HEAD TO HEAD

Having ended his 53-game wait for a try by scoring twice against Glasgow last weekend, Kearney’s confidence will be high. The veteran full-back has a point to prove too having been dropped for the quarter-final. Back in familiar territory, Kearney will back himself to deliver. Larmour reverts back to the wing having seen off plenty of stiff competition. The supremely talented youngster hasn’t quite hit the heights this season, but with the ground now firmer and the weather much better, it is an ideal time to recapture his best form. The usually ultra-reliable Ringrose had an off-day against Ulster when he was blocked down twice. That won’t have gone unnoticed by Toulouse, but the centre has proven his class time and time. A joy to watch in full flow, his defensive work will be key. Back after his troublesome dead leg, Henshaw renews his midfield partnership with Ringrose, which is a major boost. Leinster’s line speed has been a bit of an issue in recent weeks, but the Athlone native is just the player to set that right. Back where he belongs, Lowe will be eager to make a statement in the biggest game of the season. May not have made the match-day squad had Jamison Gibson-Park been fit, but everyone except Toulouse will be delighted to see the sensational Kiwi winger returning. The stage is right for Sexton to play his first game of 2019 for Leinster. Struggled for form in the Six Nations and then had to deal with an injury. The skipper must keep his cool tomorrow. Class is permanent however. Don’t be surprised to see Sexton remind everyone of that. Fit-again after a torrid time with injury, McGrath is still working his way back to the peak of his powers after a second serious knee injury. A superb competitor, the scrum-half’s leadership will be crucial as he looks to put himself back into contention for a World Cup place. Against all the odds, Healy overcame a career threatening injury to re-establish himself as one of the best looseheads in the game. The 31-year old is enjoying a fine season – he remains as reliable as ever at scrum time, while his destructive ball-carrying is a major weapon. One of several Leinster players with a point to prove, Cronin has been one of the province’s most important players in Europe this year, but he has been unable to carry that form onto the international stage. Must nail his darts to ensure the lineout runs smoothly. The best tighthead in the world bar none. Furlong may feel that he hasn’t quite been at his consistent best this season, but he was a force of nature against Ulster and up against a meaty Toulouse pack, the Wexford native will relish the close exchanges. This is unfamiliar territory for a player who has rarely been injured in his career, but Toner showed no ill-effects of his ankle problem as he got through 80 minutes last weekend. A calming influence at the lineout, the importance of his return cannot be overlooked. It says so much about Ryan’s meteoric rise that he is now considered one of the first names on the team-sheet for both club and country. His relentless work rate in defence is staggering, while he is a willing ball carrier who invariably gets over the gain-line. A special talent. Remains an unsung hero to those outside of the Leinster squad. Ruddock never lets his team down and his work at the breakdown will be important. Another who will be hoping to impress enough to ensure that he is on the plane to Japan later this year. There have been signs that the Tullow native is edging closer to his best again, but he hasn’t yet got there. O’Brien spoke last week about wanting to get on the ball more often and against this powerful French pack, there will be a big onus on him to puncture holes in it. The form No 8 in the country right now, Leinster have Conan to thank for being in this semi-final after his barnstorming performance turned the tide against Ulster. The Bray native has always had the pace and power but now, crucially, he has added big-game intelligence. Injuries and big selection calls, particularly with the replacement props, means that the bench isn’t full of impact. Michael Bent (left) is selected ahead of the injured Andrew Porter, while Gibson-Park’s energy will be missed. Scott Fardy is an excellent option. Leo Cullen and Stuart Lancaster have rotated their squad heavily recently in a bid to peak for the run-ins. It hasn’t been the ideal preparation leading into the biggest game of the season, but they have been here before and know what it takes to get the job done. The versatile 23-year-old can expect plenty of high balls down his channel tomorrow as Leinster may look to target him in the air. Ramos is an illusive runner with ball in hand but he can be got at defensively. At 31, the veteran winger’s best years are behind him but nevertheless, Huget still poses a major threat out wide. A clinical finisher, Lowe will have to be on his toes to keep the French international quiet. A key cog in Toulouse’s back-line, Guitoune is a powerful ball carrier who has deceptively quick feet to match as he demonstrated when his side beat Leinster at home earlier in the campaign. His battle with Garry Ringrose will be fascinating. Connacht supporters never really saw the best of the Kiwi during his one season with the club. Ahki has somewhat reinvented himself in France and he gets the nod ahead of Romain Ntamack, which is a big call by Ugo Mola. One of those players that supporters pay good money to see live, Kolbe has the potential to light up this contest. The Springbok winger is one of the fastest players in the game and his dancing feet are bound to cause Leinster plenty of problems. A bit of a surprise to see Dupont start just his fourth professional game in the number 10 jersey. The outstanding youngster is more comfortable playing scrum-half but he showed in the quarter-final win over Racing 92 that he can also slot in at out-half. Like his half-back partner Dupont, Bezy can also fill in at 10, so it will be interesting to see if the pair swap positions during the game. The 27-year-old has been around for a while and has plenty of big-game experience. Started both games against Leinster this season, so the hosts will know exactly what to expect from Castets. The 22-year-old is a coming force and faces another big test of his scrummaging credentials against an all Irish international front-row. The former France U-20 international has the sizeable task of filling the void left by the injured Julien Marchand, who is a big loss. Mauvaka has done a decent job since coming into the team but playing against the champions at the Aviva is another step up. The former All Black tighthead has been a shrewd signing as he has brought a wealth of experience to the front-row. Faumuina ran himself into the ground at the RDS before he had to be replaced. His conditioning is not what it once was, but he remains a canny operator. The Australian has been a bit of nomad up to this point as he looks to finally settle at a club. At 6ft 10in, he poses a major threat at the lineout. Back to full fitness after a frustrating spell out, which meant that he missed Scotland’s Six Nations campaign as well as last November’s internationals. Gray is hugely physical and will see this game as an ideal way to play his way into Gregor Townsend’s World Cup plans. The ex-Stormers flanker has plenty of Super Rugby experience, which he has brought to Europe since linking up with Toulouse in 2017. Elstadt will be expected to disrupt Leinster ball at every opportunity. Most would agree that Tekori is lucky to be available after he avoided a suspension for a dangerous tackle against Clermont last weekend. Toulouse will be breathing a collective sigh of relief as he adds a huge amount of ballast to a back-row. The heartbeat of this Toulouse team, Kaino is still a classy player. A back-to-back World Cup winner with the All Blacks, the all-singing and dancing No 8 can mix his power game with more subtle nuances around the pitch. The experienced Cyril Baille (right) will make an impact at scrum time, while Toulouse have potential game-changers in Romain Ntamack and Maxime Medard, who can both bring something different to the party. Former players Ugo Mola and Regis Sonnes have Toulouse in their DNA and understand what the club is all about. Mola allows his players to play heads-up rugby, which is thrilling to watch, while Sonnes has added an edge to the pack.