Leinster v La Rochelle: Stephen Ferris previews 2023 Champions Cup final
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Ladbrokes ambassador and former Ireland international Stephen Ferris previews the Champions Cup final between Leinster and holders La Rochelle in Dublin on Saturday.
So, it’s the favourites Leinster taking on last year’s winners La Rochelle at 4.45pm on Saturday afternoon in the Champions Cup final. The match will be played at the Aviva Stadium which was the selected venue at the start of the season, but surely this is a huge advantage to Leinster who will be hurting badly after their URC semi-final exit last weekend.
Leinster lost last year’s final 24-21 to resilient La Rochelle and lost by a point against The Bulls in the last four of the URC to finish the season without silverware. Will we see another trophyless season for Leinster, or will that defeat to Munster last weekend bring this group of players closer?
The French side seem to have Leinster’s number, beating them 32-23 in the Champions Cup semi-final in 2021 and then again in last year’s final. We know that La Rochelle possess power and physicality, but they are also a well-coached team who seem to get better at the business end of the season. All the best teams turn up when it really matters, and Ronan O’Gara will have his troops ready for war on Saturday afternoon against his old rivals.
La Rochelle go into this final battle hardened. It’s been a long, hard season with not much squad rotation due to the competitiveness of the French league. They went to Toulon after their semi-final win against Exeter with a full-strength squad and gave them a beating which will have kept the feel- good factor flowing among a lot of the starting players.
Yes, they lost at Montpelier last week, but with second spot secured in the Top 14 it was a dead rubber game and an opportunity for O’Gara to rest a number of his key guys. It feels like this group of players is in the perfect place to upset the odds, and with Jonathan Danty getting game time last week after injury, O’Gara should have a full deck to pick from for arguably the biggest game of the season.
I know I’ve already mentioned Leinster losing to Munster, but I just wonder how significant their URC collapse will be on the team’s mindset heading into this game? Ross Byrne, James Ryan, Ross Molony, Andrew Porter, Jamison Gibson-Park and Garry Ringrose have not played since the Toulouse win on April 29. James Lowe, who is expected back from injury, has been out of action since April 7th, so that’s nearly half the starting team that have been wrapped up in cotton wool over the last few weeks. Will they be ready to rock and roll?
Leinster head coach Leo Cullen was criticised for his team selection for the Munster game. It was a weakened team, but if they had scraped a result it would have been a masterstroke. If he loses this game then he will be in the firing line once again for how he handled his squad’s rotation.
When it comes to knockout rugby any team can win on their day, although if Leinster go on to win the Champions Cup, then that loss to Munster will be long forgotten. Lose, however, and serious questions will have to be answered for the second season running.
La Rochelle are the underdogs and the points handicap is eight points. That’s quite significant for a final, especially after the result last weekend. Expect O’Gara to have a few tricks up his sleeve to unlock the Leinster defence in what should be the most physical and high-intensity game of the season. It’s going to have everything and I cannot wait.
With so many Irish internationals lining up for Leinster I feel this is their year. Piggybacking the success of the national team would be brilliant heading towards the Rugby World Cup, and I think it would also be great for the competition if we had a new winner this season. La Rochelle will have other ideas, and why not, they are the reigning champions after all.
Leinster v La Rochelle prediction: La Rochelle +8 @ 10/11
