Leinster lean on defence again to 'win ugly' in La Rochelle

RIVALS: Leinster’s Josh van der Flier with Tawera Kerr-Barlow and Jules Favre of La Rochelle. Picture: ©INPHO/James Crombie

Investec Champions Cup: La Rochelle 14 Leinster 16

Try as they might, these two just can’t escape the other’s orbit. Six meetings inside five years is one thing, but it isn’t so much the frequency of these ties as the almost pathological proximity on the scoreboard that continues to make it the best rivalry in European game.

This wasn’t the slimmest of margins at a game’s end in their time spent together. Leinster lost by just the one point in the 2023 final in Dublin, but this one was every bit as nerve-wracking and hard-fought, even with no trophy on the line.

The reward this time is less concrete, but still significant.

Leinster’s win here last season helped claim home advantage for the duration of the knockouts while ultimately condemning La Rochelle to a round of 16 game in South Africa which they won before turning up empty at the Aviva a week later.

This should confirm the same routes for both of them again.

This win makes it three in succession for the Irish province against a club that had their number in the 2021 semi-final and in the two deciders that followed. But strip away all that wider context and this was still one of those deeply satisfying days.

“It’s a hard place to come,” said Leinster captain Caelan Doris. “We were on the right side of the result last year, but we’ve obviously had a few where we haven’t been. You have to win ugly sometimes. It was far from perfect, but the intent throughout was the most pleasing thing and the defence especially.” It was that defence ‘wot won it’.

Leinster were forced onto the back foot for the majority of the first quarter and again in the fourth by hosts showing their best in an inconsistent season. They spent long periods under the gun but the manner in which they tackled and covered and scrambled was astonishing.

Leo Cullen’s men did something similar 13 months ago when leaving here with that 16-9 pool win but the sense from the dressing-room now is one of a team that is much more comfortable under the aegis of Jacques Nienaber.

The South African was just a few weeks in the door when they won at the Deflandre the last time. The months since have been well spent. If Leinster are to win a fifth star this season then they will do it on the back of that work without the ball.

In that, this trip was a massive test of the new ‘Leinster way’, and they passed it. Captain Calean Doris made 28 tackles. Josh van der Flier chipped in with 21, and they found themselves holding out when under siege as the evening came to a close.

Antoine Hastoy had a penalty from just inside his own half and then a drop goal to win it with the clock dying down, but the first didn’t have the legs and van der Flier diverted the second with a raised and flying arm.

It really was that tight and it begs the question as to what we would be saying now had Leinster come out the wrong side of it. Would we be lamenting their focus on defence and an attack that continues to work in only fits and starts?

Probably.

“It's very enjoyable,” said Doris of those mammoth defensive shifts that they have come to love so much. “It feels like it has come on another level this year compared to last year. There's very good buy-in and commitment from everyone.

“Like Leo mentioned earlier, there's the feeling of having each others' backs if someone flies off and doesn't make their read. We're scrambling and working very hard for each other and it's very enjoyable to be part of.” 

Both teams left plenty behind them with ball in hand too – it was that type of game, with space and time at such a premium - although the two tries they shared were out of character with all of the huff and puff.

Joe McCarthy claimed Leinster’s off the back of a sublime lineout strike play in the first-half, latching on to a feed from Jamie Osborne to run over uncontested. Dillyn Leyds responded with 14 minutes to go with an exceptional finish off a Hastoy crosskick.

“Listen, there’s plenty in the game for us to learn and get better from,” said Leinster head coach Leo Cullen. “Four points, it was a proper, tough… Not a knockout game, but it had that feeling. Since the pools were drawn it had that sense.” 

LA ROCHELLE: B Dulin; J Nowell, U Seuteni, J Favres, D Leyds; A Hastoy, T Kerr-Barlow; R Wardi, Q Lespiaucq, U Atonio; T Lavault, K Douglas; P Boudehent, O Jegou, G Alldritt.

Replacements: GH Colombe-Reazel for Atonio (33); A Kaddouri for Wardi (39); U Dillane for Douglas (45); J Cancoriet for Lavault (47); L Botia for Favre (56); M Haddad for Cancoriet (64); H Bosmorin for Dulin (76); K Douglas for Haddad (80).

LEINSTER: J Barrett, J Osborne, G Ringrose, R Henshaw, J O’Brien, S Prendergast, J Gibson-Park; C Healy, R Kelleher, T Furlong, J McCarthy, J Ryan, R Baird, J van der Flier, C Doris.

Replacements: A Porter for Healy (20); RG Snyman for McCarthy, J Conan for Baird and R Slimani for Furlong (all 47); R Byrne for Prendergast and C Frawley for O’Brien (51); L McGrath for Gibson-Park (71); G McCarthy for Kelleher (73).

Referee: Nika Amashukeli (GRU).