2023 European Rugby Champions Cup final explained

2023 European Rugby Champions Cup Final
Event:2022–23 European Rugby Champions Cup
Team1:Leinster
Team1score:26
Team2:La Rochelle
Team2association:
Team2score:27
Date:20 May 2023
Stadium:Aviva Stadium
City:Dublin
Referee:Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Weather:Dry with sunny spells
Previous:2022
Next:2024

The 2023 European Rugby Champions Cup Final was the final match of the 2022–23 European Rugby Champions Cup, and the twenty-eighth European club rugby final in general. The final was contested by Leinster and La Rochelle, and a repeat of the 2022 Final which La Rochelle won 24–21.[1] [2]

The Aviva Stadium was the host venue of the final, just the second time it has hosted the game having also been the venue in 2013.

The match referee was Jaco Peyper, the first South African to referee the European showpiece final.

La Rochelle retained the trophy with a 27–26 win over Leinster.[3] [4]

Background

For the first time both finalists from a Champions Cup final returned to the following year's final. La Rochelle became the third team after Toulouse (2003–05) and Toulon (2013–15) to appear in three successive finals, while Leinster, for the second year, attempted to match Toulouse's outright record of five European Champions Cups. This was also the first final since 2011 that matched the top two seeds after the pool stage in the showpiece final.

Both Leinster and La Rochelle entered the final in similar form, with both teams having won every game in their European campaign. They both topped their respective pool, with Leinster gaining a maximum of 20 points and La Rochelle gaining 18. They both received home advantage through the knock-out stage, before gaining home country advantage in the semi-final to see them through to the final.

This was their third meeting in the Champions Cup, with La Rochelle winning both the previous encounters.

Their domestic form saw Leinster enter having lost their United Rugby Championship semi-final the week prior, whilst La Rochelle entered having secured a top two seed in the Top 14 with one round left of the regular season.

Both teams announced their match-day 23 the day before the game and Leinster had two changes to the starting XV that played in the 2022 Final, whilst La Rochelle had seven changes to the team that played in that final.

Route to the final

Note: In all results below, the score of the finalist is given first (H: home; A: away).

LeinsterRound La Rochelle
OpponentResultPool stageOpponentResult
Racing 9210–42 (A)Matchday 1 Northampton Saints46–12 (H)
Gloucester57–0 (H)Matchday 2 Ulster29–36 (A)
Gloucester14–49 (A)Matchday 3 Ulster7–3 (H)
Racing 9236–10 (H)Matchday 4 Northampton Saints13–31 (A)
Final standings
Pool A Top 4
TeamPWDLPFPADiffTFTATBLBPts
Leinster4 4 0 0 184 34 +150 28 5 4 0 20
Exeter Chiefs4 3 0 1 139 68 +71 20 8 4 0 16
Sharks4 3 0 1 119 89 +30 15 11 3 0 15
Saracens4 3 0 1 120 94 +26 15 11 2 1 15
Pool B Top 4
TeamPWDLPFPADiffTFTATBLBPts
La Rochelle4 4 0 0 120 57 +63 15 7 2 0 18
Toulouse4 4 0 0 110 53 +57 12 7 1 0 17
Stormers4 3 0 1 106 68 +38 13 7 3 0 15
Leicester Tigers4 3 0 1 116 89 +27 11 10 1 1 14
OpponentResultKnockout stageOpponentResult
Ulster30–15 (H)Round of 16 Gloucester29–26 (H)
Leicester55–24 (H)Quarter-finals Saracens24–10 (H)
Toulouse41–22 (H)Semi-finals Exeter47–28 (H)

Match

Details

FB 15 Hugo Keenan
RW 14 Jimmy O'Brien
OC 13 Garry Ringrose
IC 12
LW 11 James Lowe
FH 10 Ross Byrne
SH 9
N8 8
OF 7 Josh van der Flier
BF 6 Caelan Doris
RL 5 James Ryan (c)
LL 4 Ross Molony
TP 3
HK 2
LP 1
Substitutions:
HK 16
PR 17
PR 18
LK 19
FL 20
SH 21
CE 22 Ciarán Frawley
CE 23
Coach:
Leo Cullen
FB 15 Brice Dulin
RW 14 Dillyn Leyds
OC 13 UJ Seuteni
IC 12
LW 11 Raymond Rhule
FH 10 Antoine Hastoy
SH 9
N8 8 Grégory Alldritt (c)
OF 7
BF 6
RL 5 Will Skelton
LL 4
TP 3
HK 2
LP 1
Substitutions:
HK 16
PR 17
PR 18
LK 19
FL 20
LK 21
SH 22 Thomas Berjon
CE 23 Jules Favre
Coach:
Ronan O'Gara
Star of the Match:
Grégory Alldritt (La Rochelle)

Assistant referees:
Karl Dickson (England)
Christophe Ridley (England)
Television Match Official:
Tom Foley (England)

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Leinster exploit Toulouse indiscipline to power into Champions Cup final. 29 April 2023. Guardian. 16 May 2023.
  2. Web site: La Rochelle 47-28 Exeter Chiefs - holders power into final. 30 April 2023. BBC Sport. 16 May 2023.
  3. Web site: La Rochelle break Leinster hearts with epic comeback to win Champions Cup. 20 May 2023. Guardian. 23 May 2023.
  4. Web site: Leinster 26-27 La Rochelle - French side edge thriller. 20 May 2023. BBC Sport. 23 May 2023.