It’s doubtful Leinster have ever picked a bench as strong as the one selected for Sunday’s Champions Cup showdown
Champions Cup preview: La Rochelle v Leinster
Kick-off: Sunday, 4.15pm local time/3.15pm Irish.
Venue: Stade Marcel Deflandre.
On TV: Live on Premier Sports.
And so finally, it’s upon us. Some matches loom on the horizon way more brightly than most. Ever since the fixtures were announced last July, no matchup has stood out for the respective teams, players and supporters of La Rochelle and Leinster quite like this clash.
Unfortunately, in recent years, this competition has done more to dilute than to develop rivalries. However, La Rochelle’s three triumphs in a semi-final and two finals, preceding last season’s Leinster double, make this the most intense Champions Cup rivalry in contemporary history.
In addition to such high-stakes encounters, Ronan O’Gara and his old Munster teammate Donnacha Ryan remain in the La Rochelle brain trust, as does Jacques Nienaber’s noticeable imprint on Leinster.
The backroom teams have put their thinking caps on, as indicated by two notable choices.
Leinster are locked and almost completely loaded, despite the absences of Dan Sheahan and James Lowe. Leo Cullen stated that Lowe will return to training next week, but that Hugo Keenan is a non-playing reserve for this game. Jamie Osborne was originally selected at fullback, with Tommy O’Brien named on the right flank. However, the latter was ruled out due to an injury sustained in training on Friday, therefore Osborne was moved to the wing, with Jordie Barrett, who was originally listed as a replacement, starting at fullback and Ciarán Frawley named on the bench.
In a display of Leinster’s depth, their other big-name recruits, Rabah Slimani and RG Snyman, are on the bench to facilitate Tadgh Furlong’s comeback while keeping the Joe McCarthy-James Ryan and Robbie Henshaw-Garry Ringrose combos intact.
Furlong makes his first appearance since October’s Croke Park victory over Munster after battling hamstring and calf ailments, during which time he has become a father, while Ryan Baird starts ahead of Jack Conan.
Andrew Porter has again been chosen among the substitutes, as he was in the Christmas triumph away to Munster when he came on after 21 minutes in a pre-planned move, and it’s dubious that the province has ever picked a stronger bench, especially since Barrett was originally included.
La Rochelle has been denied the injured Will Skelton, Jonathan Danty, Raymond Rhule, and hooker Pierre Bourgarit. These absences have been compounded by the suspension of Australian hooker Tolu Latu, as well as Teddy Thomas’ four-match ban.
Still, O’Gara has named many of the big-game hunters who have previously defeated Leinster, as well as a 7-1 bench with plenty of strength in Georges-Henri Colombe, Ultan Dillane, Levani Botia, and Judicael Cancoriet.
La Rochelle has shown progressively fatigued over the last season and a half, while continuously contending on both fronts to reach five finals in three seasons.
La Rochelle has played 156 games during the past four and a half seasons, including eight quarter-finals, six semi-finals, and five finals. Leinster, on the other hand, has played 117 games during the same time frame, despite the fact that they supply more players to Ireland than La Rochelle does to France.
La Rochelle has been to the well numerous times, and trips to Montpellier or home games against Vannes do not bother them, nor does the meeting with a third-choice Toulouse last Saturday, when Antoine Hastoy’s penalty with the final kick sealed a humiliating win.
Even O’Gara compared it to a defeat, admitting that “We are suffering, our game is suffering.” However, by Friday’s Off The Ball, O’Gara had returned to his old self, professing “full confidence” in his teammates.
This season, only three teams in the Top 14 have scored less points than La Rochelle. Meanwhile, Leinster’s offensive is slightly less proficient than last season, averaging 28.2 points per game compared to 30.6, but their defence is even more miserly, giving just under 12 points per game compared to 19 last season.
Under Nienaber’s influence, Leinster has placed a stronger focus on defence, to the point where O’Gara is unsure whether they prefer to have the ball or not.
Leinster’s 16-9 victory at the Stade Deflandre on the first Sunday of last season was critical in securing the carrot of home ties all the way to the final for the second year in a row, while La Rochelle was ultimately condemned to a quarter-final defeat in the Aviva following trips to Cape Town and Cork.
Another stifling win would be excellent, and this game appears to have come at a good time. But if anyone can prepare La Rochelle for a one-off match against Leinster, it’s O’Gara. But a La Rochelle pack without Skelton is a different proposition than one with the Australian lock, and so are their backs without Danty as a reference point.
Last season’s well-deserved double must have exorcised some Leinster demons, as they are a more defensively solid team this season. The multiphase attack is still not what it once was, but Prendergast’s emergence has given them a new dimension, albeit another test of his so far superb poise.
And, of course, there are Snyman and Barrett. Leinster fans will always wonder what could have happened if they had called players like those two off the bench in the last three championships. Their impact here may well confirm those ideas.
Brice Dulin, Jack Nowell, UJ Seuteni, Jules Favre, Dillyn Leyds; Antoine Hastoy, Tawera Kerr-Barlow; Reda Wardi, Quentin Lespiaucq, Uini Atonio, Thomas Lavault, Kane Douglas, Paul Boudehent, Oscar Jegou; Grégory Alldritt (captain).
Replacements: Nikoloz Sutidze, Alexandre Kaddouri, Georges-Henri Colombe, Ultan Dillane, Levani Botia, Judicael Cancoriet, Matthias Haddad, Hoani Bosmorin.
Leinster: Jordie Barrett; Jamie Osborne, Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw, Jimmy O’Brien; Sam Prendergast, Jamison Gibson-Park; Cian Healy, Ronan Kelleher, Tadhg Furlong, Joe McCarthy, James Ryan, Ryan Baird, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris (capt).
Replacements: Gus McCarthy, Andrew Porter, Rabah Slimani, RG Snyman, Jack Conan, Luke McGrath, Ross Byrne, Ciarán Frawley.
Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Geo)
Forecast: Leinster to win.
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