Leinster will chase the fourth Champions Cup title in the first final to be held outside of Europe’s traditional rugby territories, as the eyes of the rugby world focus on the San Mamés Stadium in Bilbao this evening.
EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS CUP FINAL: Saturday, May 12
LEINSTER v RACING 92, San Mamés Stadium, 5.45pm local time.4.45pm Irish time (live Sky Sports Action/BT Sport 2/beIN Sports/FR2/RTÉ Radio 1/Newstalk/highlights TG4)
Team News: Isa Nacewa will lead the Leinster team in his final European appearance for the province before his retirement, following confirmation of the starting XV selected by head coach Leo Cullen.
There are two changes to the side that started last month’s impressive semi-final win over the Scarlets, as Luke McGrath returns from an ankle injury at scrum half and Jordan Larmour replaces the injured Fergus McFadden (hamstring) on the right wing.
It will be Larmour’s third start in six Champions Cup games this season, featuring in the back-three alongside the experienced Rob Kearney and skipper Nacewa, who has scored 18 tries in 60 European appearances for Leinster. Westmeath man Robbie Henshaw is partnered by Garry Ringrose for the province’s first European Cup final since their last title success in 2012.
McGrath is fit to take his place in the half-backs where he links up again with the in-form Jonathan Sexton, who has scored four tries and 70 points in Leinster’s unbeaten run through to this weekend’s decider in the Spanish city of Bilbao.
Up front, Cian Healy and Tadhg Furlong are the props with Sean Cronin, winning his 50th European cap, selected at hooker. Devin Toner starts in the second row with James Ryan, Leinster’s Young Player of the Year award recipient, beside him.
Leinster will field the same back row trio that excelled against the Scarlets last time out in Europe, with Scott Fardy, Dan Leavy, who was crowned Players’ Player of the Year and Supporters’ Player of the Year at the Leinster Awards night, and Jordi Murphy completing the starting line-up.
Rhys Ruddock has shaken off a hamstring injury to take his place in the matchday 23 for the first time since the Saracens quarter-final. He is part of a strong bench which includes Jamison Gibson-Park as reserve scrum half, the second of the non-Europeans (as per tournament rules) in the final squad with New Zealander James Lowe the unfortunate one to miss out.
Meanwhile, captain Maxime Machenaud is the only absentee from the Racing 92 side that dispatched Munster 27-22 at the semi-final stage. The classy play-maker and goal-kicker suffered a knee ligament injury against Bordeaux-Begles a fortnight ago and misses the club’s second European Cup final appearance in three years.
Teddy Iribaren replaces Machenaud at scrum half, with South African Pat Lambie retained at out-half and All Black great Dan Carter on the bench for his final European game. Yannick Nyanga takes the captaincy reins, anchoring an unchanged pack from number 8.
None of the starting XV played in last Saturday’s 42-13 Top 14 victory over Agen, while Carter is the only one of the replacements for the European decider who did not get game-time last weekend. Ole Avei, Vasil Kakovin, Census Johnston, Boris Palu, Baptiste Chouzenoux, Antoine Gibert and Joe Rokocoko all featured in the six-try success.
There is no place for Argentinian winger Juan Imhoff despite his brace against Agen, while experienced hooker Dimitri Szarzewski is another injury-enforced absentee. He recently underwent an operation on a torn bicep which rules him out for the rest of the season.
LEINSTER: Rob Kearney; Jordan Larmour, Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw, Isa Nacewa (capt); Jonathan Sexton, Luke McGrath; Cian Healy, Sean Cronin, Tadhg Furlong, Devin Toner, James Ryan, Scott Fardy, Dan Leavy, Jordi Murphy.
Replacements: James Tracy, Jack McGrath, Andrew Porter, Rhys Ruddock, Jack Conan, Jamison Gibson-Park, Joey Carbery, Rory O’Loughlin.
RACING 92: Louis Dupichot; Teddy Thomas, Virimi Vakatawa, Henry Chavancy, Marc Andreu; Pat Lambie, Teddy Iribaren; Eddy Ben Arous, Camille Chat, Cedate Gomes Sa, Donnacha Ryan, Leone Nakarawa, Wenceslas Lauret, Bernard le Roux, Yannick Nyanga (capt).
Replacements: Ole Avei, Vasil Kakovin, Census Johnston, Boris Palu, Baptiste Chouzenoux, Antoine Gibert, Dan Carter, Joe Rokocoko.
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Assistant Referees: JP Doyle, Tom Foley (both England)
Television Match Official: Rowan Kitt (England)
Pre-Match Quotes: Leo Cullen (Leinster) – “We are under no illusions. It is a very formidable bunch of players who we will be up against on Saturday but it is one of the great challenges that we face as a side. It’s trying to keep it as normal as possible and do the things that have got us to this stage really, that’s what experience tells you. We don’t need to do things that we haven’t done so far.
“There are a lot of different factors (regarding the selection of the two non-European players). I thought Jamison did very well in the semi-final against Scarlets. In many ways, he’s unlucky not to start this game. Scott’s come in and he’s done really well, he’s been a really good addition to the forwards. He’s a good leader in the group.
“It’s not an easy decision. As we’ve talked about during the season, it adds a bit of complication but we felt those two guys have done well and we think they will do the job for us this weekend.
“It’s not just James (Lowe missing out). There’s a whole host of players that we had difficult conversations with this week. We have used 37 players in the eight (Champions Cup) games so far and in the PRO14 we have used 55 players. So, it takes a huge amount to get to this stage.
“But the players have fought hard for each other this year. With that competitive environment, there is always going to be people who miss out. There are guys who travelled with the squad here who won’t get to play. We’re in another competition as well, the British & Irish Cup. They play the final (on Saturday) over in Ealing. So it has been a really competitive group this year and that is what we will need again tomorrow.”
Donnacha Ryan (Racing 92) – “I just came over to France for a different experience and a new challenge. When you get older in any career, a change gives you a big impetus. I just want to prove myself to the players and the coaches here – that’s given me an extra kick when needed.
“Every time I come to training, I work hard and try to make other players look better on pitch. The massive effort we put in was reflected in our wins over Clermont and Munster and I’m thrilled to bits to be in a final. Everyone’s looking forward to it and it’s going to be a great experience.
“James (Ryan) has been incredible actually. I had the opportunity to play against him in a development game two years ago. He’s had an incredible season. I was getting feedback from the Munster lads during the Six Nations and his GPS scores were incredible, he has such a high work-rate.
“He’s playing alongside the most successful Irish second row. Devin (Toner) has done everything and the Leinster lineout has done very well this year. I also played alongside Leo (Cullen) and I know he’s very diligent and it’s important how we react to those things on the pitch and how we can close them down the best we can.
“Knowing Leinster and the way Stuart Lancaster likes to train them, they will play a high-tempo game and that’s the kind of game we play as well. It makes for an interesting clash, the lineout will be a game of chess and some days you’re able to pinch one or two, others you can’t.”
Current Form – Leinster – (GUINNESS PRO14): Won 39-16 v Dragons (away), Won 37-9 v Cardiff Blues (home), Won 31-10 v Southern Kings (away), Lost 38-19 v Toyota Cheetahs (away), Won 21-13 v Edinburgh (home), Won 23-17 v Munster (home); (Champions Cup): Won 24-17 v Montpellier (home), Won 34-18 v Glasgow Warriors (away); (GUINNESS PRO14): Won 25-10 v Ulster (away), Lost 31-21 v Glasgow Warriors (away), Won 54-10 v Dragons (home), Won 36-10 v Benetton Rugby; (Champions Cup): Won 18-8 v Exeter Chiefs (away), (GUINNESS PRO14): Won 34-24 v Munster (away), Won 21-18 v Connacht (home), Won 38-7 v Ulster (home); (Champions Cup): Won 55-19 v Glasgow Warriors (home), Won 23-14 v Montpellier (away); (GUINNESS PRO14): Lost 29-24 v Edinburgh (away), Won 20-13 v Scarlets (home), Won 64-7 v Southern Kings (home), Drew 10-10 v Scarlets (away), Lost 32-18 v Ospreys (away); (Champions Cup quarter-final): Won 30-19 v Saracens (home); (GUINNESS PRO14): Won 41-6 v Zebre (home), Lost 17-15 v Benetton Rugby (home); (Champions Cup semi-final): Won 38-16 v Scarlets (home country); (GUINNESS PRO14): Lost 47-10 v Connacht (away)
Racing 92 – (Top 14 Championship): Won 25-21 v Castres Olympique (home), Lost 23-19 v Agen (away), Won 25-6 v Brive (away), Won 25-13 v Oyonnax (home), Lost 23-21 v Clermont Auvergne (away), Lost 20-17 v Lyon (home), Lost 16-9 v La Rochelle (away); (Champions Cup): Won 22-18 v Leicester Tigers (home), Lost 14-7 v Munster (away); (Top 14 Championship): Won 29-13 v Bordeaux-Begles (home), Won 23-20 v Pau (home), Won 40-29 v Toulon (away), Won 26-0 v Montpellier (home), Lost 27-17 v Stade Francais (away); (Champions Cup): Lost 16-13 v Castres Olympique (away), Won 29-7 v Castres Olympique (home); (Top 14 Championship): Won 23-19 v Toulouse (home), Won 16-12 v Oyonnax (away), Won 58-6 v Clermont Auvergne (home); (Champions Cup): Won 34-30 v Munster (home), Won 23-20 v Leicester Tigers (away); (Top 14 Championship): Won 18-13 v Castres Olympique (away), Won 19-12 v La Rochelle (home), Lost 24-15 v Pau (away), Won 17-13 v Brive (home), Lost 41-3 v Montpellier (away), Won 28-22 v Stade Francais (home), Won 24-22 v Lyon (away); (Champions Cup quarter-final): Won 28-17 v Clermont Auvergne (away); (Top 14 Championship): Won 17-13 v Toulon (home), Lost 42-27 v Toulouse (away); (Champions Cup semi-final): Won 27-22 v Munster (home country); (Top 14 Championship): Won 39-15 v Bordeaux-Begles (away), Won 42-13 v Agen (home)
Top Scorers – 2017/18 European Champions Cup: Leinster – Points: Jonathan Sexton 70; Tries: Jonathan Sexton 4; Racing 92 – Points: Maxime Machenaud 85; Tries: Leone Nakarawa 4
Previous European Meetings: 2
Friday, January 21, 2011 – Pool 2 – Racing Metro 92 11 Leinster 36, Stade Colombes
Saturday, October 9, 2010 – Pool 2 – Leinster 38 Racing Metro 92 22, the RDS
Match Facts –
– The Racing 92 trio of Dan Carter (Crusaders 2002, 2005, 2006 and 2008), Joe Rokocoko (Blues 2003) and Ben Tameifuna (Chiefs 2012, 2013), as well as Leinster’s Jamison Gibson-Park (Hurricanes 2016), are bidding to complete the double of Champions Cup and Super Rugby titles
– Jonathan Sexton’s 28 points against Northampton Saints in 2011 is the second-highest individual total in the 22 finals to date. Stade Francais’ Diego Dominguez kicked 30 points against Leicester Tigers in 2011, but still ended up on the losing side
– Racing’s Wenceslas Lauret, who made a match-high 20 tackles in the semi-final win over Munster, is hoping for third time lucky in Bilbao. The in-form back rower lost in the final with Biarritz Olympique in 2010 and lost again with Racing in Lyon two years ago
– Four Leinster players – Cian Healy, Isa Nacewa, Jonathan Sexton and Devin Toner – could equal the record of four European Cup winners’ medals held jointly by Cedric Heymans (Toulouse) and Frederic Michalak (Toulouse and Toulon)
– The final will be Dan Carter’s last European club match. The legendary New Zealander, who has won every major trophy in the game except the Champions Cup, started against Saracens in the 2016 decider in Lyon before being replaced due to injury
– Leinster’s Leo Cullen and Racing 92’s Laurent Travers are bidding to become the first men to win the tournament as both player and coach
– With more than 950,000 fans already through the Champions Cup turnstiles this season, the total tournament attendance for 2017/18 will pass the one million mark in Bilbao
European Cup Records:
Leinster –
2016/17: Reached the semi-finals
2015/16: Failed to qualify from Pool 5
2014/15: Reached the semi-finals
2013/14: Reached the quarter-finals
2012/13: Failed to qualify from Pool 5
2011/12: Champions
2010/11: Champions
2009/10: Reached the semi-finals
2008/09: Champions
2007/08: Failed to qualify from Pool 6
2006/07: Reached the quarter-finals
2005/06: Reached the semi-finals
2004/05: Reached the quarter-finals
2003/04: Failed to qualify from Pool 3
2002/03: Reached the semi-finals
2001/02: Reached the quarter-finals
2000/01: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
1999/00: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
1998/99: Failed to qualify from Pool A
1997/98: Failed to qualify from Pool A
1996/97: Failed to qualify from Pool B
1995/96: Reached the semi-finals
Racing 92 –
2016/17: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
2015/16: Runners-up
2014/15: Reached the quarter-finals
2013/14: Failed to qualify from Pool 4
2012/13: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
2011/12: Failed to qualify from Pool 2
2010/11: Failed to qualify from Pool 2
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