La Rochelle's forwards dominate Leinster to guide French side to first ever Champions Cup final

[ASFN Admin]

La Rochelle 32 Leinster 23 This was a result that not only ushered in La Rochelle’s status as a European heavyweight but may yet have implications for the make-up of the British and Irish Lions squad for the tour of South Africa. In the last audition before Warren Gatland, the Lions head coach, gathers his coaching team together for the final selection meeting on Wednesday, the manner of La Rochelle’s progression to their first Champions Cup final, where they will meet Toulouse at Twickenham on May 22, will no doubt have raised points for discussion. Gatland is seeking combinations in his 36-man squad capable of going toe-to-toe with the formidable physicality of the Springboks and yet on Sunday he witnessed several of his contenders overwhelmed by La Rochelle’s power and potency. Having impressed in their quarter-final victory over defending champions Exeter at Sandy Park, Leinster’s trip to the Marcel-Deflandre Stadium offered another meaningful opportunity for the likes of Ronan Kelleher, Cian Healy, Jack Conan and Josh van der Flier to forward their Lions credentials. Instead it was the La Rochelle pack who were dominant, with former Saracens lock Will Skelton leading the charge and backed up by ferociously impactful performances from Pierre Bourgarit, Victor Vito and Gregory Alldritt. Alldritt and Skelton crossed for tries while Ihaia West, who controlled the game superbly, kicked 22 points, including five penalties that were an indication of his side’s forward firepower.

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