Every final, and particularly every final defeat, has a story.
Leinster's 2019 defeat against Saracens was 'the one where they got outmuscled', 2022 was 'the one where they didn't take enough risks', and last year against La Rochelle was 'the one with the 17-point lead'.
The latest Investec Champions Cup final defeat is already emerging as 'the one where they didn't take their points'.
It's always a risk to turn down shots at goal in favour of going for the jugular.
After criticising their three-six-nine approach to the final against La Rochelle in Marseille two years ago, it does feel a bit Monday Morning Quarterback to pin their 31-22 defeat to Toulouse simply down to turning down a few shots at goal.
Rather than pick apart the intent to try score seven points instead of three, the province's lack of creativity and invention when they got themselves into those positions is fair game.
From 17 entries to the Toulouse 22 over the course of 100 minutes, the province scored one try and nine points off penalties, with their two other penalty kicks occurring outside the 22. On 13 occasions they marched into the 22 only to leave empty-handed.
Seven of those entries to the 22 ended with knock-ons or handling errors, five of those coming inside the opening 20 minutes of the game. Three more were halted after penalties or turnovers won at the breakdown by the French side.
"We probably could have been a little bit clinical in those areas," said Will Connors (above), as he reflected on Leinster's poor return on investment in the 22.
"We usually pride ourselves on them. In fairness you look at Toulouse they were good at scrambling, it's the heartbeat of their game, we probably didn’t deal with it well enough, they got over the ball, a few of their lads were good over the ball, and it just went their way."
A misfiring attack is becoming a recurring theme for Leinster in European finals.
In three of their last five final appearances they've been held try-less across 80 minutes, while in 2019 they went scoreless in the second half. Even last year, although they blitzed La Rochelle with three tries in the first 12 minutes, they would only score nine points across the remainder of the game.
Part of the reason for that flurry of scores against La Rochelle a year ago was the variety they brought to their play, which started with a trick-lineout play in the opening minute, from which the French side were scrambling.
On Saturday, there was no such invention.
Among the many Leinster entries to the Toulouse 22 were eight lineouts in the French side's redzone.
One of those was lost to an underthrow by Dan Sheehan, and one was just about flicked back by Joe McCarthy under pressure. But of the six lineouts won cleanly by Leinster in the Toulouse 22, the province looked to maul all of them.
The first time they went off script resulted in a try. Deep in the first half of extra-time, they tried to set up a maul before James Ryan was sacked by Emmanuel Meafou, and Josh van der Flier broke down the openside for a considerable gain. Several phases later, it was Van der Flier who forced his way over to score.
A little bit more variety to their lineout attack, a little earlier in the game, could have kept the Toulouse defence honest.
"I could never fault the effort I see in the group," Connors continued.
"Even there at the end there, lads were on the pitch for 100 minutes and they were still doing absolutely everything to cover each other, going for scrap balls, chasing across to cover for each other, potential line-breaks, lads never gave up on each other.
"That's created through years of bonds, that brothers mentality, we’re all best mates in there, we’re all friends, we’ll never lose that, we’ll always have that to fall back on.
"I’ll never fault the effort of the lads everyone gave everything they could, we’ll go back and discuss how things could have gone differently."
It all added up to a familiar sinking feeling for the province, who have now lost three finals in consecutive years, and four finals in the last six seasons.
"It's fairly sick to be honest," said the Kildare man. "It hurts. The last few years have hurt but there is no other real words for it."
The flanker, who started ahead of Van der Flier for the final, insists the province won't dwell on their latest heartbreaking loss, as they turn attention back to the BKT United Rugby Championship, for their final regular season game this Friday against Connacht.
The Ireland back row said: "You look at the last few years, you look at today, we’re still an incredible squad, we’ve top end players across every position, you know that’s not going to break us.
"We’re going to come together, we still have the URC to bounce back with, we want a strong finish there, it’s a really tight group, this group will never fade away.
"We’re all mad to get that extra star on [the jersey], to create a legacy that we’re all striving to do, we go again next year, we’ll bounce back.
"We’re hurting, there is no other way to put it. We’re in there, we’ll share each other’s company again.
"The group is incredibly strong, it’s always been strong, that’s what we pride ourselves on, we’ve come the whole way up together, we’re best mates in there.
"We didn’t win today, we didn’t get the luck of the draw. We just have to bind together again and keep bouncing at it."
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