2018 European Rugby Champions Cup Final

The 2018 European Rugby Champions Cup Final was the final match in the 2017–18 European Rugby Champions Cup, and the twenty-third European club rugby final in general.

2018 European Rugby Champions Cup Final
Event2017–18 European Rugby Champions Cup
Leinster Racing 92
15 12
Date12 May 2018
VenueSan Mamés Stadium, Bilbao
Man of the MatchJames Ryan
RefereeWayne Barnes
Attendance52,282[1]

Irish club Leinster defeated French club Racing 92 in the final[2] played in Bilbao, Spain — the first time it was contested outside one of the Six Nations countries.[3][4][5]

Route to the final
Further information: 2017–18 European Rugby Champions Cup

Note: In all results below, the score of the finalist is given first (H: home; A: away).

Leinster Round Racing 92
Opponent Result Pool stage Opponent Result
Montpellier 24–17 (H) Matchday 1 Leicester Tigers 22–18 (H)
Glasgow Warriors 34–18 (A) Matchday 2 Munster 7–14 (A)
Exeter Chiefs 18–8 (A) Matchday 3 Castres 13–16 (A)
Exeter Chiefs 22–17 (H) Matchday 4 Castres 29–7 (H)
Glasgow Warriors 55–19 (H) Matchday 5 Munster 34–30 (H)
Montpellier 23–14 (A) Matchday 6 Leicester Tigers 23–20 (A)
Pool 3 winner
Team P Pts
Leinster 627
Exeter Chiefs 615
Montpellier 613
Glasgow Warriors 67
 Final standings Pool 4 runner-up
Team P Pts
Munster 621
Racing 92 619
Castres 612
Leicester Tigers 67
Opponent Result Knock-out stage Opponent Result
Saracens 30–19 (H) Quarter-finals Clermont Auvergne 28–17 (A)
Scarlets 38–16 (H) Semi-finals Munster 27–22 (H)

Match

Summary

The game was played in wet conditions, which made passing and attacking play difficult for both teams. Early in the game Racing fly-half Pat Lambie was forced off the field with a knee injury, replaced by French international Rémi Talès. Racing recovered from this set back to score the first points of the game with Teddy Iribaren kicking a penalty. Leinster responded on 16 minutes when Jonathan Sexton opened their account, also from a penalty. Iribaren reestablished Racing's lead five minutes later and Sexton responded just before half time, to send the teams into the break level on six points apiece.[6]

The teams were both unchanged for the second half, and the penalty tit-for-tat continued. Sexton was the first to strike in the second half with a converted effort on 53 minutes, before Iribaren missed and the teams remained level at 9–9 coming into the final 10 minutes of play. Iribaren kicked his fourth penalty of the day to give Racing back their three-point lead, but Leinster responded quickly with a penalty from captain Isa Nacewa. Nacewa scored another penalty with two minutes left to play to give Leinster the lead for the first time in the match. Racing won the kick off and worked down the field, looking for a drop goal to level the match again and bring play to extra time. With clock over 80 minutes the opportunity fell to Talès, who pulled his effort wide to the left to give Leinster their fourth European title.[7]

Details
12 May 2018
17:45
Leinster 15 – 12 Racing 92
Pen: Sexton (3/3) 16', 38', 53'
Nacewa (2/2) 73', 78'
 Report[8] Pen: Iribaren (4/5) 3', 21', 44', 70'
San Mamés Stadium, Bilbao
Attendance: 52,282
Referee: Wayne Barnes (RFU)
Leinster
Racing 92
FB15 Rob Kearney
RW14 Jordan Larmour
OC13 Garry Ringrose
IC12 Robbie Henshaw
LW11 Isa Nacewa (c)
FH10 Jonathan Sexton
SH9 Luke McGrath 61'
N88 Jordi Murphy 61'
OF7 Dan Leavy
BF6 Scott Fardy
RL5 James Ryan
LL4 Devin Toner
TP3 Tadhg Furlong 66'
HK2 Seán Cronin 61'
LP1 Cian Healy 68'
Substitutions:
HK16 James Tracy 61'
PR17 Jack McGrath 68'
PR18 Andrew Porter 66'
FL19 Rhys Ruddock
N820 Jack Conan 61'
SH21 Jamison Gibson-Park 61'
FH22 Joey Carbery
CE23 Rory O'Loughlin
Coach:
Leo Cullen
FB15 Louis Dupichot 30' 38'
RW14 Teddy Thomas
OC13 Virimi Vakatawa
IC12 Henry Chavancy
LW11 Marc Andreu
FH10 Pat Lambie 3'
SH9 Teddy Iribaren
N88 Yannick Nyanga (c)
OF7 Bernard Le Roux 69'
BF6 Wenceslas Lauret
RL5 Leone Nakarawa
LL4 Donnacha Ryan
TP3 Cedate Gomes Sa 54'
HK2 Camille Chat 44' 54' 58'
LP1 Eddy Ben Arous 54'
Substitutions:
HK16 Ole Avei 44' 54' 58'
PR17 Vasil Kakovin 54'
PR18 Census Johnston 41'
FL19 Boris Palu
FL20 Baptiste Chouzenoux 69'
SH21 Antoine Gibert
FH22 Rémi Talès 3'
WG23 Joe Rokocoko 30' 38'
Coach:
Laurent Labit
Laurent Travers

Man of the Match:
James Ryan

Touch judges:
JP Doyle (RFU)
Tom Foley (RFU)
Television Match Official:
Rowan Kitt (RFU)

References
  1. "As it happened". the42. Retrieved 13 May 2018.
  2. "Leinster lift fourth European Cup after 15-12 victory over Racing 92". www.epcrugby.com. Archived from the original on 2018-05-15. Retrieved 2018-05-12.
  3. "European club rugby finals to break new ground in 2018 and 2019". www.epcrugby.com. Retrieved 2018-05-12.
  4. "Leinster into European Champions Cup final after Sexton smites Scarlets". Guardian. 21 April 2018. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
  5. "Teddy Thomas runs in two tries as Racing power past Munster". Guardian. 22 April 2018. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
  6. "Leinster beat Racing 92 15-12 to secure fourth title". BBC Sport. 12 May 2018. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
  7. "Leinster win European Champions Cup after 15-12 triumph over Racing 92 – as it happened". Guardian. 12 May 2018. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
  8. "Leinster lift fourth European Cup after 15-12 victory over Racing 92". European Professional Club Rugby. 12 May 2018. Archived from the original on 15 May 2018. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
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