Antoine Dupont

All in all it wasn’t a great weekend for the men in the middle in European semi-finals

Aside from turnover try and another off a catch-and-drive, Toulouse hardly threatened

Clash of competition’s most successful sides makes for match of season on Irish soil

Workload of French side’s star players considerably higher than that of hosts Leinster

In-form scrumhalf’s head-to-head with Dupont at the Aviva an enticing prospect

The teams couldn’t be separated after normal and extra-time at the Aviva Stadium

Agonisingly small margins for Ulster as potent Dupont-Ntamack threat proves key for Toulouse

Toulouse win sees them travel to take on Munster in Dublin while Leinster are also away

French aristocrats show their mettle to secure one-point aggregate win

The defending champions have shown before in Belfast how dangerous they can be

But stats show McFarland’s side possess the backs to thwart the champions again

Current trial that allows a replacement for a sent off after 20 minutes is wrong-headed and dangerous.

Full-strength Toulouse will travel to Belfast in expectation, not simply hope

Gibson-Park should’ve seen red as too many brutal collisions went far beyond legal limits

Ulster’s lead heading into the second leg could have been more if not for Ntamack

Heineken Champions Cup: Munster shrug off injury worries in upcoming game with Exeter

Five Irish players included, nine from the winning French team, and Maro Itoje

The Offload: Ireland conceded just four tries during the Six Nations

Les Bleus victory over England to seal title marks defining moment for modern rugby

Galthié’s enviably balanced young side puts some illustrious names in the shade

Paris punishment may follow Murrayfield misery and Twickenham tribulations

Early Anthony Jelonch try ultimately proved decisive for grand-slam chasing visitors

Dan Biggar hoping to shut down imperious halfback pairing of Ntamack and Dupont

Damian Penaud goes over for two tries in the second-half to help secure bonus-point win

The law of relative velocity was at play in the build-up to France’s opening try

Galthie’s decision to select six forwards in the replacements important in the end game

‘Return’ match in the Aviva next season will be eagerly awaited by supporters

Andy Farrell’s side favourites to reignite championship bid when Italy come to Dublin

Battling second-half comeback comes up just short in Stade de France cauldron

Patrick Madden looks at some of the key factors at play in Saturday’s intense contest

France head coach was not surprised that Ireland played their way back into the game

Difficult to look past French flair and power not to mention a raucous home Parisian crowd

Attack god has looked kindly on Andy Farrell on his path down rugby’s road to Damascus

Abrasive centre says – despite Sexton’s absence – Ireland have the players to take the game to the French

Les Bleus and Dupont will come on for Italy win but Paris visitors pose a serious danger

France scrumhalf ups the ante ahead of next weekend’s crunch showdown in Paris

The role of the inside centre is letting the No 10 flourish is one of the game’s key combinations

Ross O’Carroll Kelly: It’s the night before Sixmas – and Ross is feeling ignored

Antoine Dupont to captain Les Bleus in their Six Nations opener in Paris

Caelan Doris, Jimmy O’Brien and Josh van der Flier included on longlist