After a hot weekend in the Investec Champions Cup, with Toulouse and Leinster both in the final, it's time to pick our team of the week.
Leinster raced into the race with a 20-3 lead and were the first to qualify for the final. Northampton Saints fought back but ultimately fell just short of a memorable victory as the Irish side won 20-17.
Toulouse and Harlequins played out a thrilling 10-try game on Sunday, with the French giants winning 38-26 despite Quins threatening to pull off another famous comeback.
The weekend's results set the stage for the epic Investec Champions Cup final to be played at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on May 25th.
There were so many great performances this weekend that it was a difficult decision to choose this week's team, but all four teams made it to the squad.
So without further ado, here's this week's Investec Champions Cup teams.
Champions Cup Team of the Week
15 Tyrone Green (Harlequin): If he continues his form, it looks like the talented full-back could make his Test debut in England or South Africa. He showed great fitness against Toulouse, running over 140 meters. blair kinghorn He would be unlucky to miss out after performing well at fullback and on the wing.
14 Kaydan Marley (Harlequin): We swapped out the wings to accommodate the speedsters in Quins. His finishing on corner kicks was nothing short of spectacular and he was always a threat whenever he had the ball. juan cruz maria It was solid for Toulouse despite limited chances.
13 Paul Costes (Toulouse): The rising star once again showed an outstanding performance on the big stage against a powerful French team. The 21-year-old's fluid footwork caused all sorts of problems for the Harlequins defense, while also creating chances for players around him.of leinster robbie henshaw and of northampton tommy freeman They produced an interesting head-to-head battle in the first semifinal.
12 Andre Esterhuizen (Harlequin): The Springbok powerhouse did everything he could to lead Quins to the final with his big carries, smooth hands, and ferocity in defense and at the breakdown. The opponent's jersey number is 12. Pita Akihe also showed a great shift at the Toulouse Stadium, jamie osbourne Another shock to Leinster's midfield.
“Absolutely the best” – Andre Esterhuizen ranks Marcus Smith higher than his Springbok teammate
Hat-trick hero, world-class Gibson Park
11 James Lowe (Leinster): It was an easy decision, with the Ireland star scoring all three of his team's tries in a 20-17 victory over Northampton Saints. This followed his five tries in the quarter-finals. Lowe was critical of his team's performance in the second half, which was still excellent.
10 Marcus Smith (Harlequin): It was a really difficult decision, so Finn Smith and Romain Ntamak Quins' playmaker is no surprise as he had another great performance this weekend. He scored some great tries and provided assists that gave him the edge against Ntamak, even though his team ended up on the losing side.
9 Jamison Gibson Park (Leinster): Another world-class performance from the Leinster starman who caught the eye despite a classy performance from the Toulouse captain. Antoine Dupont. Gibson Park led Leinster to victory with two try assists and was named Player of the Match. He is truly the heart of the Leinster team.
Leinster player review: Jamison Gibson-Park and James Rowe star players qualify for Champions Cup final again
8 Caelan Doris (Leinster): As usual, the Irishman was combative and relentlessly increased his workload on both sides of the ball. Leinster desperately needed it against a spirited Saints attack. On the other side of the jumper, Juano Augustus He made another hard shift on both sides of the ball as he continued to press for more honors.
7 François Clos (Toulouse): Few players in Europe are in better form than the Les Bleus mainstay who spearheaded Toulouse's run to the final. He topped the table for tackles in the win against Harlequins and was sensational at the breakdown.Elsewhere, Quinn's Will Evans Despite Toulouse's conservative efforts to neutralize his influence, his opinions were sharp.
Toulouse player review: Antoine Dupont's brace and Francois Clos' masterclass lead France to Champions Cup final
6 Courtney Rose (Northampton Saints): Although this was the last Champions Cup appearance for his beloved Saints, he gave his all, starring with and without the ball, making 18 tackles and two turnovers. Ryan Baird Similar to Harlequin's youth, brought about notable changes. chandler cunningham southI unfortunately missed both.
Toulouse's second row players
5 Emmanuel Mefuu (Toulouse): It was difficult to overlook the French side's huge second row players. He wreaked havoc on the Quins' defense, drawing multiple defenders on his carries before deftly offloading them with contact.of leinster Joe McCarthy Like the Quins captain, he had a strong performance against Northampton. Stephen Lewis.
4 Thibault Flament (Toulouse): He combined well with Meafou to give the Top 14 team a double punch of power and workload. He stole the ball from Cunningham-South and scored a well-deserved try, then scored a lineout to lead Toulouse into a try.
3 Tadaharon (Leinster): Ireland's front row did a great job in the win against Northampton Saints and the veteran tighthead was at his best again.Mention of Quins Will Collier In Toulouse he beat Cyril Baille.
2 Dan Sheehan (Leinster): Toulouse have three outstanding players in the center of their front row. pete maubaka and of northampton curtis langdon It would be a shame to miss Leinster's star forward after a great performance this weekend. Sheehan was accurate at set pieces and had a lot of hands on the ball while putting in a strong defensive performance.
1 Finn Baxter (Harlequin): Facing a strong French group like Toulouse is a daunting task, but Quins' young loosehead rose to the challenge just as he did against Bordeaux. He outperformed Dorian Aldegueri and was no slouch around the park. andrew porter He also shone in Leinster's win over Northampton.
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