Leinster 16; La Rochelle 14
Forget the era of Leinster playing champagne rugby without cracking open the bubbly when it matters most - in champions cup finals.
The new Leinster is more considered with the Springbok influence behind the scene emphasizing how victory can be created with a slice more certainty if your defensive traits are better than all out attacking playing at every occasion.
South Africa have won back-to-back World Cup through pragmatism over idealism — Leinster are now drinking more from that trough while trying to fling the ball around a bit too if they get the chance.
In this game, they were the superior team in the first half not so much in terms of possession but in how they controlled the game, with a Joe McCarthy try at Stade Marcel-Deflandre showing their ability to create even against the best of sides, in this case old enemies La Rochelle, coached by former Munster and Ireland star Ronan O'Gara.
Sam Prendergast continued to grow into his role as the playmaker at No. 10 and he converted that try as well as kicking three penalties to put his side in a strong 16-6 lead.
La Rochelle came on strong with a try and penalty to leave them just needing a three-pointer of any sort to squeeze past Leinster in those final agonizing minutes.
Luck favored the brace as the men in blue defied some dubious refereeing decisions and a concession of possession to keep the hosts scoreless as Antoine Hastoy hit the post with a penalty and then had a drop-goal blocked down.
Leinster top Pool 3 on 13 points with La Rochelle second, with both now certain to make the round of 16. The winners now face Bath at home this weekend.
Head coach Leo Cullen felt this was a game riddled by errors from both sides and in the end, Leinster got across the line because they wanted it that little bit more than the hosts.
Said Cullen: “I don't really know, obviously just taking our chances in the first half is probably the thing and building a bit of a lead and then weathering that initial early storm. We had some chances, you know in terms of a bit of game management, a few kicks that we missed but it was the same for both teams. It was a proper good cup rugby feel about it. It's a pool game, but it has that sense of a knockout game,” he claimed.
Looking forward he pointed out: “We'll just try and turn our attention because it'll be Bathe and you know, we talked about it in the lead-up into this game, win, lose or draw, we're back on the horse now. Hopefully we'll get a big crowd at the Aviva Stadium. Bath are riding high they are the top of the Premiership and will be another great challenge for us,” he stressed.
His skipper Caelan Doris concurred. “They're another quality side going very well in the Premiership. Seeing some of the results they've had against top teams, Saracens and some of the great teams they've put big scores on... we're expecting proper attack and outfit. Very strong setpiece as well. It's another battle we need to get ready for. We know what they're capable of. They're a very physical team and you've got to front up physically if you want to win over here. And I felt we did that very well indeed. I think we were a little bit more clinical maybe. I think our 'D' (defence) throughout was good. Kept them try-less in the first half. We just kept hitting them fronting-up. They're big men running hard, so we have to hit them in twos, and I think we did that pretty well throughout. That was probably the most pleasing thing."
SCORERS
Leinster: Try - McCarthy Con: Prendergast Pens: Prendergast (3); La Rochelle: Try - Leyds Pens: Hastoy (3)
Leinster: J Barrett; J O'Brien, G Ringrose, R Henshaw, J Osborne; S Prendergast, J Gibson-Park; C Healy, R Kelleher, T Furlong; J McCarthy, J Ryan; R Baird, J van der Flier, C Doris (capt). Replacements: G McCarthy (for Kelleher 73), A Porter (Healy 20), R Slimani (Furlong 47), RG Snyman (J McCarthy 47) , J Conan (Baird 47), L McGrath (Gibson-Park 71), R Byrne (Prendergast 61), C Frawley (O’Brien 61).
Ref: N Amashukeli (Georgia).
