Delon Armitage is a doubt for European Rugby Champions Cup final after reportedly breaking a bone in his hand during the semi-final against Leinster.
Armitage could be out for between four and six weeks, according to reports in L’Equipe, after suffering the injury during the 25-20 win on Sunday. That would mean he would miss the final at Twickenham on 2 May.
Toulon could become the first side to win three successive European titles after Leigh Halfpenny kept them in contention against Leinster with his boot. A try from Bryan Habana in extra time sealed the win in a scrappy encounter.
But Matt Giteau echoed his Toulon team-mate Habana’s sentiments that the reigning European champions will need to up their game in next month’s Twickenham showdown against Clermont Auvergne. Toulon and Clermont will contest the fifth all-French major European final, and semi-final evidence suggests Clermont should start as favourites.
Although Toulon claimed a five-point victory over Leinster and Clermont experienced a similarly-tense 13-9 success against Saracens, Giteau and his Toulon team-mates did not remotely hit the standards they normally reach.
“We made it difficult for ourselves,” admitted the Australian back Giteau after the 25-20 success. “It wasn’t one of our best games, but in big games like these, you have to find a way to win.
“It felt like we never really had control and we couldn’t find any rhythm, but we showed massive character in defence, and that’s what got us through.
“The ball was wet and neither side could play in their own half. We made points, but then we gave points away. It’s great having a goal kicker like Leigh Halfpenny. You can never replace a player like Jonny Wilkinson, but it’s good having Leigh.
“We have to learn from this, and we will really scrutinise the performance. We can’t afford to put ourselves under pressure in the big games.”
Leinster led for large periods of a game that ended 12-12 after 80 minutes, but turned in the blink of an eye with an interception by Habana after he collected Ian Madigan’s loose pass.
Habana added: “If we want to be contenders to win the European title, we will have to go back to the drawing board. As a team, we are going to have to look really hard at ourselves after that performance.
“Our discipline needs to be better and we can’t afford to make as many errors. Mentally, I think we turned up and thought it was going to be a walkover, but the game ended up being on a knife-edge.
“Now we have the chance to make it a special end to the season for players like Carl Hayman, Ali Williams and Bakkies Botha, who are retiring. We’ve got 80 minutes, or maybe 100, to try to put them into the history books as legends with a third successive European win.”
For Leinster, it was a case of what might have been as their hopes of reaching a fourth European final in seven seasons fell agonisingly short. “The overwhelming emotion is one of pride,” the Leinster head coach, Matt O’Connor, said. “The effort the lads put in was fantastic and we are obviously incredibly disappointed to come second.
“Habana’s intercept was the turning point – he is world-class – but the positive for us was the effort. It was second to none. A lot of people had written us off coming into this game, but we will back ourselves to go anywhere and beat anybody.”
Saracens’ exit in St-Étienne ended English clubs’ interest in this season’s Champions Cup, and they must now swiftly turn to domestic matters, with the Premiership leaders Northampton next up in five days’ time.
Saracens remain on course for a home play-off tie, and their England No8 Billy Vunipola said: “We have still got very important games coming up, and we will move on. As the team is growing, we are learning to move on from disappointments, and one day we will get over the line.”
