Forward of Saturday’s Champions Cup last between Leinster and Bordeaux-Begles in Bilbao, we glance again on the best European Cup finals in historical past…
Leinster 26-27 La Rochelle – 2023
The 2023 last between four-time winners Leinster after which reigning champions La Rochelle on the Aviva Stadium in Dublin – a repeat of the 2022 last in Marseille, when Ronan O’Gara’s La Rochelle got here from eight factors all the way down to win within the final minute – was arguably the best Champions Cup last witnessed up to now.
On the day, a powerful comeback from 17 factors down noticed La Rochelle grow to be back-to-back Champions Cup winners with a dramatic 27-26 win over Leinster on their very own patch.
Leinster have been 17-0 forward inside 12 minutes, as hooker Dan Sheehan (two) and wing Jimmy O’Brien scored tries in a shocking begin to the sport which additionally noticed La Rochelle scrum-half Tawera Kerr-Barlow sin-binned.
The French membership hit again by means of a Jonathan Danty strive, however fell 23-7 behind after a few Ross Byrne penalties, earlier than Danty’s midfield associate UJ Seuteni crucially scored a second strive late within the opening half to deliver the guests inside 9 factors.
O’Gara’s prices then proceeded to dominate nearly everything of the second half, displaying superiority at scrum and maul time, however Leinster’s very good defence simply stored them out for extended spells after Antoine Hastoy had minimize the hole to 6 factors.
That was till substitute tighthead Georges Henri Colombe pressured his approach over with eight minutes to play, with Hastoy changing for a one-point lead – finishing the biggest comeback in European Cup last historical past in doing so.
Ronan O’Gara’s prices sealed the 2023 title, to sit down alongside their last triumph in 2022 – additionally vs Leinster
Leinster did have a last probability to win it as soon as Danty was sin-binned for a excessive sort out, attacking onerous on the La Rochelle try-line within the closing minutes, however simply when it appeared the Irish province would carry out a task reversal of La Rochelle’s late success in Marseille, prop Michael Ala’alatoa was purple carded for a harmful, out-of-control clearout on Colombe, permitting La Rochelle to clear the hazard and deservedly rejoice wildly.
Leinster 33-22 Northampton – 2011
Earlier than the 2023 epic in Dublin, the biggest last comeback in Champions Cup historical past got here in 2011 when Leinster clinched their second title after a gripping 33-22 win over Northampton Saints in Cardiff.
Leinster picked up their second European title in 2011, coming from 22-6 behind to beat Northampton
The Saints appeared on target for a second European Cup victory after taking a 22-6 half-time lead, however a shocking fightback from the Irish facet, led by Johnny Sexton, enabled them to win the event for the second time in three years.
Tries from Phil Dowson, Ben Foden and Dylan Hartley put Northampton on target for victory earlier than Leinster rallied and utterly dominated the second half.
Sexton scored after the restart, and the Eire out-half shortly crossed the road once more earlier than a Leinster penalty enabled them to show their hefty deficit right into a one-point lead throughout the area of 17 second-half minutes.
Johnny Sexton put in maybe the best particular person efficiency in European Cup last historical past in 2011
Nathan Hines scored Leinster’s third strive, in his last sport earlier than becoming a member of Clermont Auvergne, because the Blues accomplished a outstanding turnaround.
Leicester 34-30 Stade Francais – 2001
Up there with probably the most entertaining of European Cup finals in historical past, Leicester clinched their first triumph within the competitors in 2001 after a stirring win over Stade Francais in Paris.
Leicester left it late to defeat Stade Francais in a high-scoring 2001 last in Paris
It appeared as if the French facet can be topped champions, main for many of the match, however a strive from Leon Lloyd within the final minute snatched the win for the Tigers.
Diego Dominguez scored all of Stade Francais’ factors, which included 9 penalties, because the facet stood on the verge of European glory.
Trailing 15-9 on the break, Lloyd scored at first of the second half earlier than Neil Again’s transformed strive made it 21-21.
Dominguez edged Stade Francais again in entrance, however the contest was determined proper on the finish when Austin Healey broke clear down the center and arrange Lloyd for the profitable strive.
Exeter Chiefs 31-27 Racing 92 – 2020
The rescheduled 2020 last ensured a brand new title can be on the trophy, as Exeter and Racing confronted off behind closed doorways in Bristol as a result of Covid-19.
The competitors’s winners in 2020 have been Exeter Chiefs, after their gorgeous defeat of Racing 92 behind closed doorways
Supporters have been robbed of one of the entertaining finals in historical past, as a ding-dong affair noticed Exeter slide right into a 14-0 lead inside 20 minutes after tries from Luke Cowan-Dickie and Sam Simmonds.
Racing then hit again with tries from Simon Zebo and Juan Imhoff, however the Chiefs had the ultimate say of the primary half as Harry Williams scored within the final play.
Zebo notched his second for Racing quickly after the restart, however Henry Slade scored two minutes after that to offer Exeter daylight once more. Simply 5 minutes later, Camille Chat was over for Racing, and with quarter-hour left Maxime Machenaud kicked a penalty to cut back the Exeter result in simply 28-27.
Determined try-line defence from the Chiefs stored Racing out additional, whereas a pivotal Sam Hidalgo-Clyne breakdown turnover proved crucial. Joe Simmonds then made positive of victory with the ultimate kick from a penalty, and regardless of referee Nigel Owens’ confusion over the match clock, there can be no Racing restart.
Munster 23-19 Biarritz – 2006
After a number of years of one-score semi-final heartache and two agonising close to misses in finals, it was third time fortunate for Munster within the Heineken Cup in 2006 after edging previous Biarritz in Cardiff.
Munster’s 10-year journey to clinch a European Cup title was emotionally achieved in 2006
Sireli Bobo gave Biarritz a controversial early lead, however Munster responded by means of Trevor Halstead’s rating and an excellent particular person strive from Peter Stringer.
Munster led 17-10 at half-time, however the French facet closed to inside some extent after a few penalties from Dmitri Yachvili to arrange a tense finale.
Peter Stringer’s strive within the 2006 last has gone down in folklore
Dependable out-half Ronan O’Gara fired over his third penalty of the match, nevertheless, and Munster held out to seal an emotional first European triumph.
Wasps 27-20 Toulouse – 2004
Rob Howley’s late strive gave Wasps a sensational victory over Toulouse in 2004 at Twickenham for his or her first trophy success within the event.
Wasps beat Toulouse at Twickenham in 2004, after Rob Howley’s well-known late attempt to Clement Poitrenaud’s notorious error
Wasps had the higher hand within the first half, with Stuart Abbott crossing the road to offer them the lead, earlier than Toulouse fly-half Yann Delaigue replied to deliver his facet again to inside two factors of their opponents.
Full-back Mark van Gisbergen adopted up with Wasps’ second strive, however the English membership have been pegged again by two penalties from Jean-Baptiste Elissalde.
The ultimate then gave the impression to be heading in the direction of extra-time till Howley raced on to his personal grubber kick to attain the decisive strive within the nook for Wasps, after Clement Poitrenaud had made the error of all European Cup last errors, keen and ready for the bouncing ball to land in-goal however failing to press down forward of Howley.
Tub 19-18 Brive – 1998
Within the third version of the Heineken Cup finals, Tub broke the French maintain in extremely dramatic trend towards the reigning champions in Brive.
Andy Nicol lifts the trophy aloft as Tub pulled off an unlikely and dramatic last victory over Brive
Early into the second half, Tub sat 9 factors adrift and appeared on the ropes, with Brive poised to offer the killer punch as they camped on the Tub line with a succession of scrums.
An unbelievable seven instances the 1997 cup winners tried to interrupt Tub, and 7 instances Tub refused to buckle. The psychological battle was received and misplaced in these power-packed minutes.
Tub slowly edged again into issues on the scoreboard, earlier than a fourth penalty from full-back Jon Callard two minutes into harm time sealed victory within the one and solely event Tub took the lead within the last.
Brive centre Christophe Lamaison nonetheless had one last penalty probability to maintain the cup in France however was extensive to the correct, earlier than fly-half Lisandro Arbizu then watched in despair as his tried drop-goal additionally failed to search out the goal.
