There will be no pass of three for La Rochelle. In a repeat of the last two continental finals, the Maritimes were unable to do anything against the Irish province in the quarter-finals. Trailing 23-13 at the break, the double title holders never had the opportunity to catch up and finally lost 40-13 at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Saturday.
Ronan O’Gara’s players believed the feat was possible against their best enemy. But they were never able to make their opponent doubt, simply too strong.
After a balanced start to the match between two teams who feared each other, Leinster gradually gained the upper hand. From their first major offensive, the Irish held the ball against the La Rochelle defense only to find the fault through Lowe.
This is the start of a big highlight for Leinster who confiscate the ball and move into the opposing camp but fail twice through Lowe and Gibson-Park.
Dominated, the Rochelais nevertheless remained in contact, Hastoy’s foot responding to that of Byrne. They will crack just before half-time with a close-sided escape from Lowe who finds Gibson-Park to give Leinster a 17-point lead.
The Maritimes reduced the score just before the break by settling within 22 meters of Leinster who accumulated errors until breaking down against the opposing force on a carried ball converted by Penverne.
But the Irish had no doubts and took off inexorably from the restart with a try from Baird. This time, there will be no return to La Rochelle. On the contrary, the double European champions, helpless, gave up in the face of the Irish who confiscated the ball and knocked out their opponent with tries from Sheehan then Lowe to reach 40 points per hour of play.
The slap hurts the Rochelais who fall from their European throne. But Leinster was the strongest and will face the winner of the match between Northampton and the Bulls in Croke Park, the den of Gaelic sports in Dublin, in the semi-finals.
The fact of the match: a fatal 43rd minute
If Penverne’s try just before the break gave the Rochelais hope, it did not last long. Leinster’s first attack of the second half, a model of Irish style play, hit the mark with a try from Baird. Leinster took off again and especially La Rochelle lost Kerr-Barlow, KO. in action and taken out on a stretcher. At the restart, the Maritimes had already replaced the injured Leyds with West, so it was Iribaren who replaced the scrum-half.
The player: Jamison Gibson-Park, the conductor
Author of a hat-trick against Leicester a week earlier in the round of 16, the international scrum-half once again produced a remarkable score. He constantly installed his team in a high rhythm which suited him well and oriented the game to his hand. The Irish international was instrumental in Lowe’s opening goal, scoring the second try and boosting his team’s attacking play. Released to a standing ovation at the Aviva Stadium eight minutes from time, Gibson-Park is indeed the new boss of Leinster, a worthy successor to Sexton.
