357 days and 62 matches later, the Heineken Champions Cup final is poised for a hugely-anticipated rematch as Leinster take on La Rochelle.
This time Leinster are on home turf, and will turn the dozen matches they have played at the Aviva Stadium in the last two years into a baker’s dozen as the pair meet at 4:45pm on Saturday at Ireland‘s national rugby stadium.
They were beaten at the same venue last week as they crashed out of URC contention with a chastening defeat to fierce rivals Munster, although they had picked a somewhat weakened team with this game in mind.
They have made as many changes as they have had trips to the Aviva in the last two years, with fit-again winger James Lowe the highlight change of the 12 they have made.
Only Jack Conan, Robbie Henshaw and Jimmy O’Brien have retained their place in the side beaten by one-point last weekend, with only two changes coming from the team who defeated Toulouse in the semi-final at the same venue.
Lowe is in for Jordan Larmour while Henshaw takes the place of Charlie Ngatai, as Leinster search for a first Champions Cup title in five years having lost their last two finals.
Caelan Doris, starting on the blindside, told The Rugby Paper how he was looking for revenge in last Sunday’s edition, and is determined to bring his best possible performance this time around.
“Post La Rochelle in Marseille was the worst dressing room I’ve ever experienced,” he said. “My team-mates have all said the same, you could feel the silence and the hurt. A lot of that came from individuals like myself not showing the best versions of ourselves or putting our best performance out there.
“Part of that was how good they are but part of it was feeling that we didn’t give our best. Best players show up on the big occasions and for me, there’s a feeling that I didn’t shoot my shot.”
As La Rochelle look to retain the title against the same team they stunned last year, they too make two changes from the team that won in the semi-final, against Exeter.
Ronan O’Gara replaces Ultan Dillane with Paul Boudehent and Jules Favre with Jonathan Danty, as Les Maritimes seek to be the first team since Saracens in 2017 to retain the crown.
They are widely unfancied, with bookmakers giving a 10-point win to Leinster on handicap betting, but having faced down similar odds last year former Munster player O’Gara will be hopeful he can become the youngest coach to win two European crowns.
Leinster: Keenan, O’Brien, Ringrose, Henshaw, Lowe, Byrne, Gibson-Park; Porter, Sheehan, Furlong, Molony, Ryan (c), Doris, van der Flier, Conan
Substitutes: Kelleher, Healy, Ala’alatoa, Jenkins, Baird, McGrath, Frawley, Ngatai
La Rochelle: Dulin, Leyds, Seuteni, Danty, Rhule, Hastoy, Kerr-Barlow; Wardi, Bourgarit, Atonio, Sazy, Skelton, Boudehent, Botia, Alldritt (c)
Substitutes: Lespiaucq-Brettes, Sclavi, Henri Colombe, Lavault, Bourdeau, Dillane, Berjon, Favre
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