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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Sport
Michael Scully

Leinster chomping at the bit to test themselves against Toulouse - Leo Cullen

Leo Cullen says Leinster can't wait for tomorrow's Heineken Champions Cup semi-final and will be gunning for Toulouse at the Aviva Stadium.

For this heavyweight last four tussle, the Blues supremo has named 22 of the 23 players who won at Leicester Tigers in last Saturday's quarter-final, with Tommy O'Brien unlucky to miss out after suffering an ACL injury in training this week.

But Leinster have been able to name the same starting line-up for their collision with the reigning champions.

Already 37,000 tickets have been sold and Cullen is hoping for more over the next 24 hours - and that a "sea of blue" can roar his side into the European final for the first time since 2019.

"It's amazing to be here at the Aviva for a semi-final and everyone is just excited to get going," said Cullen after today's Captain's Run at Lansdowne Road.

"It's a very quick turnaround from a quarter-final to a semi-final but there are parts of the week that are going quite slowly as well, it's almost like we just want to get out there and play the game.

"So huge credit to everyone in the ticket office, they've managed to get close to 40,000 tickets sold already and hopefully push that on over the next 24 hours and we'll get that sea of blue here, which is what everyone has really craved that's involved with the team.

"Because we've been in this situation the last couple of seasons, playing these big play-off games in Europe and haven't had any supporters at all.

"To be at this stage of the competition, a semi-final here at the Aviva, we'd like to be able to press fast forward and get into the action because it's just a very, very exciting time for us."

Toulouse edged past Ulster in the round of 16 - winning by a point on aggregate - and - overcame Munster after extra time and penalty kicks at the Aviva Stadium six days ago.

Jamison Gibson Park, Jimmy O'Brien and Hugo Keenan (©INPHO/Ryan Byrne)

However Cullen is hugely wary of the threat that the French giants will pose, given the amount of experience and Grand Slam winners in their ranks.

"They have the ability just to turn it on at this stage of the season," cautioned the 44-year-old.

"Like, there's two different styles, they have the pressure game where they tighten things up and keep the game very, very tight, then they've the ability to open up at moments in the game as well with some of the players that they have.,

"It's been pretty well documented, you've seen some of their individuals, the big seasons they've had, not just with Toulouse but with France.

"And they've a huge amount of experience in the team now that has produced on the big days, during the course of the Six Nations and you saw it during the November internationals as well.

"It's a great challenge for our guys. They are the five time champions, they're the current champions, they're the Top 14 champions and they have a Grand Slam winning group of players as well.

"But that's what our guys wanted, they want to be up against this type of team at this stage of the tournament.

"That's what I mean, we're waiting now and everyone just wants to get into the game at this point.

"From our point of view, there were some good parts in our performance, there's a lot of things we can get better at and that's what we've tried to focus on as a group this week.

"We just want to get going now."

Cullen added that the key ingredient for Leinster success is to ensure they can impose their own game on the visitors.

"When you're at the Aviva, there's a certain familiarity, but we can't rely on it. We have the crowd's support, it feeds into the energy of the team," he said.

"For us to deliver that type of performance which brings a lot of energy and intent to our play, that's the thing we've tried to focus on.

"Toulouse are hugely experienced, and they'll be trying to find ways to disrupt our flow.

"We've discussed certain things that they may do, but again we have to be able to be alert to the things that they're trying to impose upon us.

"It's a fascinating challenge, they're a great team. We watched on with great interest last year, we got knocked out in the semi-final against La Rochelle, and watched Toulouse go on and beat La Rochelle.

"We have huge respect for them as a team. We're just excited to get going at this point, we're dying for kickoff.

"Let's get it on now, it's what we're excited about, and just rip into the challenge of playing the top team of Europe over the last 25 years of the competition.

"It doesn't get much better, really. We're excited to get going."

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