Leinster late show clinches home tie in last 16

Investec Champions Cup

Bayonne (10) 13

Try the Segonds Pens: Segonds 2 Maqala Con.

Leinster (3) 22

Leinster won the hard-earned 22-13 victory over Bayonne at Stade Jean-Dauger on Saturday to ensure that they won Pool Three of the Champions Cup and retained home advantage for the final-16 stage.

The Irish province had to fight for their position again in a less-than-convincing performance to defeat the determined French hosts, who had already lost the match when Sam Prendergast crossed six minutes in.

A Segonds penalty repelled the home side’s 10-point lead after a Sireli Maqala try and a converted score from Dan Sheehan’s conversion brought Leinster level.

The visitors were in front when Prendergast converted a touchdown, and Max Deegan’s late score added gloss to the four-time champions’ record-breaking score.

After winning by a score of 25-24 over La Rochelle last weekend, Leinster had already advanced to the knockout stages. They will now be at home until at least the quarter-finals if they make that progress.

Bayonne is currently tied for first place in their four group games despite being unable to advance or decline to the Challenge Cup.

Mid-table in the Top 14, they have now lost six of their past seven games in all competitions.

For the first time in a decade, the teams were playing in a match in Europe, and Bayonne led the way with intensity and physicality.

After 15 minutes, the French side cut Leinster’s defense wide for the opening try.

Yoham Orabe, the wing, broke through the Leinster line and gave Maqala a quick run before he ran in under the posts. The extras were added by Josia Seginds.

Thomas Clarkson took Thomas Clarkson’s place after Ireland prop Tadhg Furlong injured himself, and Harry Byrne immediately took the lead with a penalty.

When Segonds, the top point scorer in the Top 14, landed a kick 45 meters after Leo Cullen’s side fought back at a line-out, Bayonne restored their seven-point lead.

Leinster equalized with a converted try from Sheehan after fifteen minutes.

Jimmy O’Brien did well to ride a tackle before being off-loaded inside to the Ireland hooker, who produced a trademark burst of pace to scurry over. Prendergast took a break and threw a wide pass.

O’Brien went over after getting on the end of Prendergast’s grubber kick, but replays revealed that the full-back had spilled the ball as he went over the line.

Segonds, who had been fined for collapsing the maul, missed the chance to extend the lead when his penalty sailed wide of the posts.

Byrne scored a consolation goal for Leinster with six minutes left before Leinster finally broke their opponents’ defenses with a good rebound for Prendergast, who dotted down between the posts.

Replacements: F. Bosch, E. Tumania, E. Setiano, A. Garcia Iandolino, B. Heguy, M. Ariceta, G. Martocq, and V. Hannoun.

Leinster: J O’Brien, T O’Brien, G Ringrose, R Henshaw, J Kenny, H Byrne, J Gibson-Park, J Boyle, R Kelleher, T Furlong, RG Snyman, J Ryan, M Deegan, J van der Flier, C Doris (capt).