La Rochelle pull off historic comeback win in 27-26 Champions Cup final victory over Leinster

La Rochelle beat Leinster 27-26 in a heroic Champions Cup final comeback to seal back-to-back European titles. In a rematch of last year's final, the Irish side got off to a dream start at Dublin's Aviva Park. Ad In the first minute, Dan Sheehan shovelled a pass to Jack Conan and collected the return ball before diving over to score.

Ross Byrne kicked the conversion and it was 7-0 after the fastest try ever scored in a Champions Cup final. RugbyAll Blacks crush Wallabies in Yokohama for Bledisloe Cup sweep27/10/2018 AT 11:24 Five minutes later Leinster were over again, Champagne rugby from the Irish side allowing Jimmy O'Brien to touch down in the corner. Already reeling, La Rochelle took another hammer blow in the 11th minute when Tawera Kerr-Barlow was sin binned for an early tackle on Leinster fly half Jamison Gibson-Park.

Gibson-Park was centre stage again one minute later when his offload found Sheehan who zipped over for his second try of the afternoon. At 17-0, Leinster were comfortably outpacing the number of minutes played. The French struck back in the 20th minute when Jonathan Danty sliced through from a scrum win and Antoine Hastoy kicked the conversion to make it 17-7.

Back-to-back Byrne penalties extended Leinster's lead to 16 points but La Rochelle besieged their line as half-time approached. The champions got their reward in the 38th minute when Samoa centre Ulupano Seuteni slid in. Another Hastoy conversion narrowed the gap to 23-14 at the interval.