Antoine Dupont leads Toulouse to Champions Cup glory as France's oval-ball icon successfully launches his golden summer crusade by orchestrating victory over Leinster

Antoine Dupont's golden summer crusade was successfully launched in north London yesterday, as France’s oval-ball icon claimed the first of what he hopes will be three titles in two rugby formats.

The Gallic genius was loudly acclaimed as man of the match at the end of this enthralling Champions Cup final, which went to extra time before Toulouse saw off their shattered Irish rivals.

Dupont lifted the trophy to signify a sixth cross-border conquest by the competition’s most decorated club, as part one of his unique Treble quest. Part two is the Top 14 league, then — in front of a global audience — he will set about part three: the Olympics.

Mirroring events up the road at Wembley, red trumped blue in a thunderous showpiece between familiar foes in one of the capital’s grandest football arenas.

What a contest it was, a 100-minute exhibition of what this sport — making another guest appearance at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium — looks like at its finest. Yet playing their part in such epic sporting drama will be little consolation to Leinster.

The Dublin-based province have seen this movie before and they are heartily sick of it —defeat in the final by narrow margin against French opposition. In 2022, it was La Rochelle. Last year, it was La Rochelle again. 

This year, it is Toulouse who deny them a first Champions Cup success since 2018. They wanted to join the five-star club but, instead, Toulouse move on to six.

It wasn’t just the Dupont show. The superhuman scrum-half actually made some mistakes for a change, but lifted his team with crucial ruck turnovers and a 50-22 kick which was inch-perfect. 

His influence grew as the game went on and there were glimpses of the warrior spirit which underpins his staggering talent.

Even the world’s best player needs some help and Dupont had plenty, not least from Blair Kinghorn. 

This French feat was gift-wrapped in tartan. Scotland’s full-back kicked four penalties before Thomas Ramos took over the duties — and he was a regal presence at the back, despite a few aerial lapses. 

Dupont and Toulouse will now switch focus to the Top 14, as league leaders heading to the business end of that domestic campaign. After that, the maestro will become the poster-boy for the Paris Olympics and seek to end Fiji’s golden monopoly in Sevens.

Yesterday’s final featured no tries in the first 80 minutes but no shortage of compelling drama in front of a crowd of 61,531 — the biggest for a decade. It was fascinating to watch two pedigree teams cancel each other out with ferocity and courage and relentless commitment.

Matthis Lebel thought he’d won it with a try in the left corner from a Romain Ntamack cross-kick 11 minutes from the end of normal time, but his foot had brushed the touchline. Then Ciaran Frawley had a last-minute drop-goal shot for glory, but fired wide.

Cards were a factor in extra time, as James Lowe was sin-binned for a deliberate knock-on and in his absence, Lebel struck from a sweeping, long-range raid. Then Toulouse lock Richie Arnold was sent off for a shoulder charge into Cian Healy’s head.

When Toulouse had closed it out and Kinghorn had ridden a model zebra placed on the field by the sponsors, Jack Willis wandered around with the trophy. 

It was a poignant moment for the England flanker — a career highlight which should go some way to alleviating the frustration of his Test exile. He played his part in the launch of Dupont’s golden summer.