The 2018 European Rugby Champions Cup Final was the final match in the 2017–18 European Rugby Champions Cup, and the twenty-third European club rugby final in general.

Irish club Leinster defeated French club Racing 92 in the final played in Bilbao, Spain — the first time it was contested outside one of the Six Nations countries.

Route to the final

Note: In all results below, the score of the finalist is given first (H: home; A: away). LeinsterRound Racing 92OpponentResultPool stageOpponentResult Montpellier24–17 (H)Matchday 1 Leicester Tigers22–18 (H) Glasgow Warriors34–18 (A)Matchday 2 Munster7–14 (A) Exeter Chiefs18–8 (A)Matchday 3 Castres13–16 (A) Exeter Chiefs22–17 (H)Matchday 4 Castres29–7 (H) Glasgow Warriors55–19 (H)Matchday 5 Munster34–30 (H) Montpellier23–14 (A)Matchday 6 Leicester Tigers23–20 (A)Pool 3 winner TeamPPts Leinster 6 27 Exeter Chiefs 6 15 Montpellier 6 13 Glasgow Warriors 6 7Final standingsPool 4 runner-up TeamPPts Munster 6 21 Racing 92 6 19 Castres 6 12 Leicester Tigers 6 7OpponentResultKnock-out stageOpponentResult Saracens30–19 (H)Quarter-finals Clermont Auvergne28–17 (A) Scarlets38–16 (H)Semi-finals Munster27–22 (H)

Match Summary The game was played in wet conditions, which made passing and attacking play difficult for both teams. Early in the game Racing fly-half Pat Lambie was forced off the field with a knee injury, replaced by French international Rémi Talès. Racing recovered from this set back to score the first points of the game with Teddy Iribaren kicking a penalty. Leinster responded on 16 minutes when Johnny Sexton opened their account, also from a penalty. Iribaren reestablished Racing's lead five minutes later and Sexton responded just before half time, to send the teams into the break level on six points apiece.

The teams were both unchanged for the second half, and the penalty tit-for-tat continued. Sexton was the first to strike in the second half with a converted effort on 53 minutes, before Iribaren missed and the teams remained level at 9–9 coming into the final 10 minutes of play. Iribaren kicked his fourth penalty of the day to give Racing back their three-point lead, but Leinster responded quickly with a penalty from captain Isa Nacewa. Nacewa scored another penalty with two minutes left to play to give Leinster the lead for the first time in the match. Racing won the kick off and worked down the field, looking for a drop goal to level the match again and bring play to extra time. With clock over 80 minutes the opportunity fell to Talès, who pulled his effort wide to the left to give Leinster their fourth European title.

Details

FB 15 Rob KearneyRW 14 Jordan LarmourOC 13 Garry RingroseIC 12 Robbie HenshawLW 11 Isa Nacewa (c)FH 10 Johnny SextonSH 9 Luke McGrath N8 8 Jordi Murphy OF 7 Dan LeavyBF 6 Scott FardyRL 5 James RyanLL 4 Devin TonerTP 3 Tadhg Furlong HK 2 Seán Cronin LP 1 Cian Healy Substitutions:HK 16 James Tracy PR 17 Jack McGrath PR 18 Andrew Porter FL 19 Rhys RuddockN8 20 Jack Conan SH 21 Jamison Gibson-Park FH 22 Joey CarberyCE 23 Rory O'LoughlinCoach: Leo Cullen FB 15 Louis Dupichot RW 14 Teddy ThomasOC 13 Virimi VakatawaIC 12 Henry ChavancyLW 11 Marc AndreuFH 10 Pat Lambie SH 9 Teddy IribarenN8 8 Yannick Nyanga (c)OF 7 Bernard Le Roux BF 6 Wenceslas LauretRL 5 Leone NakarawaLL 4 Donnacha RyanTP 3 Cedate Gomes Sa HK 2 Camille Chat LP 1 Eddy Ben Arous Substitutions:HK 16 Ole Avei PR 17 Vasil Kakovin PR 18 Census Johnston FL 19 Boris PaluFL 20 Baptiste Chouzenoux SH 21 Antoine GibertFH 22 Rémi Talès WG 23 Joe Rokocoko Coach: Laurent Labit Laurent Travers Man of the Match: James Ryan

Touch judges: JP Doyle (RFU) Tom Foley (RFU) Television Match Official: Rowan Kitt (RFU)

References