Byrne the hero as Leinster beat La Rochelle in epic

Leinster and La Rochelle's rivalry produced another game for the ages, as Harry Byrne's penalty kick with the final play of the game sealed a 25-24 win for Leo Cullen’s side, and sending them on course for another home run in the knockout stages of the Investec Champions Cup.

The out-half was ice-cold as he drained a penalty with the clock in the red to seal the game for his team, when it had looked like Leinster were heading for their first pool defeat since 2018.

It’s now 30 consecutive wins in group games for Leinster in this competition, and few will have been as dramatic.

Cullen’s side raced into a 12-0 lead inside the opening 10 minutes before their discipline collapsed and they got reeled in by Ronan O’Gara’s men, evoking memories of their epic 2023 final at Aviva Stadium.

Joshua Kenny had scored those first Leinster tries to maintain his sensational form, but they looked to be slowly crumbling heading into the final quarter as tries for Davit Niniashvilli and Ihaia West, and a perfect kicking performance from Nolann Le Garrec, saw La Rochelle move 17-12 ahead, while Leinster had earlier been hit by another front row injury for Paddy McCarthy.

Remarkably, Leinster hit the French for two tries in quick succession for Josh van der Flier and Robbie Henshaw, only to give the lead back with three minutes left to play, before Byrne (above) made himself the hero with the final act of the game.

Leinster started the game in stunning fashion, with a try inside three minutes for Kenny on his Champions Cup debut.

The winger could have even scored inside the opening 60 seconds when a brilliant line from Tommy O’Brien split the La Rochelle defence open and sent Kenny clear down the left wing before he was tackled into touch.

But when O’Brien made another incisive run a minute later, there was no stopping them as Kenny (below) sprinted in for his try to make it 5-0.

It would get even better for Leinster and Kenny on eight minutes when West dawdled on a kick from his own half, and the New Zealander was made to pay for the lackadaisical approach when Rieko Ioane charged that kick down, and it sat up perfectly for Kenny to run for his second try of the game, as Prendergast's conversion made it 12-0.

Just as it did against Connacht last week, Leinster’s discipline deteriorated after that lightning start, although the visitors were wasteful with their entries to the 22 and failed to make O’Brien pay for his deliberate knock-on which earned him a yellow card.

The first blown chance saw Tolu Latu’s lineout throw fly over the top of his target, while a few minutes later Joe McCarthy produced a turnover at the maul.

O’Gara’s side were dominant with their defensive breakdown work, and that would prove to be their currency to get into the 22 time and time again with Levani Botia, named player of the match, twice coming up with turnovers off Caelan Doris, while Greg Alldritt also got his side on the attack with a penalty at the ruck.

Those penalties were stacking up, and when Leinster gave up their eighth after just 29 minutes, Stade Rochelais finally made them pay for it as Antoine Hastoy rounded a flat-footed Prendergast and passed to Niniashvilli, whose dive for the corner got his side on the scoreboard at 12-7.

Leinster made it to the half-time break with their five-point lead intact, but only just.

As they continued to stay on the wrong side of referee Matt Carley, Joe McCarthy (below) became the second Leinster player to pick up a yellow card on 37 minutes, his offside in midfield was the 10th penalty given up by the home side in the opening half.

La Rochelle remained on the offensive from the restart as some slick handling sent West clear down the left wing, but the out-half's offload to Alldritt was disrupted by Dan Sheehan and Andrew Osborne.

Leinster were on the ropes, as La Rochelle continued to fluff their lines, and the most egregious error came on 46 minutes when Hastoy and Reda Wardi both tried to catch the same pass from Niniashvilli, spilling forward when a try looked certain.

Given their wastefulness, Le Garrec wisely took the simple three points next time they were on offer, as a scrum penalty under the posts allowed the La Rochelle scrum half make it 12-10 on 54 minutes.

Five minutes later, they finally made an opportunity stick after a rampaging run into the 22 from Skelton, as simple hands and quick ruck-ball eventually allowed them get the ball to the right wing for West to dive over and score, with Le Garrec’s excellent conversion sending the French side 17-12 in front.

Heading into the final quarter, it looked like only one team had the stamina to go and win the game as La Rochelle continued to attack, and then a Leinster haymaker flipped the game on its head on 66 minutes with a Van der Flier (below) try to draw level.

Nothing appeared to be on when Prendergast picked up the ball just inside the La Rochelle half, but his delayed pass to Doris gave Leinster an overlap on the right wing, and they worked the ball wide for the flanker, who still had plenty of work to do for his try.

Prendergast’s conversion fell short, which left the game tied at 17 points, but remarkably Leinster hit the front just three minutes later as Gibson-Park spotted numbers down the blindside, and quick hands to Conan and Henshaw sent the latter running in to score.

The bonus-point try made it 22-17, but again the conversion couldn’t maximise the score, this time Harry Byrne missed from the tee, leaving five in it heading down the stretch.

It looked like those missed conversions would be costly when La Rochelle returned serve to score their third try of the game with four minutes to play, as West’s second of the evening, and conversion by Le Garrec, nudged them back in front, 24-22.

But there was one final twist in this game as Leinster took a swing for the fences, eking out a penalty for Byrne to be the hero with the final play.

Scorers

Leinster: Tries: JJ Kenny (2), Josh van der Flier, Robbie Henshaw

Cons: Sam Prendergast

Pens: Harry Byrne

La Rochelle: Tries: Davit Niniashvili, Ihaia Werst (2)

Cons: Nolann Le Garrec (3)

Pens: Nolann Le Garrec

Leinster: Ciaran Frawley; Tommy O'Brien, Rieko Ioane, Robbie Henshaw, Joshua Kenny; Sam Prendergast, Jamison Gibson-Park; Paddy McCarthy, Dan Sheehan, Tom Clarkson; Joe McCarthy, James Ryan; Jack Conan, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris (capt).

Replacements: Ronan Kelleher (for Sheehan, 60), Jerry Cahir (for Paddy McCarthy, 42), Andrew Sparrow, Diarmuid Mangan, Max Deegan (for Conan, 46-51, and 77), Luke McGrath (fort Gibson-Park, 77), Harry Byrne (for Osborne, 60), Andrew Osborne (for Frawley, 12).

La Rochelle: Dillyn Leyds; Jack Nowell, Jules Favre, Simeli Daunivucu, Davit Niniashvili; Ihaia West, Nolann le Garrec; Reda Wardi, Tolu Latu, Uini Atonio; Charles Kante Samba, Will Skelton; Oscar Jegou, Levani Botia, Gregory Alldritt (capt).

Replacements: Quentin Lespiaucq (for Latu, 60), Louis Penverne (for Wardi, 54), Aleksandre Kuntelia (for Atonio, 54), Kane Douglas (for Skelton, 68), Kirill Fraindt (for Botia, 69), Thomas Berjon (for Le Garrec, 77), Antoine Hastoy (for Favre, 17 HIA), Nathan Bollengier (for Niniashvilli, 73).

Referee: Matthew Carley (RFU)