IT’S GOING TO be a long, difficult summer for the Leinster players involved in Saturday’s stunning Champions Cup final in Dublin.
To lead a final on home soil 17-0 after just 12 minutes and leave empty handed will leave its own scars. The fact that it was La Rochelle, again, who broke Leinster hearts will provide further psychological baggage – Ronan O’Gara admitted to using Leinster’s recent pain in this competition as fuel for his own players during his half-time address.
For two years running, the French side have chipped away at Leinster before landing a killer blow. Yet this was different to the three-point loss in Marseille 12 months ago. For a brief period, Leinster were at their scintillating best as they raced into a three-try lead, with their accuracy devastating and their physicality ferocious.
Yet in the second half they seized up, a series of exceptional defensive stands followed by nervy, pressurised exits which kept Leinster pinned in their own half. When it mattered most, Leo Cullen’s side couldn’t find the control and composure necessary to finish the job.
And unlike Marseille, in the end it was Leinster camped on the La Rochelle line, only this time there was no late twist. Leinster’s last score of the game came in the 46th minute. From that point, they barely fired a shot and throughout an enthralling second period, there was a palpable sense of inevitability about La Rochelle, who in contrast looked typically confident in their ability to turn the contest on its head – a team that had been here, done it before, and were ready to do it again.
Ronan O’Gara’s back-to-back champions are an exceptional side and for Leinster, the French side’s remarkable rise has come at just the wrong time. The province have played some dazzling rugby across the last two European seasons but in both finals, La Rochelle have emerged as worthy champions.
“It’s two totally different games (this year and last year), aren’t they?” said Cullen.
“The game is multi-faceted, there’s a physical component, there’s technical, tactical, and then there’s the mental side of the game as well so yeah, it’s making sure you’re working on all of the parts of our game.
It’s so fine, the margins. The guys, they want it so bad, they want it really badly, so maybe that relaxing, composure part, it feeds into that to a certain extent but I wouldn’t fault the guys in any shape or form.”
The statistics had Leinster making 183 tackles to La Rochelle’s 73, with O’Gara’s team registering 120 carries to Leinster’s 69. La Rochelle enjoyed 58% of the possession and 59% of the territory as they put the squeeze on Leinster in an engrossing second half, waiting for their hosts to crack.
Leinster centre Garry Ringrose admitted that as the tension rose and their energy waned, the province just weren’t able to handle La Rochelle’s relentless pressure.
“Just to reiterate what Leo said, just in terms of the finest margins in maybe how we exited, a couple of turnovers where lads are on the ball, pulling it up and on another day it could have been a penalty and you can relieve pressure that way,” Ringrose said.
“But we struggled just to relieve pressure and then we got our opportunity to try and score a try at the end and didn’t take it. So it was tough because we’re taking pressure and we did well at times to relieve it a bit but it was just that last bit and fine margins in a couple of instances. Yeah, we didn’t quite nail it or it went against us.
It came down to a point at the end of the day and maybe if one or two moments had gone differently, a different result and you look at the game through a different lens but unfortunately that’s not the case.”
Fine margins, but it will be difficult for Leinster to pick themselves up from such a shattering defeat.
Bar the absence of Johnny Sexton, Leinster took to the field with a full-strength side. The selection of Dan Sheehan over Rónan Kelleher was the only other change from the team that started the 2022 final.
They’re not going to rip up the blueprint but next season will usher in a new era for Leinster as two of the most influential voices in the setup head for the exit, with Sexton retiring and Stuart Lancaster swapping Dublin for Paris.
All the while, the competition around them intensifies. Cullen reiterated his belief that Leinster’s model can bring them back to the promised land, as the dream of that fifth European star ends for another year.
“Absolutely. The quality of people, that’s the biggest piece for me and there’s some bloody good young players coming through as well and we need to do everything we can to support them. But I’d have a lot of confidence,” Cullen added.
“Like the experience guys get. Like Garry beside me here, the experience makes you stronger, it’ll make you stronger over time. There’s other guys within the team as well, you know, young guys, still in their 20s that are just accumulating that experience all the time.
“I understand how hard it is, making sure you have that constant focus in terms of the habits we deliver day to day and when you get to this big stage that you’re able to nail those opportunities.
“But it’s hard. I’m not going to lie to you. It’s not like you just turn up and someone’s going to hand it to you. It’s going to be hard but that’s the challenge isn’t it, putting yourself in that situation again.
“But it’s not easy. It’s going to be a challenge but I think our guys, it’s a really good crop of players there, they just keep having to believe in themselves.”
Get instant updates on your province on The 42 app. With Laya Healthcare, official health and wellbeing partner to Leinster, Munster and Connacht Rugby.
Bit of perspective is always important, both finals lost by the finest of margins. If it was a hammering it would be different. A much improved display by Leinster for 20 or so minutes here but ran out of steam way too early and seemed resigned to kicking at every opportunity to relieve pressure for a microsecond. Even still it was a moment of madness on the LAR line that cost a likely try to take the win. I get people want to put the boot in because they’re disappointed or just dislike Leinster, that’s inevitable and I see people asking how do you come back from that and the answer is simple, the same way we came back from last year’s defeat, learn from what happened and go again with hopefully that extra 1% we missed on Saturday to get over the line.
@PJ Smith: well said pj
@PJ Smith: “If it was a hammering it would be different.”
Unfortunetly the reality was it was a one point hammering.
It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a top quality outfit like Leinster so completely dominated in a half of rugby.
The only positive point was that if it was most other teams they would have been trounced.
@Stanley Marsh: I agree to a degree and yes they were dominant in the second half but that didn’t translate into a hammering on the scoreboard which was in part due to some great defensive stands by Leinster even if it was clinging on for dear life. At the end of it all it was a single point and a moment of madness that seemed to decide it all, potentially at least. It feels like a mental issue to me, similar to what Ireland struggled with for a long time but seem to have been successful in addressing recently. That needs to be brought back into the Leinster environment now.
@PJ Smith: Have to give enormous credit to LR though. To come to Leintster’s backyard, get the start they did and still come back and win is incredible.
What I wouldn’t give to see a one off between them and the Super Champs.
@PJ Smith: fair points but when you consider they made an absolute dream start, if they played that game 10 more times they’d not go 17-0 up. But you feel if they played it 10 more times what happened from minutes 12 to 80 would pan out pretty similar. Also, there squad is clearly lacking when two lads were still on the bench at 78 mins.
@Ciaran Kennedy: I don’t see the point in hypotheticals to be honest as it’s impossible to know, they had no dream start last year but the result was similarly close. I do believe Leinster have it in them to beat LAR, they’ve come too close on the biggest stage for it to be a fluke. We have depth, maybe not Champions Cup final depth but I think maybe McGrath should have come in earlier in hindsight but I’d bet the plan always was for Ross to play near the full 80 which I would have had no issue with, he’s being scapegoated by some but there were a few other key moments that defined things, not him. Losing Ryan turned out to be huge and could have been the difference but again too many variables to ever be able to know. Feels like the great start led them to exhale early if that makes sense
@Stanley Marsh: Oh absolutely, that’s fairytale stuff really and up there with Leinster’s miracle resurrection against Northampton. They’re deserved winners and will take some beating given their physicality.
@Stanley Marsh: there is no such thing as a ‘one point hammering’. It makes no sense.
@Aisling Farrell: Sport is littered with ‘one point hammerings’.
Google it.
Saturday will go down as one of the best examples of it.
@PJ Smith: 3 seasons in a row come second half leinster decided to kick away the ball every time they got it and the same result, we lost every time. Kicking the ball away and not competing in the air at lineout time allowing them to use their greatest weapon, the maul was just dreadful coaching. Will Skelton was their primary lineout jumper and we could not challenge even him in the air
@chris mcdonnell: Agree with everything here, poor kicking in the second half was the primary issue in my view as well. The logic behind not competing is obvious, they were putting everything into trying to stop the maul but it didn’t work yet we didn’t adapt so again, agree with you there. It’s like we keep retreating into our shell in finals for some reason.
@PJ Smith: that logic is flawed, allowing a team to set up their maul without any pressure on the throw or catcher is daft. We needed to stop the setup of the maul in the first place. Once Skelton landed that platform was also going to be impossible to stop.
As a Munster supporter I must say the first 20 minutes was one of the greatest exhibitions I have ever seen. But I thought the game turned when James Ryan left the pitch. The self-confidence started to drain. And let’s face it, Ireland and provincial teams have real trouble with bigger teams. Lessons to be learned.
@Noel Walsh: Was reminiscent of the open half against the French, frantic pace.
Yer winning nothing with Byrne at 10 lads, need bring in someone next year experienced out half to move that stellar pack around the field, then fast-track Sam Prendergast who has immense potential
@Joseph O Reilly: so true. Johnny would have brought them over the line. He’s been carrying half that back line for over a decade
@Joseph O Reilly: Not interested in scapegoating and discarding players thanks.
@PJ Smith: it’s not a scapegoat when ur 10 goes missing in the final ten minutes and doesn’t back hi self to make a penalty or a drop goal, these are the margins in finals between winning and losing, it’s a glaring problem, a great team with a sub par out half has cost them big this year
@Joseph O Reilly: I’m no advocate of Ross Bryne but by God will people stop blaming him for not taking the drop goal attempt. Leinster were in the corner of the pitch so the drop was not on. If ye hadn’t conceded a penalty maybe Byrne would have gone for the drop goal when the ball was more central. If he had gone for it from the angle and missed he would have been criticised for not having patience. There was alot more wrong besides Byrne and no one mentioning it. Porter inhiialated in scrum. Baird should have started 6 and Doris 8 with Conan on for last 30 to make impact. Also Lowe and JGP kicks killed ye
@Graham Ahern: Two passes wud have got it to a drop goal position, missing two conversions also didn’t help forgot to mention those
@Joseph O Reilly: he also wen to the corner with no recognized hooker on the pitch with kelleher and Sheehan both off!!!
@Joseph O Reilly: Need an outhalf who can control match.Also prop back up positions very weak.Felt no great chance when Ryan went off,best forward this year,Jenkins not much good,no loss when he left Munster.If playing, Doris only effective at 8,but needs to stop giving away stupid penalties, if Stephen Archer can so can he.
@Joseph O Reilly: Lad he is not the captain so he doesn’t decide if they go posts or corner, have you forgotten James Ryan being crucified for a similar situation or are you going to tell me he’s a kicker now? We secured the lineout, we were camped on their line in a position we score from more often than not only for a dumb penalty to stop things. Drop goals ain’t gimmes, arguably the far more risky play. Face facts, you just want to have a go at Byrne
@Graham Ahern: I agree with a lot of what you said but Conan was the brightest light for those 20 mins at the start. Without him there’s no guarantee we even get that lead.
@PJ Smith: I really don’t, I just don’t rate him. With sexton on the field that is arguably the best club side maybe in history, without him well you know…
@Joseph O Reilly: Johnny played in the final last year and fared no better. But each to their own
@PJ Smith: yeah Conan was brilliant in fairness. But Doris is one of the best 8s in Europe. Its OK to start with a great player on bench. Actually while on that topic I think there’s another issue leinster have . Been saying for years converting Porter to LH was a big mistake and the result was furlong played too many 80 min games for ireland and leinster. This was done to get all the best players on the pitch. Furlong is now goosed and has lost his power. Thank god we have bealham fir ireland. I said it last week that your front row would be in trouble. The only way to stop leinster is to stop the v structured and not so obvious to the naked eye attack. Dummy runners continue through the attack line taking out defence.
@Joseph O Reilly: ye had to keep the ball tight. You’re only gonna get one pass from ruck to the OH before being hit. LR played a high defence line which let’s be honest doesn’t suit leinster especially with byrnevat oh. No running threat which makes it easy to defend. Sexton takes the ball flat and will punish a high defence with a dink over top. Byrne doesn’t do that. I felt for ye but that’s sport. I actually think this leinster team have hit their ceiling. Too much focus on conveyor belt. Not enough focus on match hardened fighters willing to go to hell to win the fight. Ye need a hard man in the pack. Someone to start a scrap. A quinny or Trevor brennan type
Totally agree very disappointed but not devastated
Total pride in what Leinster and Ireland rugby have done and continue too
To be in 3 finals is amazing
I think all of our starting players are eligible for Ireland
9 for la Rochelle
We hit the post twice
Losing our captain and Tadgh
We still created the opportunity to win
Nothing magical about them
We basically had their measure physically and we’re smarter. Just a lot if simple errors all fixable
I am glad Leinster no longer need the creation of chips on shoulders to perform
We are confident adults great to see in the Irish psyche
Rog for Ireland rubbish he can’t buy in to win and I don’t want to return to needing to have a chip on either shoulder to function
@Fred Matthews: You weren’t smarter than them. Territory and possession stats indicate that you didn’t dominate them either; tackle count says the same c200 v c90.
Leinster were super in the first 15-20 minutes but bit by bit LAR clawed their way back into the game.
Worryingly for Ireland the pressure seemed to get to Lowe and JGP with both slicing clearances and Lowe overcooking one.
Yet if RB had scored either of the 2 conversions he missed (inches from going over) the celebrations would have been in the Leinster camp. Very fine margins indeed.
@TL55:
I agree to disagree
I also never go to blaming ref
We win on the basis that ref does what he does
Rog on winning couldn’t resist a dig at ref
As I said we lost because we didn’t control situation when we got in scoring range
Fixable
@Fred Matthews: in fairness, it’s not often you see a totally dominant pack get so little reward from the ref. A yellow should have come out much earlier.
@Fred Matthews: didnt sexton have an actual go at the ref after the game?
@TL55: It doesn’t work like that. The conversions go over and it’s a completely different game, LAR make different choices knowing they needed something different and we have no idea how it plays out. They could go for the corner instead of taking penalties and end up winning by more. People need to stop acting like changing moments in a game has no impact on anything but a single aspect of the scoresheet, it’s illogical. Fine margins for sure though.
@farts: wasn’t it half time in the tunnel he had a go at the ref?
Fine margins between defeat and winning, Leinster will now have to look at their game plan and reinvent a new one it is in the five yards to the line in games they stall and give the penalty to the opposition. You see this in are national team which is worrying their must be a fix.as other teams now know this as a weakness. Time to put a plan together before World Cup I hope.enough of doom and gloom come on Munster
@Phillip Keohane: those ruck attacks off scrums in the second half by LR were immense (off 1st and 2nd phase Irish ball) The ability to completely strangle/slow down Irish quick ball with their big men was a blue print for getting on top of leinster (Ireland). All other teams now take note..
1. Is farrell a far superior coach to leo cullen
2. Is johhny sexton the difference between leinster being unbeatable or just average
3. Does peter o’mahony bring something different to the pack especially at lineout time.
4. Does Doris at 8 make a huge difference.
Theses seem to be the only differences between ireland and leinster.
@ger clarke: Tadgh Beirne too. Him and POM are real momentum shifters when you’re under the cosh. Maybe they are right and Leinster steam rolling the league is really bad for them in big games
@Ciaran Kennedy: most definitely, forgot about Beirne, and Aki could be included as well.
@ger clarke: POM brings leadership in the pack. Beirne can shift momentum with incredible turnovers. Two key factors that we’re missing for Leinster, particularly in the second half. I wouldn’t write off Ireland based on this final – a lot of the same players but missing a lot of skill and wisdom in both coaches and other Irish players.
@ger clarke: Tadgh Beirne adds to Ireland’s pack also. Both he and POM are leaders within the squad. The years of experience they have is vital for Ireland. Also Mack Hansen is a huge addition to our back line.
Leinster weren’t able to start Sexton, lost Ryan after 30 minutes and Furlong who wasn’t fully fit had to go off early also. 3 massive losses but still came within a whisker of winning. Very disappointing but sometimes the gods are just against you.
Keep knocking on the door and you’ll eventually knock it down. Munster lost lots of finals & semi before winning in 2006. No reason why this Leinster squad can’t match that.
“They just have to keep believing in themselves”
Surely they’re questioning their belief in Cullen
@mickey mac: Why is it when Leinster win all the praise goes to Lancaster and Leo is painted as a figurehead but when they lose people now call for Leo’s head? The mob is so fickle
In fairness, a little perspective is needed….a gust of wind blowing one of those conversions a couple of inches, and everyone would be rejoicing like it was the wedding at Cana… but with heinos instead of water/wine.
For Cullen to say they were two completely different finals, clearly shows how wrong he got it and clearly hasn’t learned
@mickey mac: 100% There’s a sense of bluffery about what he says.
Probably sold out of chokers at BTs so now it’s time for a new plan. Maybe there’s a few more Kiwis they can bring in?
@FoxyBoiiYT: schaddenfraude is a poor trait and reveals a lot about you – not good enough on the day. Better team won. They are an excellent team. Well deserved. Just need Munster to win now
@Simon Kerins: We listened to ye slag us about losing and having too many Saffas for years so shoes on other foot
@FoxyBoiiYT: Only the a&€holes we’re doing that. I’d prefer we didn’t copy them