Record-equalling fourth European Champions Cup win for last-gasp Leinster
Leinster maintained their perfect run in European Champions Cup finals with a last-gasp 15-12 win over Racing 92 in Bilbao to make it a record-equalling four titles.
The Pro14 giants did not have it all their own way at a lively San Mames, but persistence ultimately paid for Leo Cullen’s side as Isa Nacewa’s late penalty – which put them ahead for the first time – saw them level Toulouse’s benchmark tally.
Racing, who made more of a contest of it than many had suggested they would and were level at the break, had to contend with the pre-match loss of Dan Carter to injury, while Pat Lambie lasted only around three minutes before succumbing to the same fate.
With Maxime Machenaud already sidelined, it was not the full-strength Racing side that boss Laurent Travers would so dearly have wanted in the showpiece as his counterpart instead became the first man to win the title as a player and a coach.
Machenaud’s replacement at number nine, Teddy Iribaren, did himself proud in a fine showing, but in a battle of kicking from the tee it was Nacewa’s effort that saw Leinster add to their triumphs in 2009, 2011 and 2012 after Remi Tales missed a drop goal with the final play.
By way of further gloss to their landmark day, Leinster also became only the second team after Saracens to win all nine of their European Champions Cup games in a season, with a Pro14 semi-final against Munster up next.
— Leinster Rugby (@leinsterrugby) May 12, 2018
Racing suffered a double early blow, indeed the first coming even before kick-off when New Zealand legend Carter – who is leaving for Kobelco Steelers at the end of the season – was forced to pull out with a hamstring injury.
Tales took his place on the bench and quickly found himself thrust into the action when Lambie hobbled off, although some small consolation followed when Iribaren kicked the French side into the lead.
Leinster struggled to find their rhythm in the opening 15 minutes but, after a promising move was halted by an interception from the offside Teddy Thomas, Johnny Sexton nervelessly drew them level from the tee.
The Top 14 outfit refused to lie down and quickly restored their advantage via the boot of the cool-headed Iribaren, but Leone Nakarawa’s deliberate knock-on – for which he was fortunate not to be carded – allowed Sexton to tie the scores on the stroke of half-time.
Racing, beaten by Sarries in the 2016 final, continued to impress after the interval and retook the lead through Iribaren, with Sexton’s attempted long-ranger drawing howls of derision as it came up well short and wide.
The Ireland stalwart, who has been with Leinster for all of their successes in this tournament, soon made amends as the nip-and-tuck nature of the scoring carried on.
It was Racing who nudged ahead once again heading into the final 10 minutes thanks to Iribaren, but this time it was Nacewa – retiring at the end of the season – who provided the prompt riposte before kicking the winner at the death, Tales unable to find the target with his hopeful drop-goal attempt.
Comments on RugbyPass
The game was already over leave the bloke alone ….from a Welsh fan 😀👍
2 Go to commentsShamefully the Toulouse players acted like footballers, falling down feigning injury at the slightest knock. About time refs penalised this play acting.
5 Go to commentsAnother non Scot for the anti Scot Townsend. Soon there will be no Scottish born and bred players in the National team.
1 Go to commentsGreat comeback to the playing field by Richie Mo’unga after the loss of his father. A great performance by Richie . I know him well and he is a great guy. On and off the field one of the greatest for the Crusaders. Scott Robertson would have loved him in his All Black’s side. A very missed player and person.
1 Go to commentsYeah nah he comes across as a funny bloke, but that stopped abruptly after the Nutcracker Prince debacle✋
2 Go to commentsAt this point I can’t watch him without thinking he’s a dirty slimebag. He should have been banned for the same amount of time that Quinn was out. It took Tupaea near on a fricking year to get fit enough to play again and his leg will never be the same. The other crap thing is that he was at ABs level and now he has to claw his way back there when he could have had several games under his belt.
4 Go to commentsThe Black Ferns 7’s have been without Captain Sarah Hirini now since Dec 23 in Dubai where she suffered a bad ACL injury - hopefully she is on the road to recovery for Madrid and Paris. Now also have Tyler King and Shiray kaka on the Injured List but the Team still found a way to win in Singapore and claim the overall Title.
1 Go to commentsUtter grub, hope he gets his leg broken. Shocking he is still playing after intentionally breaking quinn tupaeas knee
4 Go to commentsGreat to see NZ 7s teams finally coming into form and playing at the level that is expected of them.
2 Go to commentsChief Cheapshot on the market again.
4 Go to commentsCrusaders went all in to buy Hotham and Kemara staight from Hamilton Boys. Then they picked up Reihana and Hohepa; all have been dropped for superstar Havili, who is a very good fullback, that’s it. Ennor and Goodhue were schoolboy stars too but went backwards at the Crusaders. Maybe they have finally decided to give another poach Levi Aumua the ball?
13 Go to commentsJoe S has some talent to pick from. The Reds loosies look the best in Super? Aus might just give Razor a headache this year. Int. experience v Cantab greenhorn:) Should be fun.
13 Go to commentsEnd to end play, “THE FANS” this game was entertainment of the best. The conditions added to the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsSorry to say, but sadly the sadas were just ordinary and havilli at 10 as an abs selection just won’t cut it. He’s better suited in the centre’s and is a victim of past charge down kicks, he’s too slow under pressure. There’s better talent further north and I don’t mean dmac however I believe razor will sort him out. A feature of his presents on the park is the fact that the guys will follow him.
13 Go to commentsMarler was brilliant throughout both in the scrum and open play. His slap made virtually no contact with Ramos who milked it for a penalty when he could have been a decent sportsman and laughed it off, it was non-violent and shouldn't have been penalised. Smith failed repeatedly to kick when necessary and put up a couple of bombs into the TLS 22 that just handed back possession at key moments to the other side.
3 Go to commentsCros was outstanding and rightly awarded France TVs player of the match award. Mallia was brilliant as usual (the y is below the 6 on a UK keyboard and he deserves better than that). Level also seems to have been scored harshly as he walked the ball into touch under pressure from a Lynagh kick from well outside his own half which should never have led to a 50-22. Agree with BullShark that Dupont, while class at times, seemed to go missing for patches in the second half with props, hookers and wings frequently filling in at 9 as he couldn't get off the deck and up to the next ruck on time. A 7 by his standards at best, his kicking was also too long, too often. Kinghorn's overall contribution was worth well more than a five.
5 Go to commentsThe Harlequins team must be in minus figures. Did the reporter actually watch the game?
5 Go to commentsHow on earth did Walker escape a red card? Not dangerous? Dupont has his face in a mask earlier this season. Shocking decision. What is the point of TMOs? We had the Fassi ‘non-penalty try’ yesterday and now this.
2 Go to commentsCould have been a different result but yet again French tv able to affect the result by not showing the very clear high shot on harlequin centre if this would have been on a French player would have been on screen at least five times
3 Go to commentsAmazing. The losing team’s ratings are higher than the winning team’s. Mallia definitely didn’t deserve a y. What game were you watching? Should have got a w or an x. ADP hardly featured in that second half. At one point I wondered when he’d been subbed. Seems to me as if he gets an automatic 9 just for getting onto the team sheet.
5 Go to comments