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Brian O'Driscoll Feels Same Issue Has Cost Leinster In Yet Another Champions Cup Final

Brian O'Driscoll Feels Same Issue Has Cost Leinster In Yet Another Champions Cup Final
Gary Connaughton
By Gary Connaughton
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Another year, another Champions Cup final heartbreak for Leinster.

The Irish province have fallen to a 31-22 extra-time defeat against Toulouse at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the third consecutive year that they have lost on that stage.

It was an excellent game between two brilliant sides, but Leinster will no doubt come away feeling that they probably should have won it.

They dominated in terms of territory for most of normal time, only to botch a number of excellent scoring opportunities inside the opposition 22-metre line. The French side deserve credit for being resolute in their defending, although they were helped by quite a few handling errors on the other side.

The contest would eventually go to extra-time, at which point a yellow card for James Lowe gave Toulouse the advantage. They would go to to tack on ten point over the next few minutes.

However, the game swung once again when Richie Arnold was given a red card, with Leinster going on to get their first try via Josh van der Flier.

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Leinster looked to be in a fantastic position at that point, but after two cheap penalties were conceded when the game resumed, it became clear that it would not be their day.

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In the end, Toulouse would claim their sixth triumph in this competition.

READ HERE: Reported New Kit Deal Sums Up Worrying State Of Affairs For Ulster

Brian O'Driscoll reacts to another Leinster Champions Cup final loss

This was yet another heartbreaking defeat for Leinster, who once again failed to produce their best rugby in a European final. That ultimately cost them, especially when it came to their bluntness in attack.

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Speaking on TNT Sports after the game, Brian O'Driscoll said it was the lack of 'spark' in the Leinster team that has cost them during their final appearances in each of the last three seasons. He also said that he felt this side would bounce back after losing by the tightest of margins yet again.

The stark element of the emotions those two sides are feeling. There's the elation littered with exhaustion, but the Toulouse players are on cloud nine.

Leinster have to go away into the dressing room with a silence, travel home together licking their wounds and go again. God, it's heartbreaking.

Three finals in a row is devastating. They just haven't managed to quite get that spark when it's been needed in finals...

They're getting to finals year on year. I'm getting text messages from friends asking 'is it time for Leo to move on'.

They were a fraction away! We were in extra-time here against one of the great Toulouse teams. It's crazy to think about.

We're just missing that little bit of good luck and little bit of good fortune that you need in any tournament. It has just gone against them these few times.

It will come full circle. They just need to keep going at and keep going and not lose faith.

Leinster will have to quickly dust themselves down after this result, with the business end of their URC campaign still to come.

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While they will certainly want to win that competition, this defeat is going to sting for a long time.

SEE ALSO: Bernard Jackman Tweet Has Munster Fans Dreaming Of New Zealand Signing

Shaun Stevenson New Zealand Ireland
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