Following the 41-22 defeat to Leinster in the Champions Cup semi-final, here is how we rated the Toulouse players.

15 Thomas Ramos: After starring in the quarter-final, Ramos had a poor game in the semi-final. His yellow card swung momentum in Leinster’s favour as the Irish outfit scored 14 points while he was off the pitch and another seven moments after he returned. He executed a superb 50:22 for the opening try, but otherwise, it was a somewhat off-colour performance from the excellent fullback. 3

14 Juan Cruz Mallía: The Puma has been a key man for Toulouse in recent games, but he was under par today. He was bamboozled by Conan for the number eight’s second try. Some bright moments on attack, but that was outweighed by his errors and missed tackles. 4

13 Pierre-Louis Barassi: Unfortunately, the centre’s game was cut short by injury after 14 minutes into the semi-final, forcing a backline shuffle. He had few opportunities to impress during his stint but made all of his attempted tackles. 5

Back line shuffle

12 Pita Ahki: A real threat with ball in hand, Ahki took his try well and consistently proved to be a handful when he attacked the Leinster defence. 6

11 Matthis Lebel: A few bright moments in possession, including a try assist for Ahki, but he was found wanting on defence at times. 5

10 Romain Ntamack: He shifted into the centres after Barassi’s injury and was far less impactful in the role than in the quarter-finals. Ntamack had opportunities and possession as he looked to force the issue, and it just didn’t come off for the playmaker. 4

9 Antoine Dupont: He never really has a bad game, and today was no different. His move to flyhalf impacted Toulouse’s attacking patterns, but overall, Dupont still had more positive contributions than negatives. He defended his channel strongly and gained over 90 running metres. 6

Standouts in the pack

8 Francois Cros: An off day for the usually brilliantly Toulouse workhorse as he missed a few crucial tackles that he’d normally make, including one on Jenkins to stop a try. He did get through his usual high workload in the rucks but could have been more effective in attack. 4

7 Thibaud Flament: He never lacks effort and enthusiasm in his performance but got little reward from it today. He got through a lot of graft throughout the game and was replaced in the final quarter. 6

6 Jack Willis: His one notable error led to Leinster’s third try, but outside of that, Willis was a standout for Toulouse. He regularly gained an extra few metres with his bulking ball carries. He was a constant threat over the ball and was solid defensively. His efforts were rewarded with a consolation try. 7

5 Emmanuel Meafou: Another standout from the Toulouse pack as Meafou produced on his big billing with a dynamite performance on attack. Each carry drew in at least two Leinster defenders, often three or four. He won a penalty with his work at the breakdown and capitalised on the chance to score a well-taken try. 7

4 Richie Arnold: The second-rower has caught the eye of Eddie Jones, but his performance against Leinster is not a good representation of his form. He made uncharacteristic handling errors and lineout inaccuracies. 4

Front row and bench

3 Dorian Aldegheri: The scrums ended up being relatively even, with neither side gaining real dominance for an extended period. Outside of that, it was stock standard breakdown work from the prop. 4

2 Peato Mauvaka: Toulouse did win possession with every one of Mauvaka’s throws. The hooker is renowned for his strong ball carrying, and Leinster did mark him well enough to limit his impact. He was solid on defence and won a turnover. 5

1 Cyril Baille: The 29-year-old had a good battle with Tadhg Furlong in the scrums and was busy on both sides of the ball. He did play his part in Toulouse’s quick ruck speed and tackled well. 5

Replacements: Toulouse needed a significant impact from their bench to get them back into the game, and it just didn’t get it. Rodrigue Neti’s yellow card cost Ugo Mola’s side. Paul Graou deserves a mention for his performance at scrumhalf but outside of him; it was a largely dull impact from the bench. 3

READ MORE: Champions Cup: Slick Leinster reach another final as Toulouse implode

The article Toulouse player ratings: Few standouts as Leinster run riot to end French giant’s title bid appeared first on Planetrugby.com.