Where and when?
In a repeat of last year’s final, Leinster will face off against La Rochelle this Saturday to decide the winner of this season’s Heineken Champions Cup. Kick-off at Aviva Stadium is at 4:45 p.m.
How can I watch it?
The build-up to the game starts on RTÉ 2 at 4pm on Saturday. The game is also live on BT Sport if you’re so inclined. As always, The Irish Times will have a live blog, plus live reporting, analysis and reaction from our team at Aviva.
How did we get here?
Leinster finished top of their group without breaking a sweat and similarly cruised through the knockout stages of the tournament without much trouble.
Their semi-final opponents Toulouse posed a threat but ultimately failed to contain the blue wave – Leinster ran out 41-22 winners in an assured performance at the Aviva late last month.
On the other side of the competition, in Group B, La Rochelle followed suit and topped the group. They are still unbeaten in the competition.
Ronan O’Gara’s side came closest to Gloucester in their last-16 clash in April when the French club progressed thanks to a three-point win. It took a 78th minute try from Teddy Thomas to secure victory.
However, the knock-out ties against Sacracens and Exeter that followed were less nervy affairs.
What happened last time?
Of course, this time last year, in the Champions Cup final, these sides last met. Arthur Retier broke Leinster hearts that day, denying the Irish club a fifth European crown after crossing the tryline minutes before the end in Marseille.
Gerry Thornley wrote the other day that “the scars of this defeat will require more healing than possibly any (Leinster) have ever suffered in Europe”. For Leinster, they will be hoping that this healing process does not detract from Saturday’s performance.
What are Leinster’s chances?
Considering the form of both finalists in this competition, it is clear that the two best teams in European rugby are contesting the final this weekend. What will happen after the first whistle at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday night remains to be seen.
Saturday’s URC semi-final loss to provincial rivals Munster – and the death of the URC-Champion Cup double dream – may have hurt their pride, but Leo Cullen’s men must now have their sights set on rugby’s biggest prize in Europe. The chance to avenge last year’s painful final loss is all the motivation needed.
La Rochelle also enters the tie on the back of a loss: a much-changed team was beaten 42-31 by Montpellier on Saturday.
Team news
James Lowe will be back in time for Leinster as Leo Cullen makes 13 changes to the starting XV from last week’s loss to Munster.
Jimmy O’Brien, who returns to right wing, and Robbie Henshaw, who made a strong return last week and moves from outside to inside centre, are the only two players retained from last week’s URC semi-final defeat.
Re-fit duo Lowe and Henshaw are the only two changes from the starting XV in the 41-22 Champions Cup semi-final win over Toulouse, with Charles Ngatai dropping to the bench ahead of Ciaran Frawley and Jordan Larmour also out of the 23.
Ronan Kelleher is also on the bench after making his first appearance since the win over Racing 92 last January a week ago.
Tadhg Furlong sat out the Aviva captaincy and was wearing a safety sock for what may have been some sort of calf strain, but Cullen insisted the tight head was fine.
La Rochelle have been boosted by the return of Jonathan Danti, who missed the 47-28 semi-final win over Exeter three weeks ago.
Ronan O’Gara’s only other change from this starting line-up sees Paul Budehent preferred blindly ahead of former Connacht winger Ultan Delaney, who, like Jules Favre, moves to the bench.
LANCER: Hugo Keenan; Jimmy O’Brien, Gary Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw, James Lowe; Ross Byrne, Jamieson Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong; Ross Moloney, James Ryan (capt); Kellan Dorris, Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan.
Substitutes: Rónan Kelleher, Cian Healy, Michael Ala’alatoa, Jason Jenkins, Ryan Baird, Luke McGrath, Ciarán Frawley, Charlie Ngatai.
LA ROCHELLE: B Dulin; D Leyds, UJ Seuteni, J Danty, R Rule; A Hastoy, T Kerr-Barlow; Ward R, Burgarit P, Atonio W; R Sazy, W Skelton; P Boudehent, L Botia, G Alldritt (capt).
Substitutes: Q Lespioc Bretes, J Sclavi, G Henry Colombe, T Lavault, R Bourdeau, U Dillane, T Berjon, J Favre.
Referee: Jaco Pepper (SARU).
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