FOR THE SECOND year running, Ronan O’Gara and his team will be taking the Heineken Champions Cup back to La Rochelle and for the second year running, they landed the title with an incredible comeback performance.
In Marseille last year the French side pounced for a last-minute try and this time around, they fell 17-0 down in the opening 12 minutes before dusting themselves down to summon one of the great Champions Cup final performances.
“It was incredibly good because we were on the ropes big time obviously,” O’Gara said.
“We were being steamrolled by a very impressive team. I knew Goody (Andrew Goodman, Leinster attack coach) would have a special one or two sleeve, but I didn’t quite expect it after whatever, 45 seconds, so it was a great play they opened their bag with.
“It was 7-0 within six minutes and then 12-0 and within 11 minutes, it’s 17-0 so you’re not long away from getting hosed, which obviously wasn’t the plan coming here.
“So, we’ve a very interesting culture in our team. It’s changed a lot. The boys really care. I think it was easy to jump ship today. They did the opposite. It was a 23-man effort.
They dug in. They showed serious resolve and I think we’re worthy champions.”
Sitting to O’Gara’s right, La Rochelle captain Grégory Alldritt insisted the group never feared the contest was getting away from them.
“We knew that Leinster were going to start really hard, really quick,” Alldritt said.
“But we said before, even if it’s 20-0 after 20 minutes, and it was 17-0, stick to the strategy and believe in what we’ve been training for through the week. That’s what Saz (Romain Sazy) was saying, when we were under the posts after three Leinster tries there were no worries. We all knew we were going to score.
“But at 17-0 we had two options, either Leinster keep scoring and it’s going to be really difficult game or we score a try and see what happens. Then we go to 17-10 and it’s a different game.”
After a tense second period where Leinster held off wave after wave of La Rochelle’s pressure, the French side moved into the lead when replacement tighthead Georges Henri Colombe crossed after a series of penalties in the corner.
“We scored and then Antoine (Hastoy) kicked a pressure conversion, which is a belting kick but I think there were still eight minutes leff,” O’Gara added.
“It’s a long time in rugby with a one-score game. Leinster bombarded our line and I can’t wait to watch the video of how we kept them out.
“It’s very unfortunate for Michael Ala’alatoa (to get a red card). You’ve got to come in at that pace to shift bodies. Unfortunately, he just got his angle wrong and it’s a head collision and it’s a red card. It’s very disappointing for him because he’s a good guy.
“That was a huge moment for us but you saw the huge composure from us. It’s spectacular for this group. They showed a lot of character.”
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Hard to argue they didn’t deserve it. Gotta feel for Leinster players. Failure to go for the drop goal when 10 yards out was critical.
@Daithi Mc Ghiollamhairtin: Feel for the Leinster players. Lol.
Wouldn’t call this a Leinster collapse. That’s not fair on a stunning first half performance. La Rochelle are just a different animal. LAR are a team built in the image of their coach. Tough, tactical and pragmatic with an incredible mental resilience. That’s the best win in this tournament’s history and best final. This is ROG’s tournament. No doubt.
@Emmet Martin: buy the biggest players and win
@Emmet Martin: leinster decided to kick the ball away in the second half for the 3rd year in a row against the same team. 3 times in a row the same result. Rog rules europe no question about that.
@Batster: Are we being a sour grapes ninny?
@chris mcdonnell: Simplistic, as though that accounts for LaRs second-half dominance.
@Emmet Martin: that’s actually the best comment I’ve read across all the articles.
@Batster: bad loser
I’m still in shock at the magnitude of that Leinster collapse. Shocking, totally blew it. Zero composite. Cullen and Lancaster have serious questions to answer. Deeply concerning for our World Cup prospects too.
@Aidan Farrell: never heard something so ridiculous. Two conversions hit the post. Leinster win the game ..la Rochdale were massive but to even suggest there is questions to answer or even ireland should be concerned shows a complete disconnect from the game .
@Firehouse Bakery: 100%. Some people overeact. La Rochelle are full of players bought from everywhere. Doesn’t reflect on any international team Ireland will face.
@Ruaidhri MagFhloinn: no but it does usher a concern about the team that Ireland will put out on the field…
@Tim Dawson: Why? La Rochelle would mince almost all international teams.
@Ruaidhri MagFhloinn: don’t be mad!
So, Munster may be the sole Irish province to win a trophy this season, wouldn’t that be some surprise!
@Declan Young: That’s a big “may”. Should be a few interesting comments here in final day if Munster lose. Considering all the mud slinging that’s be thrown over the past 16 hours.
@Hugh De Payans: Win or lose the ‘anti-teamsters’ are always ready to find new depths of digging.
I genuinely can’t wait for the reviews of this game and will the Williams, horgan, Tracy and D’Arcy call it like it was a team s****ing themselves and choking, a 17 point lead at home thrown away
@ger gavin: don’t forget that ponce Joe Molly!!!!!!
@Philyclever@eircom.net: ponce???? Says yer man hugging a cheap knock-off johnny Depp for a photo???
When its time he will be the Future ireland coach guaranteed
@Mark Dunne: hope not
@Mark Dunne: Never be an Ireland coach. Too biased. He’ll coach France perhaps
Leinster threw the game away but under no circumstances should van der flier , sheehan and henshaw be on a losing team , 9 & 10 leave a lot to be desired , also furlong injury has to be a long term concern
@ger gavin: furlong is starting to become a liability..he’s always struggling for fitness. Never fit to go 80 mins. Living off his reputation from 3/4 years ago. Always touch and go to be fit. Was limping around in the first half and may aswell have stayed in the changing room at ht. Not sure why we signed jj. No impact and was blowing after 10 mins. The need to sign a couple of genuine world class forwards is real. Hines, thorn, elsom says it all. Trying to win it on the cheap has failed.
@ger gavin: losing team twice in a week for van der flier and henshaw too
@N D: your starting to cop on to furlong at last!!!!!
@N D: I’ve being saying it on here since last Yr. Moving porter to LH was a mistake. The result was TF was playing 80minutes last year and flogged and now he is burnt out. Plus porter can’t scrimmage at LH
@N D: Pains me to agree. Don’t think we need a revolution, just 2-3 of the right players would be a MASSIVE step towards a HK next season imho.
Ross Byrne should have stood up and taken the penalty and not gone to the corner……
@Fiona Graham: miss and take the ball back, go again, drop goal. hero.
Leinster backs fell apart
Legend
They deserved their win. But they defend on investment / benefactors. Population of 70k. Leinster are in it for the long haul. We’ll be back
@Tom Murphy: Agree, but need to win trophies though.
@Tom Murphy: naaaa ladyboys be ladyboys less Elsom, Thorn or Hines!
@Philyclever@eircom.net: You’re a bit of an eejit, aren’t you?
@Philyclever@eircom.net: What’s wrong with ladyboys? Are you transphobic?
@Philyclever@eircom.net: hopefully the pikies will win next week and bring home a trophy
Absolutely devastating as a Leinster fan. Hard to make excuses as LR just better team on the day.
@W. Doyle: It’s homegrown VS money. Unfortunately Leinster need to adapt to that. They need to spend a bit, and buy 2-3 first team players. The last 5 years have proved it.
@Ruaidhri MagFhloinn: Money has nothing to do with it. Leinster have the largest budget in world rugby. The financial times did an article on it a few weeks ago and they estimated it to be approx. €14M. The top 14 salary cap is €10.6M. There is no salary cap in the URC or in Europe and that’s how Leinster can maintain the squad size they have.
@Les Wynan: Nothing to do with it? Money has everything to do with it. Without it, where do 90% of the LaR team come from? Yes, Leinster have money and use it to develop and maintain Irish talent. That’s to be applauded. LaR side is bought and brought in. There’s a world of difference.
One tmo all match….
Leinster were reffed off the pitch
@Batster: frank Murphy at it again no doubt. F*”***nk losers. Hahha
@Batster: don’t be a sore loser. Referee had nothing to do with Leinster’s loss today. Strong argument for last week, Leinster only have themselves to blame this week.
@Batster: leinster lost the game all on their own , decided to kick the ball for the whole second half. Leo needs to bite the bullet and understand that ross byrne is not good enough for these games.
@Batster: lol… ooooh the reff…oooh it was leinsters b team…ooooh they recruited good players… oooh there was a ghost under the posts that spooked our prop…
@chris mcdonnell: It wasn’t a decision. They were forced to try to clear their 22 all second-half long by a superior team.
@chris mcdonnell: ok great observation but who would you play instead??? Que the great white hope Frawley who missed the conversion in front of posts last week!!
@John Paul Mullins: let’s hope your pikies win next week in SA
@brian callan: You do know that word is rscist yeah?