Leinster 26-27 La Rochelle: Colombe seals stunning comeback as French side retain the Champions Cup

It felt like a volcano erupting at Aviva Stadium. An explosion of yellow and black lava that engulfed the field, destroying what was almost a defining day in Leinster’s dynasty.

Wreckage littered the pitch, victims of a devastating physical 80 minutes. Leinster had built a 17-0 lead, but it was burned down by a breathtaking comeback from La Rochelle, as Ronan O’Gara emerged from the rubble to be crowned King of Europe.

You could rummage through all club rugby archives and struggle to find a game of such intensity. The likes of Will Skelton and Gregory Aldritt fought so physically that they swallowed up a team of Ireland internationals eager to win the World Cup.

Outside this gargantuan stadium, on Shelbourne Road, Leinster’s sponsors had plastered the street with campaigns about their attempt to sew a fifth European star onto the blue jersey. This is how the era of Stuart Lancaster and Johnny Sexton should end. O’Gara had other ideas.

It was a game worthy of the biggest stage. La Rochelle would have beaten most national teams with their display of power. It was full of fights and drama, from the moment Gregory Aldritt called out James Ryan for showing a disrespect at the captain’s toss.

La Rochelle staged a brilliant return which was capped by Georges-Henri Colombe’s late try

Short words were exchanged between Sean O’Brien and O’Gara in the tunnel at half time and Sexton gave his thoughts to referee Jaco Peyper at the final whistle.

For 12 minutes, Leinster lived up to their billing and beyond. They produced one of the biggest openings ever seen, taking their fans to fantasyland with three quick tries. Dan Sheehan scored after 41 seconds, taking advantage of a trick at the lineout, creating a gap by shifting La Rochelle’s lifting pod.

Five minutes later, after a massive 50-22 from James Lowe, Leinster scored again. They shot players into the ruck like human kamikazes, using misses and dummy runners to shrink the defense, before Jimmy O’Brien scored on the wing.

The outage was like a moshpit. Leinster’s defense was ferocious, tackling runners in twos and threes and swarming around the ankles like a pair of jacked-up hyenas. Owned a team. With Tawera Kerr-Barlow in the sin bin, his opponent Jamison Gibson-Park’s missed to knock out five defenders, allowing Sheehan to put Leinster 17-0 ahead after 11 minutes.

La Rochelle clung to their giant fingertips. Sexton’s understudy, Ross Byrne, missed two conversions and one more score could have been fatal. But there was no panic.

“We were in a lot of trouble,” O’Gara said. “We were steamrolled. Within 11 minutes it’s 17-0, so you’re not far from a hosing down. It would have been easy to jump ship, but they did the opposite. Good. We have data for everything, but we have no data for character.”

A turnover from Levani Botia and a knock-on from Lowe helped put them back in contention. The way O’Gara’s side flexed their muscles was reminiscent of the springboks. Jonathan Danty bounced off Garry Ringrose for a much-needed score and slowly took control of the area and possession after two penalties from Byrne.

Just before the break, UJ Seuteni went through a gap to close the deficit in the highest scoring half in Champions Cup history. Things boiled over in the tunnel and the traveling team came back with a point to prove.

“Clearly Leinster were the home side in terms of accommodation for the families, performances after the game,” said O’Gara, when asked about Aldritt’s comments that he felt disrespected. “We couldn’t get a room here. It’s disappointing on that front. We have to accept that we are seen as small teams, but that will change.’

One by one, Leinster fans slowly awoke from their fantasyland. Their star-chasing side is consumed with nerves, fluff their exit plays and become fatigued from their first-half efforts. Antoine Hastoy kicked a pair of penalties and suddenly the 17-point lead was cut to one score. The ruck speed swung in La Rochelle’s favor as they launched their heavy carriers, which swarmed the field like a cloud of volcanic ash.

La Rochelle broke Leinster’s heart for the second year in a row in a blood-curdling final in Dublin

Leinster’s accumulated 17–0 lead was burned down for them by the French side

The size and weight of the French mate broke Leinster’s resistance late in the game

Leinster rode their luck and conceded penalties in the breakdown as they tried to take the pressure off.

But after 72 minutes, resistance broke, paralyzed by the size and weight of their opponents’ maul. When the ball spouted out the back of a ruck, Georges-Henri Colombe sprang up to take the lead for the first time on 72 minutes.

Ronan Kelleher was sinned, but so was Danty. There was a chance to hit back, but a late penalty was just out of reach for Bryne, so Leinster kicked for the corner.

They came agonizingly close, but play was halted when Michael Ala’alatoa flew into the ruck for a red card-worthy eviction. The victory was for La Rochelle, Leinster was left broken.