Joe McCarthy and James Ryan are paired in the second row, while Harry Byrne steers the side from fly-half and All Black Rieko Ioane is on the wing.

Leinster: Keenan; O'Brien, Ringrose, Henshaw, Ioane; Byrne, Gibson-Park; Porter, Sheehan, Clarkson, McCarthy, Ryan, Conan, Van der Flier, Doris (c)

Replacements: Kelleher, Cahir, Slimani, Soroka, Penny, McGrath, Prendergast, Osborne.

Leinster face Toulon in Dublin for a place in the Investec Champions Cup final. It is a game steeped in European pedigree.

Toulon have won the tournament three times, while Leinster have claimed it on four occasions.

This is Toulon's first Champions Cup semi-final appearance since 2015, while Leinster were shocked at this stage last year by Northampton Saints, denying them a fourth straight final.

So yes, both teams know a thing or two about this competition.

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