Leinster Lose Out To Saracens In Bruising European Decider

Defending champions Leinster fell at the final hurdle in Newcastle as Billy Vunipola’s 66th-minute try steered Saracens to a 20-10 win and their third Heineken Champions Cup title in four years.

Number 8 Vunipola scored under the posts from a close-in scrum, completing a run of 20 unanswered points from Mark McCall’s power-packed team who clinically took their chances and prevented Leinster from adding to their tally during an attritional second half.

The blue hordes in the St. James’ Park stands were delighted to see Tadhg Furlong cross for a 31st-minute try on his 100th appearance, adding to captain Jonathan Sexton’s early penalty. However, Saracens crucially drew level at 10-all for half-time, Owen Farrell kicking a penalty and sending Sean Maitland over just before the break.

Sarries also thwarted Leinster’s strong start to the closing 40 minutes with Garry Ringrose smothered in a tackle and Liam Williams claiming a potentially try-saving turnover. Their attack was just as sharp, racking up a decisive 10 points during Scott Fardy’s sin-bin period as Farrell and Vunipola combined to secure their club’s first victory over Leinster in four meetings.

Sexton had provided a swift third-minute score for Leo Cullen’s charges, rewarding Devin Toner’s clever dummy at a lineout which drew Saracens offside. Toner was heavily involved in the opening exchanges, while Saracens were first to threaten with ball in hand as Welsh winger Williams cut inside an otherwise-solid James Lowe out wide.

Leinster absorbed further pressure from an Alex Lozowski half-break and a central scrum, Robbie Henshaw scooping up a poach and Jordan Larmour brilliantly countering from Luke McGrath’s ball-dislodging tackle on an advancing Alex Goode, who was confirmed as the EPCR European Player of the Year afterwards. Larmour continued to impress with a fine aerial catch.

Although a couple of penalties launched Sarries forward, Fardy was able to disrupt their lineout and Brad Barritt, the eventual man-of-the-match, coughed up a penalty right in front of the Leinster posts. Credit to both defences, their infectious work-rate and organisation gave very little away entering the second quarter as the anticipated arm-wrestle developed.

It took a superb 20-plus metre break from Rob Kearney to ignite Leinster’s attack and Saracens, under serious pressure, conceded three successive penalties close to their try-line. Cian Healy was held up from a close-in ruck – TMO Philippe Bonhoure could not see a grounding – and the yellow-carded Maro Itoje paid the price for two offsides in scoring range.

Leinster went for the jugular, turning down the kick at goal in favour of a scrum near the posts. Jack Conan and Sean O’Brien drew them closer with carries before Furlong successfully burrowed over with Fardy on the latch. Sexton converted and Sarries called for front row reinforcements with the injured Mako Vunipola and Titi Lamositele both making way.

Tellingly, their replacement tighthead Vincent Koch made a big impact, breaking into the Leinster 22 and although Fardy won a relieving penalty, the South African got his hands over the ball at a subsequent ruck to give Farrell his first place-kick. He duly delivered the three points and the 2016 and 2017 champions had more in the tank before referee Jérome Garcès’ half-time whistle.

With Billy Vunipola winning a high ball and milking a penalty from a trapped Kearney, Sarries moved back to the Leinster 22-metre line and a strong spell of forward pressure was rewarded when Farrell’s flicked pass put Maitland over near the left corner. Farrell added the difficult conversion, hammering home the psychological blow as Leinster’s hard-earned lead was completely wiped out.

Encouragingly, Leinster were quicker out of the blocks on the restart, but Furlong was stripped of possession as they attacked close to the Sarries posts. Twice Leinster had opportunities out wide, the Englishmen digging deep to foil Ringrose, who had an overlap to his right, and then an unmarked Henshaw was not found as Williams stepped in to spoil the attack.

The excellent Healy foraged at the breakdown to win a relieving penalty at the other end, yet it was advantage Saracens after another big set of phases from their forwards. Jackson Wray charged through into open territory before James Tracy tigerishly kept out Richard Barrington from close range. Fardy’s offside sent him to the sin-bin, though, and Farrell booted his side in front for the first time at the 58-minute mark.

The final quarter was a huge dog-fight, and with 14-man Leinster now struggling for possession and territory, Saracens held the edge. Maitland was perhaps fortunate to avoid the bin having made contact with Kearney’s head in the air, but Sarries pressed on and Vunipola’s speed and strength off the base of a scrum saw him stretch out and make it a double-scores lead.

Time ebbed away with Leinster contained in and around their own 22, despite the best efforts of Lowe, Larmour and Henshaw to break from deep. They were unable to manufacture another scoring opportunity and Saracens could not be budged, confirming themselves as Europe’s best this season after an unbeaten nine-match campaign.

Giving his reaction afterwards, Leinster head coach Cullen said: “Saracens wore us down – they’re big men, very big men. We’ve seen it a lot, where Saracens just get their noses in front, play pressure, pressure, pressure, pin us down, and they just squeeze the life out of teams.

“For us, I thought our guys fronted up unbelievably well, stuck in so many collisions, were dominant in a lot of collisions, particularly early in the game with some of those big men running at them. But it does take its toll for sure.

“I thought the Saracens bench came on and did well. I thought Vincent Koch, in particular, provided a lot of energy considering he was on after 30 minutes. I thought he carried very, very strongly.

“Their scrum was good as well. they probably just had the upper hand on us in the last 20 minutes whereas probably in the first half I thought we had a little bit of dominance. It’s such fine margins in these games. Saracens were the better team on the day.”

Sexton added: “It was ferocious. It was Test match stuff. We knew it was going to be. The one thing I will say is I’m incredibly proud of everyone, the way we fronted up and never took a backwards step. There were times when we weren’t missing any tackles and we were conceding maybe half a yard, then half a yard and Saracens are very good at what they do.

“They try and steamroll and at times they did that very well. It’s a big regret. You’d love to go and play the match again. You don’t want to have any regrets and we’ll look back at some key moments, especially the start of the second half where I just felt we had the upper hand and we didn’t quite capitalise on it.”