Leinster's complicated history with Champions Cup

The Champions Cup final has provided players and supporters some of the best memories in Leinster history.

It has also led to some of the worst.

One of the juggernauts of European rugby, it feels staggering that the Irish province have not won the Champions Cup since 2018.

Since that win, Leinster have lost four times in the decider, including three in a row from 2022-2024.

But Leo Cullen's side are back in Bilbao, the scene of their 2018 triumph, with the aim of adding a fifth star.

It won't be easy as a star-studded Bordeaux side stand in their way, but Leinster will hope it's a case of lessons learnt from previous heartbreaks.

"All the big games I've been lucky enough, and privileged enough, to be involved in with Leinster, I've learned valuable lessons from - some a little bit more painful than others," said centre Garry Ringrose.

"All of them were close games and fell on really close, fine margins.

"I guess those valuable lessons is from previous experiences just focusing on the preparation and working as hard as we can to prepare to then ultimately, I guess, go all in on the game and yeah, we can't control the outcome.

"We can't control the results, unfortunately. So it's just focusing on preparing as best we can and I guess what will be result-wise."

In 2018, Leinster were narrow 15-12 winners over Racing 92 in Bilbao, but the following year were left to watch Saracens lift the biggest prize in European club rugby in Newcastle after a 20-10 defeat.

Leinster failed to reach the final in the next two seasons, but returned to the showpiece for the first of three consecutive defeats by French opposition in 2022.

Ronan O'Gara, an old foe from Irish rivals Munster, guided La Rochelle to a 24-21 victory in Marseille as Arthur Retiere struck a late penalty.

The sides met again the following year and it was closer still as La Rochelle recovered from 17 points down to edge a nail-biting decider by one point on Leinster's home turf at the Aviva Stadium.

The opposition changed in 2024 but the result did not as Antoine Dupont's Toulouse won 31-22 after extra-time.

Now, Leinster will be hoping that it's fifth time lucky on the ground of their last European success.

"What's happened has happened and it's a test of character, really," said Leinster assistant coach Robin McBryde.

"The easiest thing to do is not try again, but we've put ourselves in a position time and time again.

"We've proven that we're good enough to get to the final and it would be great if we were able to make that next step.

"But as experience has proven in the past, it's really fine margins and a lot of it is on the day, but we're confident going into the game to give ourselves the best opportunity possible."

This season has been a strange one for Leinster, who have not really caught fire like in previous campaigns.

Cullen's side finished second in the United Rugby Championship table but, with six defeats from 18 matches, never really threatened Glasgow Warriors in top spot.

Some have put it down to the toll of the British and Irish Lions' tour to Australia, some down to injuries and some to a slightly fading force.

Yet, once again, they stand one game from more history.

"It's been a little bit of a different season for us this year. You know, we haven't really hit our straps," McBryde offered.

"At the start of the season, after the first couple of rounds, if you could have asked us would we be happy if we were about to face Bordeaux in the final of the Champions Cup, then we would have bitten your hand off.

"It's been a bit of a rocky road to get to this stage, what with injuries etc, so it hasn't been the smoothest of rides."

When asked if getting to a final after a difficult campaign makes them a better team, McBryde responded: "Who knows?"

"We're just glad of the opportunity that lies ahead of us on Saturday.

"It's going to be a fantastic occasion for us playing against arguably the best team in the world.

"I'm sure it'll feel like a home game for them given where the game is played. It's going to be a mighty challenge for us."

Only eight players of the 23 which defeated Racing in 2018 played any part in the semi-final of this year's tournament.

For Ringrose, one of the survivors from eight years ago, his abiding memory from Bilbao is not the game and celebrations, which were "a bit of a blur", but the weather.

"It's a pretty exceptional stadium and I remember the atmosphere is amazing there.

"When we heard the final was going to be in Bilbao, there was a perception that by this time of the year the weather would be sunny, but I remember for the final it was lashing rain."

Given the turnover in playing staff, Ringrose says that Leinster are "always trying to evolve each year".

The 31-year-old added that "some of the tries that Bordeaux score are exceptional".

"I guess what I've admired on top of that is kind of how hard they work for each other in defence and how hard they work for each other in attack, which kind of creates the opportunities that we all see.

"It definitely sharpens the focus. It doesn't get bigger challenge-wise come this weekend."