Leinster 34 Northampton Saints 37: Tom Vickers' review and player ratings

Sure, other clubs must have claimed incredible successes over the years.

But it just feels like Northampton Saints, at times, do things that others can only dream of.

In 2012, they went to Ulster and won against all odds after being hammered by the same team on the previous weekend.

A year later, they went to the Aviva Stadium and somehow beat a Leinster team who had humbled them 40-7 at the Gardens a week earlier.

Last year, Saints went down to 14 men before half-time but miraculously beat Munster at their Thomond Park fortress.

And now this.

This incredible day in Dublin.

Saints were up against a Leinster team strongly tipped to win this season's tournament, having lost in each of the previous three finals.

They added Rabah Slimani, RG Snyman, Jordie Barrett.

They scored 114 unanswered points in their previous two knockout stage matches, bamboozling both Harlequins and Glasgow Warriors.

It seemed like Mission pretty much Impossible to stop them, especially as they were allowed to play their semi-final on what is pretty much home soil at the Aviva Stadium.

But stop them Saints did.

And how.

This is a club that surely uses siege mentality better than any other.

Back in 2013, when they reached the Premiership final despite having a largely tough league campaign that led to them being given absolutely no chance of winning at Saracens in the semi, they draped a 'Why not us?' banner in the away dressing room at StoneX Stadium.

Under that banner, they delivered a brutal physical display that also included some trademark ruthless attacking rugby.

And that 'Why not us?' mentality returned this week, with the squad using all of the predictions of a big Leinster win to fuel the hottest of fires.

They didn't just deliver in attack, they delivered in defence, producing almost surreal sets at the end of both halves that proved so key.

It was actually almost Only Saints Can Hurt Like This as Leinster pulled to three points behind, leaving themselves with nine minutes to complete what would have been a heartbreaking comeback.

They came and came again, opting to tap penalties close to the Saints line and pile on the pressure in the bid to break the black, green and gold resistance.

But they couldn't.

This Saints team. This special Saints team. Would not be broken.

Wave after wave of blue pressure threatened to submerge them and steal their dreams of reaching a Cardiff showpiece that seemed so fitting given Saints' history in that city.

Let's not forget - how could we? - they lost to Leinster there in the 2011 Heineken Cup final having led 22-6 at half-time.

And let's also not forget that Saints won a European trophy in the Welsh capital in 2014, beating Bath to claim the Challenge Cup, setting the black, green and gold up for a memorable double in a season in which they won their first Premiership title.

Perhaps we should have known, then, that the ticket to Cardiff had Saints' name on it all along.

But really, Leinster had to be made favourites because of their recent history in the Champions Cup and because their budget and ability to rest and rotate players for big European matches appeared to give them such an advantage, particularly against an English club with a lower mid-table budget in the Premiership.

But this is no normal English club. To reiterate, this is Northampton Saints.

This is a club who have a habit of deliberately reading scripts and then gleefully ripping them up on the grandest of stages.

They did so again here.

And now they will look to do it again in Cardiff on May 24.

How they rated…

JAMES RAMM - take a look at the stats and you will see this man's name at the top of a lot of categories. He was so secure from the back but provided such cut and thrust also, etching his name on the scoresheet with a key try... 10

TOMMY FREEMAN - CHRON STAR MAN - a hat-trick at the Aviva Stadium against Leinster? Yeah, that's a 10. And also, he did so much more than just score, providing a huge counter-attacking threat and tackling with huge heart... 10

FRASER DINGWALL - the usually calm and composed captain turned into The Incredible Hulk at full-time, roaring and cupping his ears in a celebration that showed how much it meant to him. An absolutely essential cog in this Saints wheel... 10

RORY HUTCHINSON - so much is said about his attacking play, but here it was his defence that came to the fore. He flew into tackles, punching well above his weight time and time again... 10

TOM LITCHFIELD - let's not forget that this young man has spent much of his early career as a centre, but he did a top job on the wing here, once again showing his class on the big stage... 10

FIN SMITH - this guy is 22 years old. Yes, 22 years old. He plays the biggest of matches like he's been doing it for years. Absolutely outstanding in attack and defence yet again... 10

ALEX MITCHELL - Leinster actually handled him better than most teams do, but they still couldn't stop him from having an impact as he spotted lines from his team-mates and put the ball where they needed it... 10

MANNY IYOGUN - a gargantuan showing from the young prop against a world class Leinster front row. Showed what he is made of - and more... 10

CURTIS LANGDON - the man who seems to be everywhere all at once was at it again. Unfortunate to be sin-binned as it was more about Saints' persistent offending at the time, but he used that recharge period to the best possible effect... 10

TREVOR DAVISON - missed the previous week's game with a calf injury but showed few signs of that here as he helped Saints to more than compete against Leinster's big men... 10

TEMO MAYANAVANUA - always a huge presence for this Saints side, he powered into contact in attack and defence, helping to set a physical tone... 10

ALEX COLES - a man mountain right up until the moment he was yellow carded in the final minute. He won turnovers, thundered into collisions and showed his ability in relentless fashion... 10

JOSH KEMENY - has come to the fore in recent weeks, displaying all of the class that led Saints to signing him. His pace around the field gives opposition sides real trouble on both sides of the ball... 10

HENRY POLLOCK - this young guy. Wow. Another staggering showing from a player who gives this team such belief. He doesn't care who he's playing against, and neither did his team-mates here. Scored another highlight reel try. Just outrageously good... 10

JUARNO AUGUSTUS - had tears in his eyes at the final whistle as he realised he still has a chance of ending his Saints career with a huge trophy. Was massive here, with one of his outstanding offloads opening the door for a superb Tommy Freeman score... 10

Replacements (who played more than 20 minutes)

ELLIOT MILLAR MILLS (for Davison 48) - looked so hungry for every single breakdown, tackle and carry as he made another big impact from the bench... 10