Leinster director of rugby Leo Cullen has accused the media of relentlessly criticizing his team, even as they secured a hard-fought 29-25 victory over Toulon to reach the Investec Champions Cup final.
After seeing an 18-point lead shrink to just four in the final 11 minutes, Cullen expressed frustration at what he perceives as unfair treatment of his province.
"You would love everyone to get behind the team now," Cullen said post-match. "When you are up against juggernauts of the game, it is not easy doing it.
"You guys love throwing the boot at us, don't you? You guys love throwing the boot in when things don't go well.
"Whatever sells, you read plenty of it. The courage the players showed, it is a testament."
Leinster, who have not won the competition since 2018, have endured three consecutive final defeats and a shock semi-final loss to Northampton last year. Cullen defended his side's performance, highlighting the difficulty of the tournament.
"We are up against some serious teams here. It is insanely hard to win this competition," he added.
Cullen also referenced controversial refereeing decisions from last year's semi-final, insisting that his team has often been on the wrong end of such calls. "We should have had a penalty..." he said, trailing off.
Despite the late scare, Leinster held on, with a key tackle from New Zealand back Rieko Ioane preserving the win. The province will now prepare for the final, hoping to end their title drought.