Harry Byrne kicked a penalty in the final seconds to give Leinster a dramatic 25-24 victory over La Rochelle at the Aviva Stadium, securing a bonus-point win that maintains their perfect record in Pool 3 of the Investec Champions Cup.
Key moments:
3′ – TRY LEINSTER: Joshua Kenny scores in corner after Sam Prendergast and Tommy O’Brien link with Ciaran Frawley, Sam Prendergast misses conversion (Leinster 5-0 La Rochelle)
9′ – TRY LEINSTER: Joshua Kenny scores second try after Rieko Ioane charges down Ihaia West clearance, Sam Prendergast converts (Leinster 12-0 La Rochelle)
13′ – SUBSTITUTION LEINSTER: Andrew Osborne replaces Ciaran Frawley (injury)
13′ – YELLOW CARD LEINSTER: Tommy O’Brien sent to sin bin for deliberate knock-on
18′ – SUBSTITUTION LA ROCHELLE: Antoine Hastoy replaces Jules Favre (HIA)
30′ – TRY LA ROCHELLE: Davit Niniashvili scores in corner after Antoine Hastoy steps past defender, Nolann Le Garrec converts (Leinster 12-7 La Rochelle)
37′ – YELLOW CARD LEINSTER: Joe McCarthy sent to sin bin for offside
Half-time: Leinster 12-7 La Rochelle
42′ – SUBSTITUTION LEINSTER: Jerry Cahir replaces Paddy McCarthy (injury)
54′ – SUBSTITUTIONS LA ROCHELLE: Louis Penverne and Aleksandre Kuntelia replace Reda Wardi and Uini Atonio
55′ – PENALTY LA ROCHELLE: Nolann Le Garrec kicks penalty (Leinster 12-10 La Rochelle)
59′ – SUBSTITUTIONS LEINSTER: Ronan Kelleher replaces Dan Sheehan
59′ – SUBSTITUTIONS LA ROCHELLE: Quentin Lespiaucq replaces Tolu Latu
60′ – TRY LA ROCHELLE: Ihaia West scores in corner after Will Skelton and Levani Botia carries, Nolann Le Garrec converts (Leinster 12-17 La Rochelle)
61′ – SUBSTITUTION LEINSTER: Harry Byrne replaces Andrew Osborne
67′ – TRY LEINSTER: Josh van der Flier scores after Sam Prendergast creates space, Sam Prendergast misses conversion (Leinster 17-17 La Rochelle)
68′ – SUBSTITUTIONS LA ROCHELLE: Kane Douglas and Kirill Fraindt replace Will Skelton and Levani Botia
71′ – TRY LEINSTER: Robbie Henshaw scores in corner after Jack Conan pass, Harry Byrne hits post with conversion (Leinster 22-17 La Rochelle)
73′ – SUBSTITUTION LA ROCHELLE: Nathan Bollengier replaces Davit Niniashvili
77′ – SUBSTITUTIONS LEINSTER: Luke McGrath and Max Deegan replace Jamison Gibson-Park and Jack Conan
77′ – TRY LA ROCHELLE: Ihaia West powers through Sam Prendergast tackle to score, Nolann Le Garrec converts (Leinster 22-24 La Rochelle)
77′ – SUBSTITUTION LA ROCHELLE: Thomas Berjon replaces Nolann Le Garrec
80+2′ – PENALTY LEINSTER: Harry Byrne kicks match-winning penalty after Louis Penverne penalised for illegal tackle (Leinster 25-24 La Rochelle)
Full-time: Leinster 25-24 La Rochelle
The substitute fly-half held his nerve with the clock in the red, slotting a penalty from just inside the 22-metre line and approximately eight metres in from the right touchline after Louis Penverne was penalised for an illegal tackle. The victory was harsh on Ronan O’Gara’s side, who had fought back from 12-0 down and led 24-22 with just minutes remaining, only to concede a crucial penalty at the death.
Leinster exploded out of the blocks on a bitterly cold Dublin evening, with temperatures hovering around four degrees in front of 38,044 supporters. Joshua Kenny marked his European debut in spectacular fashion, scoring twice in the opening 11 minutes to establish what appeared to be a commanding lead for the hosts.
The first try came after just three minutes following some sharp attacking play. Sam Prendergast put Tommy O’Brien through a gap with intelligent handling, and the winger’s draw-and-pass allowed Ciaran Frawley to release Kenny, who dived over acrobatically in the corner despite the attentions of Oscar Jegou. Prendergast was unable to convert from the touchline, leaving Leinster 5-0 ahead.
The second score arrived in the ninth minute through opportunism and relentless pressure. Rieko Ioane charged down Ihaia West’s attempted clearance from his own 22, and Kenny showed excellent composure to gather the awkwardly bouncing ball before powering through Jack Nowell’s tackle to finish in the same corner. This time Prendergast’s conversion was successful from the touchline, establishing a 12-0 advantage.
However, Leinster’s early momentum was undermined by a lack of discipline that would plague them throughout the contest. Matthew Carley penalised the hosts repeatedly at the breakdown and in defensive phases, awarding 10 penalties against them in the opening 40 minutes alone.
The home side’s problems were compounded when Tommy O’Brien was shown a yellow card in the 13th minute for a deliberate knock-on as he attempted to intercept a pass from Davit Niniashvili with La Rochelle threatening to exploit an overlap. Just moments later, Leinster suffered an injury blow as Frawley limped off with an ankle problem that left him barely able to walk, replaced by Andrew Osborne.
Despite their numerical advantage, La Rochelle were wasteful with their entries into the Leinster 22. Tolu Latu’s lineout throw sailed over his jumpers at a crucial five-metre lineout, while Joe McCarthy later produced a turnover at the maul to deny another promising position.
La Rochelle gradually found their rhythm and were rewarded with a try just before the half-hour mark. The French side won a scrum penalty close to the Leinster line and attacked down the short side. Antoine Hastoy, who had replaced the injured Jules Favre following a head injury assessment, stepped past Prendergast and drew O’Brien off his wing, creating space for Georgian international Niniashvili to dive over in the corner. Nolann Le Garrec’s superb touchline conversion reduced the deficit to five points at 12-7.
Leinster’s discipline issues continued as Joe McCarthy was sent to the sin bin four minutes before half-time for offside in midfield, becoming the second yellow card of the half. Despite finishing with 14 men and La Rochelle launching wave after wave of attacks, the hosts held on to their 12-7 advantage at the interval. Caelan Doris produced a crucial try-saving tackle on West just metres from the line in the final moments of the half.
The second half began with La Rochelle in the ascendancy, controlling territory and possession with their powerful forward pack and offloading game causing Leinster significant problems. However, their inability to capitalise on numerous opportunities proved costly.
In the 48th minute, the visitors butchered a certain try in what became the most memorable missed opportunity of the match. Reda Wardi and Antoine Hastoy both reached for the same pass with the line at their mercy and not a defender in sight, getting in each other’s way and spilling the ball forward. The La Rochelle coaching box was visibly incensed by the error.
Given their wastefulness in attacking positions, Le Garrec wisely took the simple three points when next they were on offer. A scrum penalty under the posts allowed the La Rochelle scrum-half to make it 12-10 in the 55th minute, the first time in the match that the visitors had opted for points rather than the corner.
Five minutes later, they finally made an opportunity stick. After Joshua Kenny was stripped of possession in his own 22, powerful carries from Will Skelton and Levani Botia created quick ruck ball, and simple hands eventually allowed them to work the ball to West who finished in the corner. Le Garrec’s excellent conversion from the touchline sent the French side 17-12 in front.
Heading into the final quarter, it looked like only one team had the stamina to go and win the game as La Rochelle continued to attack. Then a Leinster counter-punch flipped the game on its head in the 67th minute with a Josh van der Flier try to draw level.
Nothing appeared to be on when Prendergast picked up the ball just inside the La Rochelle half, but his delayed pass to Doris gave Leinster the crucial overlap on the right wing. The ball was worked wide for van der Flier, who still had plenty of work to do, showing surprising pace to burn past the covering Botia and cut inside Dillyn Leyds to score. Prendergast’s conversion fell short, leaving the game tied at 17-17.
Remarkably, Leinster hit the front just three minutes later when Robbie Henshaw raced over in the corner following excellent work from Prendergast and Harry Byrne in the build-up. Jamison Gibson-Park spotted space down the blindside, and quick hands from Jack Conan sent Henshaw clear down the touchline for the bonus-point try. Byrne’s conversion attempt struck the post, leaving Leinster 22-17 ahead with nine minutes remaining.
La Rochelle refused to yield. In the 77th minute, West spotted Prendergast in the defensive line and, with his eyes lighting up at the opportunity, powered through the young fly-half’s attempted tackle to score his second try of the evening. Le Garrec’s conversion, kicked despite suffering from cramp that required him to be substituted immediately afterwards, put La Rochelle 24-22 in front with three minutes on the clock.
But there was one final twist in this absorbing contest. As the clock moved into the red, Tommy O’Brien knocked on under pressure and La Rochelle appeared to have survived when they cleared towards the line. However, Kenny raced back to touch down behind his own posts for a goal-line dropout.
From the restart, La Rochelle knocked on, presenting Leinster with a scrum. When they won a penalty advantage, Byrne kicked deep into the 22. Ronan Kelleher’s lineout found Caelan Doris, and as Leinster recycled possession, Penverne was penalised for making a tackle while on his knees.
Byrne, who had earlier seen a conversion rebound off the post, immediately pointed at the posts from the difficult angle on the right touchline. “I just said to Caelan I wanted to take it,” Byrne revealed afterwards. “I’d taken the one before and hit it off the post, but I’d hit it well. So I felt I wasn’t going to miss that one.”
With ice in his veins, the 26-year-old bisected the uprights to secure a dramatic victory and send the Aviva Stadium into raptures.
The statistics highlighted La Rochelle’s dominance in attack, with 12 line breaks to Leinster’s seven and 379 post-contact metres compared to the hosts’ 212. The visitors also forced 38 missed tackles and enjoyed significant territorial advantage for large periods. However, crucial errors at key moments, including the Wardi-Hastoy mix-up and several other handling errors with the line in sight, ultimately cost them dearly.
Levani Botia was named player of the match for his outstanding performance at openside flanker, proving a constant nuisance at the breakdown with multiple turnovers and powerful carries. But it was Byrne who emerged as the hero for Leo Cullen’s side.
“It was special, definitely special,” said Byrne. “I guess you don’t realise until after the kick has gone over, watching it eagerly, but yeah delighted it went over. No wind, it was a straight kick. I played for a draw on the first one and hit the post, so I lined this one up down the middle.”
Leinster head coach Leo Cullen praised his side’s resilience. “I thought the players dug in incredibly well, didn’t they? When we went behind, when it was 17-12 at that stage, we were hanging in there for a period. We just stayed in the game, kept fighting and eventually took an opportunity. Fair play to Harry who stepped up and kicked the goal at the end.”
Cullen also paid tribute to the performances of debutants Kenny and Jerry Cahir, who came on in the second half after Paddy McCarthy suffered a foot injury. “It’s amazing for JJ, isn’t it? Where he’s come from since pre-season, when he came in on a trial basis and he’s been outstanding. He’s an amazing role model really for young academy players. Another great role model is Jerry Cahir, who’s been phenomenal as well. To see him come on and up against Atonio first and obviously Kuntelia later on, two great stories for those guys.”
The result keeps Leinster top of Pool 3 with 14 points from three matches and guarantees their place in the last 16 ahead of their final pool match away to Bayonne next weekend, where another five points would secure a top seeding for the knockout stages.
For La Rochelle, the manner of defeat will be difficult to digest. They now sit fourth in the pool with five points and must beat Harlequins at home in their final pool match to guarantee qualification for the round of 16. The defeat continues a troubling away record for O’Gara’s side, who have struggled on the road this season across both competitions.
Scorers:
Leinster: Tries: Kenny (3, 9), van der Flier (67), Henshaw (71). Cons: Prendergast (9). Pen: Byrne (80).
La Rochelle: Tries: Niniashvili (30), West (60, 77). Cons: Le Garrec (30, 60, 77). Pen: Le Garrec (55).
Yellow cards: O’Brien (Leinster, 13), McCarthy (Leinster, 37).
Player of the match: Levani Botia (La Rochelle)
Attendance: 38,044
Leinster: Ciaran Frawley (Andrew Osborne 13, Harry Byrne 61), Tommy O’Brien, Rieko Ioane, Robbie Henshaw, Joshua Kenny, Sam Prendergast, Jamison Gibson-Park (Luke McGrath 77), Paddy McCarthy (Jerry Cahir 42), Dan Sheehan (Ronan Kelleher 59), Tom Clarkson, Joe McCarthy, James Ryan, Jack Conan (Max Deegan 77), Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris (c).
Replacements: Kelleher, Cahir, Andrew Sparrow, Diarmuid Mangan, Deegan, McGrath, Byrne, Osborne.
La Rochelle: Dillyn Leyds, Jack Nowell, Jules Favre (Antoine Hastoy 18), Simeli Daunivucu, Davit Niniashvili (Nathan Bollengier 73), Ihaia West, Nolann Le Garrec (Thomas Berjon 77), Reda Wardi (Louis Penverne 54), Tolu Latu (Quentin Lespiaucq 59), Uini Atonio (Aleksandre Kuntelia 54), Charles Kante Samba, Will Skelton (Kane Douglas 68), Oscar Jegou, Levani Botia (Kirill Fraindt 68), Grégory Alldritt (c).
Replacements: Lespiaucq, Penverne, Kuntelia, Douglas, Fraindt, Berjon, Hastoy, Bollengier.
Referee: Matthew Carley (England).
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