John O'Sullivanlooks back on some of the highs and lows of Leinster's Heineken Cup performances in France

December 1999, Stade Jean Bouin:

Stade Francais 39, Leinster 6

In the two preceding Heineken Cup tournaments Leinster had lost home and away, to first Toulouse and then Stade Francais. In this particular campaign they had beaten the Parisian club 24-23 at home and it was probably the first season that they threatened to deliver on their potential. They beat Leicester Tigers at home and away, albeit that there was nothing at stake in the latter match.

This match proved to be a hugely disappointing afternoon played before a meagre crowd of 3,424. For the second time in as many seasons Stade Francais wings Thomas Lombard and Christophe Dominici helped themselves to two tries each in this fixture. Twelve months earlier Leinster had lost 56-31 in Paris, conceding eight tries; this time their line was breached on six occasions. Mark McHugh's two penalties were all the Irish province could muster against the pool-topping French side.

LEINSTER: G Dempsey; D Hickie, B O'Driscoll, S Horgan, G D'Arcy; M McHugh, D Hegarty; R Corrigan, S Byrne, G Halpin; B Casey, M O'Kelly; D O'Brien, L Toland (capt), V Costello.

December 2002, Stade Marcel Michelin:

Montferrand 20, Leinster 23

This was the day that Leinster finally broke their duck in terms of winning in France in the Heineken Cup.

The victory was soured somewhat by an injury sustained by Gordon D'Arcy in the act of scoring his side's first try. French international wing David Bory dropped his knees into D'Arcy's kidneys after the try was scored, an act that incensed the Leinster players and should have led to a red card. D'Arcy was stretchered from the pitch to be replaced by David Quinlan with the Irish province rallying from 17-9 down to snatch a gutsy win.

The catalyst was the introduction of Nathan Spooner for Christian Warner at outhalf with the former making the break - with a hint of a forward pass - that led to Denis Hickie's late try. Brian O'Meara's boot provided the rest of his side's points outside the two tries. Leinster went on to reach the semi-final before losing to Perpignan.

LEINSTER: G Dempsey: D Hickie, B O'Driscoll, S Horgan, G D'Arcy; C Warner, B O'Meara; R Corrigan (capt), S Byrne, E Byrne; L Cullen, A McCullen; E Miller, K Gleeson, V Costello.

January 2004, Parc des Sports Aguilera:

Biarritz 32, Leinster 21

Leinster's defeat meant that they failed to reach the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup for the first time in three years. They went into this match needing to win but they ran into a very strong home team.

John McWeeney's failure to score, what looked like it had to be a certain try, and Ben Gissing's yellow card were self-inflicted wounds; but in truth Biarritz were much the better side and led 32-7 at one point.

The French scored tries through Nicolas Brusque (two), Jimmy Marlu, David Couzinet and Serge Betsen while Leinster were awarded a penalty try, before Girvan Dempsey and Keith Gleeson cosmetically enhanced the scoreboard late on.

It was revenge for Biarritz who the previous season had lost to Leinster at Lansdowne Road in a European quarter-final. Leinster coach Gary Ella was dismissed at the end of that season.

LEINSTER: G Dempsey; J McWeeney, G D'Arcy, S Horgan, B Burke; C Warner, B O'Meara; R Corrigan (capt), S Byrne, P Coyle; M O'Kelly, B Gissing; A McCullen, K Gleeson, V Costello.

December 2004, Stade Pierre Rajon:

Bourgoin 23, Leinster 26

There were four minutes left on the clock when Jean Francois Coux scored a try to put Bourgoin 23-19 ahead leaving Leinster staring a defeat that would have been unthinkable just a week earlier when they thumped the French side 92-17 at Lansdowne Road.

Earlier in the match Brian O'Driscoll had scored his side's only try but with three minutes remaining he was to make an even more dramatic intervention.

It was arguably one of his finest individual tries as he slalomed his way through the cover, beating three would-be tacklers to rescue a victory from the likelihood of defeat. David Holwell kicked the conversion, contributing 16 points with the boot to help a Declan Kidney-coached Leinster to reach the quarter-finals where they would eventually lose at Lansdowne Road to the Leicester Tigers. Leinster won all six pool matches that season.

LEINSTER: G Dempsey; S Horgan, B O'Driscoll, F Contepomi, D Hickie; D Holwell, G Easterby; R Corrigan (capt), S Byrne, E Byrne; L Cullen, M O'Kelly; E Miller, S Jennings, V Costello.

April 2006, Stade Municipal Toulouse:

Toulouse 35, Leinster 41

Whatever Leinster may go on to achieve in the Heineken Cup this match will live long in the memory of their supporters.

Leinster borrowed from Julius Caesar as "they came, they saw, they conquered" with such brio and dash as to earn a standing ovation from the Toulouse fans at the end. Two injury-time tries from Yannick Nyanga and Yannick Jauzion, both converted by Jean Baptiste Elissalde made the final scoreline a little more palatable for the home side.

Felipe Contepomi, at his imperious best, was the catalyst for Leinster while flanker Keith Gleeson ran him a close second for man of the match.

Leinster produced a breathtaking display of attacking rugby, many launched from inside their own 22 in a nerveless display of self-belief. Denis Hickie's try encapsulated all that was good about the Irish province's performance that day.

LEINSTER: G Dempsey; S Horgan, B O'Driscoll (capt), G D'Arcy, D Hickie; F Contepomi, G Easterby; R Corrigan, B Blaney, W Green; M O'Kelly, B Williams; C Jowitt, K Gleeson, J Heaslip.