Byrne seals dramatic Leinster win over La Rochelle

Investec Champions Cup Pool 3

Leinster (12) 25

Tries: Kenny 2, Van der Flier, Henshaw Con: Prendergast Pen: Byrne

La Rochelle (7) 24

Harry Byrne scored a match-winning penalty with the last kick of the game as Leinster moved closer to securing a home last-16 game in the Investec Champions Cup with a nail-biting victory over rivals La Rochelle at Aviva Stadium.

At the end of a ding-dong latest edition of one of Europe’s most compelling rivalries, replacement fly-half Byrne nailed his kick in the 83rd minute to put Leinster five points clear of the Stormers at the top of pool 3.

With three wins from three, the four-time champions are guaranteed to be in the top two when they travel to Bayonne in the final round of pool fixtures next week.

But Ronan O’Gara’s La Rochelle – who beat Leinster in the 2022 and 2023 finals – are in danger of missing out on a knockout place after failing to bounce back from last month’s defeat by the Stormers.

O’Gara will lament a slow start by his side as Leinster raced into a 12-0 lead inside the opening 10 minutes with two tries by European debutant Joshua Kenny.

However, after Georgian winger Davit Niniashvili’s score narrowed the deficit before half-time, La Rochelle moved 17-12 clear when Nolann Le Garrec’s penalty was followed by Ihaia West’s converted try.

In an absorbing conclusion, Josh van der Flier and Robbie Henshaw crossed to push Leinster 22-17 and seal the bonus point, but the visitors looked to have snatched a dramatic win when West scored his second.

While it was a painful defeat for La Rochelle, the victory extended Leinster’s winning sequence to eight in all competitions since their United Rugby Championship loss to Munster at Croke Park in October.

Leo Cullen’s side came into the game beset by front-row injury troubles, with Tadhg Furlong, Andrew Porter, Rabah Slimani and Jack Boyle all missing.

However, they still produced a blistering start as Kenny finished two sweeping moves in the corner with Ireland head coach Andy Farrell watching in the stands.

But the hosts struggled to maintain momentum as Tommy O’Brien was sin-binned for a deliberate knock-on during a promising La Rochelle attack.

Having been made to wait, Niniashvili struck for the Top 14 outfit in the 28th minute, with Leinster’s woes deepened when Joe McCarthy was sin-binned before half-time.

While Leinster – who lost Ireland internationals Ciaran Frawley and Paddy McCarthy to injuries – held La Rochelle scoreless with Joe McCarthy off the field, Le Garrec slotted a penalty over and converted West’s try to give La Rochelle a 17-12 lead.

La Rochelle were guilty of spurning try-scoring opportunities, however, and they were made to pay when Van der Flier and Henshaw both crossed in the right corner in the space of four minutes to move Leinster clear.

However, with Prendergast and Byrne both having missed conversion attempts, La Rochelle edged ahead when Le Garrec coolly added the extras to out-half West’s second score, leaving Leinster on the brink of a first pool defeat since 2018.

Leinster: Frawley; O’Brien, Ioane, Henshaw, Kenny; Prendergast, Gibson-Park; P McCarthy, Sheehan, Clarkson, J McCarthy, Ryan; Conan, Van der Flier, Doris (capt).

Replacements: Kelleher, Cahir, Sparrow, Mangan, Deegan, McGrath, Byrne, Osborne.

Sin-bin: O’Brien (13), J McCarthy (37)

La Rochelle: Leyds; Nowell, Favre, Daunivucu, Niniashvili; West, Le Garrec; Wardi, Latu, Atonio, Kante-Samba, Skelton, Jegou, Botia, Alldritt (capt).

Referee: Matthew Carley (RFU)

Assistant referees: Adam Leal (RFU) & John Meredith (RFU)