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
Date12 May 2018
VenueSan Mamés, Bilbao
Man of the MatchJames Ryan (Leinster)
RefereeWayne Barnes (England)
Attendance52,282[1]
2017
2019

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

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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 6 27
  Exeter Chiefs 6 15
  Montpellier 6 13
  Glasgow Warriors 6 7
Final standings Pool 4 runner-up
Team P Pts
  Munster 6 21
  Racing 92 6 19
  Castres 6 12
  Leicester Tigers 6 7
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

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Summary

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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 Johnny 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

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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, Bilbao
Attendance: 52,282
Referee: Wayne Barnes (RFU)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Leinster
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Racing 92
FB 15   Rob Kearney
RW 14   Jordan Larmour
OC 13   Garry Ringrose
IC 12   Robbie Henshaw
LW 11   Isa Nacewa (c)
FH 10   Johnny Sexton
SH 9   Luke McGrath   61'
N8 8   Jordi Murphy   61'
OF 7   Dan Leavy
BF 6   Scott Fardy
RL 5   James Ryan
LL 4   Devin Toner
TP 3   Tadhg Furlong   66'
HK 2   Seán Cronin   61'
LP 1   Cian Healy   68'
Substitutions:
HK 16   James Tracy   61'
PR 17   Jack McGrath   68'
PR 18   Andrew Porter   66'
FL 19   Rhys Ruddock
N8 20   Jack Conan   61'
SH 21   Jamison Gibson-Park   61'
FH 22   Joey Carbery
CE 23   Rory O'Loughlin
Coach:
  Leo Cullen
FB 15   Louis Dupichot   30'   38'
RW 14   Teddy Thomas
OC 13   Virimi Vakatawa
IC 12   Henry Chavancy
LW 11   Marc Andreu
FH 10   Pat Lambie   3'
SH 9   Teddy Iribaren
N8 8   Yannick Nyanga (c)
OF 7   Bernard Le Roux   69'
BF 6   Wenceslas Lauret
RL 5   Leone Nakarawa
LL 4   Donnacha Ryan
TP 3   Cedate Gomes Sa   54'
HK 2   Camille Chat   44'   54'   58'
LP 1   Eddy Ben Arous   54'
Substitutions:
HK 16   Ole Avei   44'   54'   58'
PR 17   Vasil Kakovin   54'
PR 18   Census Johnston   41'
FL 19   Boris Palu
FL 20   Baptiste Chouzenoux   69'
SH 21   Antoine Gibert
FH 22   Rémi Talès   3'
WG 23   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

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  1. ^ "As it happened". the42. 12 May 2018. 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 15 May 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  3. ^ "European club rugby finals to break new ground in 2018 and 2019". www.epcrugby.com. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  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.