Let’s skip the pleasantries and get to some BREAKING NEWS!

Heavy rain in Marseille.

Does it favour either team?

Do Leinster have any chance? The bookies don’t think so. Toulon are 10-point favourites and are 2/9 to win.

Here are how the teams will line out.

Toulon: 15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 Delon Armitage, 13 Mathieu Bastareaud, 12 Matt Giteau, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Frederic Michalak, 9 Sebastien Tillous-Borde, 8 Chris Masoe, 7 Juan Fernandez Lobbe, 6 Juan Smith, 5 Ali Williams, 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 Carl Hayman (c), 2 Guilhem Guirado, 1 Xavier Chiocci.
Replacements: 16 Jean-Charles Orioli, 17 Alexandre Menini, 18 Levan Chilachava, 19 Steffon Armitage, 20 Drew Mitchell, 21 Rudi Wulf, 22 Michael Claassens, 23 Jocelino Suta.

Leinster: 15 Rob Kearney, 14 Fergus McFadden, 13 Ben Te’o, 12 Ian Madigan, 11 Luke Fitzgerald, 10 Jimmy Gopperth, 9 Isaac Boss, 8 Jamie Heaslip (c), 7 Sean O’Brien, 6 Jordi Murphy, 5 Mike McCarthy, 4 Devin Toner, 3 Mike Ross, 2 Sean Cronin, 1 Cian Healy.
Replacements: 16 Richardt Strauss, 17 Jack McGrath, 18 Martin Moore, 19 Ben Marshall, 20 Dominic Ryan, 21 Eoin Reddan, 22 Gordon D’Arcy, 23 Zane Kirchner.

That last stat is interesting, especially since Leinster have strong young replacements to call on in the forwards. Their scrum was strong against Bath and if they get an advantage in that area early on, Jack McGrath and Marty Moore could really double down on it.

Murray Kinsella is in Marseille for us and if you follow him, or The42′s rugby account, you will get great insight and atmosphere from the big game.

Leinster and Toulon met at the quarter-final stage in last year’s Heineken Cup and the French side were comfortable winners. But Leinster were missing one big man for the clash.

Here’s why Sean O’Brien is so important today.

Looks like Toulon could be adding another star…

If you are a French-speaking rugby fan, then there is a lot of great coverage to indulge in over in France. They have a few papers that devote a lot of space to the oval ball.

A lot of people are giving out that a Scottish football match has run long, delaying the Toulon v Leinster coverage on Sky Sports.

Surely a European semi-final deserves better!

BREAKING: Lions prop weighs in on Skygate.

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Finally the coverage is underway on Sky!

Interestingly, Jonny Wilkinson is helping Toulon in the warm-up and is doing punditry work.

His hair shows just how wet it is over there!

‘I am concerned’ – Shane Horgan when asked about Leinster’s form in the build-up to the semi-final.

It is absolutely bucketing down here. Start lumping on the under points total if you haven’t already.

Wilko was somehow both demure and bullish at the same time.

A LOT of empty seats as we near kick off. Bit disappointing for a European Cup semi-final.

The teams are out on the pitch now!

We are off in Marseille!

Jimmy Gopperth kicks out on the full to start and Toulon have a scrum. Awful start from Leinster.

That was Madigan on the kick off actually.

Giteau tries a chip off the scrum but Gopperth catches it and calls a mark. Lineout to Toulon on their 10m line.

Fergus McFadden knocks on a high ball and Toulon have a scrum just inside the Leinster half. It was a great box kick from Sebastien Tillous-Borde that put pressure on the wing.

Mathieu Bastareaud makes a few yards in midfield to the cheers of the crowd. Toulon in possession right on the 22 now.

Possibly a try for Leinster after Fergus McFadden and then Rob Kearney fumble the ball after a high kick from Freddie Michalak.

This would be a serious gift from Leinster – Toulon have a penalty advantage anyway – but it looks like Chris Masoe was in front of Michalak when the kick was launched.

No try! Massive let off for Matt O’Connor’s men after some farcical scenes in the in-goal area. Penalty to Toulon anyway. Great work by the officials to get that right though.

Toulon 3-0 Leinster

Halfpenny opens the scoring.

Penalty for Leinster after Bakkies Botha cynically stops Cian Healy countering from a blatantly offside position. Ian Madigan will take a shot at goal from 25m out to the right of the posts.

Could have easily been a yellow for the South African as Healy would have had a great chance to play the ball wide.

Toulon 3-3 Leinster

Madigan makes no mistake and we are level. Both sides have been a bit fortunate so far!

Botha is penalised immediately for going offside at a maul in the Leinster 22. You would think that any more infringements from him will result in a card.

Jimmy Gopperth tries to find Sean O’Brien for his first carry of the game but he is very flat and knocks on with Juan Smith in his face. Scrum to Toulon on halfway.

Michalak launches a high ball into the Leinster half and Rob Kearney claims it excellently. On the next phase Gopperth kicks straight to Leigh Halfpenny, who brings play into the Leinster half. The Toulon ten then pins Leinster back in their own 22.

Isaac Boss clears after Mike McCarthy gathers the lineout and Toulon have a lineout about 35m out.

Sean O’Brien makes up for his handling error by winning a turnover penalty just inside the Leinster half. The visitors have only had 20% possession but have a lineout in the Toulon 22 now.

After a Leinster maul, Madigan takes the ball into contact on the 22 and is rewarded with a penalty after Toulon go off their feet. Masoe was the culprit.

Toulon 3-6 Leinster

They’ve been under a bit of pressure but Madigan has just kicked Leinster into the lead.

Freddie Michalak makes a little dart past the Leinster defence but Masoe fumbles the inside ball. A little sloppy from the galacticos in the last ten minutes.

A very powerful Leinster scrum has yielded a penalty. Could be a big weapon going forward, especially with such high-caliber replacements. Another lineout for Leinster inside the Toulon 22.

Another penalty after Botha pulls down Jordi Murphy at the lineout. Tough kick for Madigan though, 22m out to the left of the posts.

Toulon 3-9 Leinster

Madigan extends his side’s lead with another successful kick.

Toulon have a lineout just inside the Leinster half after Boss finds touch.

But Michalak throws a poor pass that goes forward and Leinster have a scrum.

Botha is lucky not to have taken a trip to the bin yet.

Leinster win a free kick at the scrum and Jimmy Gopperth puts the ball high in the air. Halfpenny soars highest to catch it and his kick back is fumbled by the Kiwi. Scrum to Toulon 30m out on the left wing.

Toulon start building the phases but the ball comes off a foot and squirts onto Leinster’s side. Rob Kearney then boots the ball way down field to relieve the pressure.

The slippery ball is causing havoc at the moment. Sean Cronin, Fergus McFadden and Ali Williams all fumble it in a pile-up and it ends with a scrum to Leinster on their own 10m line on the right wing.

A massive scrum from Toulon results in a Jamie Heaslip knock on and now the French side get the put-in. Good pressure from Tillous-Borde.

Cian Healy is penalised for entering the ruck from the side straight in front of the posts on the 22. Halfpenny will reduce the gap.

Toulon 6-9 Leinster

Halfpenny nails the easy kick.

Yet another kick goes dead from Madigan. Toulon get another scrum on halfway. Two big errors from the inside centre.

Ben Te’o and Mike McCarthy make a double tackle on Tillous-Borde and hold him up. Leinster have a scrum just inside their half.

Another scrum penalty for Leinster. Ross has the edge on Xavier Chiocci at the moment. Lineout to Leinster right on the Toulon 22.

The Leinster maul stalls and then O’Brien throws a forward pass back inside to Sean Cronin. Poor execution there and Toulon have a scrum on their own 22.

Michalak tries a cross-field chip but it backfires as Fitzgerald gathers it easily. A few phases later, Chris Masoe shows immense strength to win a turnover penalty. Lineout to Toulon now inside the Leinster half.

Also, Steffon Armitage has just come on for Juan Smith.

Leinster poach the lineout and Jamie Heaslip clears well down the field. Halfpenny kicks back to Kearney and the Leinster fullback then does excellently to reclaim his own high kick in the Toulon half.

Then Steffon Armitage immediately makes his presence felt by winning a penalty over Sean O’Brien. Toulon have a lineout just outside the Leinster 22 now.

Jordi Murphy excellently steals another Toulon lineout and the French side will have another chance but from the Leinster 10m line this time.

HT Toulon 6-9 Leinster

Nothing develops in the last two minutes and Leinster make it to half time with the lead and are 40 minutes away from their fourth European Cup final.

Can they hang on?

A very strange half. Both sides have made a load of basic errors but Leinster’s pack have been strong at the set-piece.

The scrum and lineout have been big weapons for Matt O’Connor’s men so far but the introduction of Armitage could be massive in the second half.

It is worth remembering that in last year’s game between Toulon and Leinster, it was just 6-6 at the break before the champions really hit their stride. Toulon still have some big guns on the bench… then again, so do Leinster.

Should be a good second half!

The teams are out and the second half is off!

Jordi Murphy drops the ball in midfield after Leinster win another Toulon lineout and the French side have a great attacking opportunity 40m out in the centre of the pitch.

But Leinster win it against the head! Isaac Boss launches a high ball but Leigh Halfpenny deals with it well just inside his own half.

Very sloppy from both sides. First, Gopperth drops a high ball and then a few phases later Michalak can’t hold a routine pass. Scrum to Leinster on their own 10m line.

Habana catches a high ball on the left wing but lands awkwardly on the ground. Tillous-Borde then finds touch outside the Leinster 22.

Habana gets treatment as Botha and Te’o mouth off to each other.

A rampant maul from Toulon is collapsed and they have a penalty. Wayne Barnes is going to the TMO to look at an incident between Healy and Masoe.

We can’t see anything on the TMO and Halfpenny will go for the posts on the left wing on the 22. Also, Rudi Wulf is on for Michalak, with Giteau going to ten.

A rare miss from Halfpenny and Leinster still lead.

McFadden dribbles a poor kick into the Toulon 22 that Giteau should gather easily… but the Australian fumbles and Leinster have a scrum on the right wing.

Big chance for Leinster! Toulon turn the scrum over and Giteau is charged down by Gopperth. It looks like the Kiwi might be in but his hack skews off his boot and Halfpenny covers.

Another excellent bit of breakdown work from Armitage wins a turnover and Toulon look to break. Wulf puts Delon Armitage away on the right but the pass is forward. We are going back for the penalty and Toulon now have a lineout on the Leinster 10m line.

Toulon knock on as they try to set a maul and Leinster have a scrum on the left wing in their own half.

Sean O’Brien was quick over the ball just inside his half but Barnes awards Toulon a scrum after a load of bodies smother the egg.

Toulon get a powerful shove in the scrum and win a penalty right in front of the posts on the Leinster 10m line.

Toulon 9-9 Leinster

Halfpenny makes Toulon’s pressure count. They have controlled the second half so far. Can Leinster respond? The conditions have improved and it is nowhere near as wet as it was earlier.

Marty Moore is on for Mike Ross. Another good shift from the Corkman at the scrum.

Leinster have a scrum on the 10m line on the left wing in their half after a scrappy bit of play. The Irish province haven’t been out of their half in a long time.

Wayne Barnes says ‘one of your players says he has broken his arm’ as McFadden holds his limb. Looked like he caught it awkwardly contesting a kick with Halfpenny.

Zane Kirchner is on for McFadden.

Jocelino Suta is on for Bakkies Botha.

Delon Armitage wins a high ball in Leinster’s 22 but then Marty Moore steals the ball excellently. Jimmy Gopperth then booms the penalty to within 20m of Toulon’s line. Big chance for Leinster.

Leinster have another lineout in the Toulon 22 after Rob Kearney’s grubber kick is put into touch by Halfpenny.

Ali Williams comes in the side of the maul and Madigan will go for the posts from about 15m on the left wing. Massive moment in this game.

Madigan misses! The kick comes off the post and Toulon clear.

And now Madigan is charged down and Toulon have possession in the Leinster 22.

Cian Healy wins a turnover and is then replaced by Jack McGrath as Strauss and Reddan come in for Cronin and Boss.

Toulon have a chance to take the lead now after Jordi Murphy is penalised for illegally using his hands in the ruck. 35m out from straight in front.

Toulon 12-9 Leinster

How big could that Madigan miss be? Toulon lead with less than 15 to go now.

Ben Te’o smashes Bastareaud in the face with a big fend as Leinster move into the Toulon half. Suta is then penalised for kicking the ball out of the ruck. Madigan will go for the posts from just inside the Toulon half to the left of the posts.

Toulon 12-12 Leinster

Madigan nails the monster kick and we are level once again!

Toulon have a scrum on the Leinster 10m line. A massive test for the Leinster replacements.

FT Toulon 12-12 Leinster

We are going to extra time in Marseille after neither side could engineer a winning score. Jimmy Gopperth came close with a drop goal but we will have another 20 minutes of rugby here.

We are off in extra time! Apologies for the delay in updates… we experienced some technical difficulties here.

Toulon 15-15 Leinster

Halfpenny and Madigan swap penalties as Ali Williams is sin-binned for taking Devin Toner out in the air. Leinster have a big chance in extra time here.

Toulon 18-15 Leinster

Chris Masoe wins a turnover penalty just inside the Leinster half and Halfpenny’s kick just about sneaks over.

Toulon 25-15 Leinster

Ian Madigan throws a loopy skip pass that is picked off by Bryan Habana in midfield. The South African runs in for an easy finish and that should be game over.

The second half of extra time has just started. Is there any way back for Leinster?

Leinster have a lineout on the Toulon 10m line. Jamie Heaslip then carries strongly up to the Toulon 22.

TRY! Toulon 25-20 Leinster

Sean O’Brien touches down at the back of a maul and Leinster are back in it!

Toulon kick out on the full and Leinster have a scrum on halfway. A try wins it for them!

Toulon win a turnover at the scrum and are winding down the clock in the Leinster half.

Leinster have a scrum just outside their 22 with two minutes to go. They need a try. This is it.

FT Toulon 25-20 Leinster

Leinster get tackled into touch and that is it! Despite a valiant effort from the Irish province, Toulon are still on course for three European Cups in-a-row.