Leinster vs La Rochelle: Europe’s modern rivalry reaches its next chapter

By Chris Collyer

With the return of the Champions Cup, a series of new rivalries will reignite, including the rematch between last season’s finalists Northampton Saints and reigning Champions Bordeaux Begles, alongside one of the most dynamic and unexpected new rivalries: Leinster vs La Rochelle.

Officially born in 2021 off the back of a 32-23 win for Ronan O’Gara’s side at the Stade Velodrome, handing Leinster a semi-finals exit and La Rochelle their first Champions Cup final at Twickenham, La Rochelle have since pipped Leinster at the post by snatching the title from the hotly anticipated favourites Leinster TWICE in dramatic fashion.

Seeing as the French side’s head coach is also a Ireland and Munster legend, already providing a layer of depth to the rivalry, the contest between these two teams couldn’t be more entertaining.

The following year, in 2022, we saw the long-expected rematch between these two European giants in a game which was, once again, expected to end with Leinster holding the trophy and adorning their fifth star.

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Third time lucky?

After leading for most of the game, Leinster had the title snatched from their grasp with a 79th-minute try from Arthur Retiere, which secured La Rochelle’s first-ever European Championship title.

2023 was a year that Leinster could not have predicted. The expectation from pundits, fans, the rugby community as a whole, as well as themselves was to do the double and win BOTH the European Championship and United Rugby Championship, and in doing so, finally breaking their no silverware curse that had been following them since 2020.

Leo Cullen’s men’s eyes were mostly fixed on the European Championship, and perhaps as a result of this, and squad rotation, they unexpectedly lost the URC semi-final to a spirited and well-drilled Munster, with Jack Crowley sealing the deal with an impressive drop goal before going on to help lead the Cork team to their first URC Championship title.

Now with only one tournament to focus on, with the European final at the Aviva Stadium, surely this is the time for the fifth star?

In 2023, La Rochelle beat Leinster 27-26 in one of the most unexpected and astonishing comebacks in rugby club history.

Leinster went in at halftime over ten points clear after roaring into a 23-0 start, hell-bent on revenge for last year’s loss, however, due to a combination of expert gameplay by Ronan O’Gara’s men and Leinster loosing their focus, their way and their captain (Johnny Sexton missed the game due to injury) in the dying minutes, La Rochelle held firm to retain their debut Championship title.  

So what now?

Since 2023 Leinster have had the advantage of La Rochelle both home and away in recent fixtures, and after a turbulent start to the season (Leinster having provided the bulk of the British & Irish Lions Tour), they seem to be back on track as they secured their seventh victory in a row last Saturday in a powerful performance: beating Inter-pro rivals Connacht 52-17 and retaining the United Rugby Championship’s Irish Shield award.

La Rochelle themselves had a mixed start to the season, including a trip to South Africa resulting in a 42-21 loss to the current URC leaders Stormers.

O’Gara’s team has faced discipline issues, various cards and O’Gara himself was sent off the pitch in the opening minutes of a Top 14 game against Pau after only 34 seconds.

In preparation for this Saturday’s game, however, they put out an astonishing performance against a weakened Toulon side, which couldn’t score a single point at Stade Marcel-Deflandre, whilst a dangerous La Rochelle ran riot and scored 66 points.

Both teams come into Saturday’s game at the Aviva off the back of two impressive wins but with returning to this already timeless rivalry, both Leinster and La Rochelle will be remembering the highs and the lows of their historical clashes and for the sake of the rivalry, the fans and the rugby world in general, are expected to put on a proper heavyweight battle.

Leinster vs La Rochelle? Leinster vs Munster? Ireland vs France? You decide.

READ MORE: Leinster 52-17 Connacht: Leo Cullen’s side turn on the style to dispatch Connacht