Star-struck Leinster denied by magnificent champions La Rochelle as wait goes on

Leinster's wait for a fifth Champions Cup title goes on after a remarkable final in Dublin where they lost a 17-point lead and were reduced to 13 players at the end of an incredible battle against Ronan O'Gara's La Rochelle.

For the third year running, it was the French side, under the stewardship of former Ireland and Munster out-half O'Gara, who denied Leo Cullen's favourites.

The defending champions scored the winning try with seven minutes to play and although Leinster had a late period of pressure, La Rochelle escaped when Michael Ala'alatoa was red-carded for a dangerous clear-out on the line.

Leinster's season ends in bitter disappointment once more and the departures of captain Johnny Sexton and senior coach Stuart Lancaster only serve to heighten the sense of regret.

They made a blistering start and rampaged into a 17-0 lead with tries from Dan Sheehan (2) and Jimmy O'Brien but Stade Rochelais scored two of their own to gain a foothold.

The first-half effort took a savage toll on the home side and when their discipline and kicking skills departed in the second half, La Rochelle sensed the game was there for the taking, and so it proved.

Leinster, beaten finalists in 2019 and 2022, kicked just three points in the second half and when out-half Antoine Hastoy converted replacement prop Georges Henri Colombe's try, the French side led for the first time.

A lead they would not relinquish in a game that had echoes of last year's final in which Leinster lost 24-21 in the last play of the game.

If the Heineken Champions Cup did perfect starts, then this was it.

Not in his wildest dreams could Leo Cullen and his coaching staff have foreseen what transpired in the opening 12 minutes.

Just 40 seconds were on the match clock when