Leinster were left shattered after their stunning start to the Heineken Champions Cup final failed to prevent La Rochelle defending their crown in a 27-26 defeat at Twickenham

Targeting a record-equalling fifth European title, the Irish province ran in three tries inside the opening 12 minutes to leave the holders reeling in one of the great halves of European rugby.

Dan Sheehan crossed twice and Jimmy O’Brien also touched down in a spellbinding opening quarter, but when the second half arrived Leinster had clearly punched themselves out.

The second wind arrived too late, coming in response to Georges Henri Colombe’s match-winning 72nd-minute try, and it ended when Michael Ala’alatoa was sent off for a dangerous clear out.

The rematch of last year’s showpiece produced the fastest ever try scored in a final when Sheehan went charging over after 40 seconds and O’Brien was the next to score.

Both scores bore the hallmarks of meticulous preparation, with Sheehan profiting from the homework done on La Rochelle’s line-out and O’Brien diving over at the end of well-drilled play.

Leinster’s ruck speed was devastating and there were other wins across the field, with James Lowe executing a 50-22 and a turnover on the ground frustrating the Top 14’s second-placed side.

The problems mounted as Tawera Kerr Barlow was shown a yellow card for offside, and soon after a defensive lapse allowed an unmarked Sheehan over for his second try.

Trailing 17-0, La Rochelle hit back when Jonathan Danty used his power to bump off Garry Ringrose and touch down after pressure mounted at a five-metre scrum.

Frenzied defence enabled Leinster to secure a penalty that Ross Byrne sent between the uprights – his second in seven minutes – but the heroics came at the cost of losing captain James Ryan to a failed HIA.

La Rochelle were now a different proposition as they started carrying with menace and offloading to support runners, and having stretched the blue wall to breaking point shortly before the interval, they struck to send Ulupano Seuteni over.

Seuteni opened the second-half with an electric break, and when Antoine Hastoy kicked a penalty Leinster’s lead was down to six points.

The fireworks that had gone before were replaced by an exchange of penalties and the sight of La Rochelle camping in the Irish province’s 22, grinding away in search of the next score.

Leinster’s defensive resolve was admirable but they were running on fumes, their attack no longer functioning, and at times they rode their luck with referee Jaco Peyper.

The yellow tide finally prevailed in the 72nd minute through hard yards from Colombe and the score was compounded by a yellow card for Ronan Kelleher.

Leinster poured forward in the closing stages but their hopes ended when Ala’alatoa received his marching orders, forcing them to mourn a third successive loss in finals.

Captain Kyle Steyn admitted Glasgow Warriors will take some time to recover from the disappointment of failure on two fronts after they were beaten 43-19 to Toulon in the final of the EPCR Challenge Cup at the Aviva Stadium.

The defeat in Dublin came on the back of bowing out of the BKT United Rugby Championship in the quarter-finals after they slipped up against Munster at their Scotstoun fortress.

Tom Jordan’s sending off proved costly as the Warriors surrendered a 17-match unbeaten run at home when the Irish province prevailed 14-5 earlier this month.

And in Dublin, Steyn scored two tries and Sebastian Cancelliere also crossed but the game was essentially lost in the first half when the Warriors went into the interval 21-0 in arrears.

Toulon scored three tries in each half and were always in control to win the Challenge Cup for the first time.

“It’s disappointing and a pretty tough one to process,” Steyn said.

“We weren’t where we needed to be in the first 20 minutes, but credit to Toulon – we were too soft.

“To come this far, and progress the way we have, and then to come unstuck in two play-off games will take some time to get over.

“We had enough belief that we could get this done. I thought there were lessons we could have learned against Munster that would have put us in a position to win this, but we didn’t react enough to them.

“I’m proud of the way the boys kept on fighting. We created chances, but in play-off rugby you have to take your chances.

“At the start of the season we said we wanted to play rugby in a way that inspired people to follow us and support us and with the number of people following us in Dublin it felt as though we had done that to some degree.”

Toulon’s victory earned them a ticket into next season’s Heineken Champions Cup – a competition they won three years in a row between 2013-2015.

Toulon director of rugby Franck Azema said: “We learned a lot last year when we lost in the Challenge Cup final for a fourth time. This must now be the start of something and the next job is to build on it.

“We were consistent and efficient and we scored quickly. We never switched off and it was nice to finish with that final try in the last few minutes.”

The game was the last in European competition for the 39-year-old Italian number eight Sergio Parisse, who scored Toulon’s second try.

“I knew I was going into one of my last games, but I tried to treat it as just another game. I really enjoyed it,” said Parisse.

“We tried to dominate physically, played well and dominated from the first minute. We showed from the start that we wanted to take control.

“I’m just happy to be playing with this group and to be finishing my career at Toulon. It was a long day, but I enjoyed every minute of it.”

Three second-half tries from Glasgow Warriors were not enough to stop Toulon making it fifth time lucky with a 43-19 victory in the EPCR Challenge Cup final at the Aviva Stadium.

After four final defeats, the French side hit Glasgow for six with three tries in each half as they eased to victory to give retiring Italian number eight Sergio Parisse a title-winning send off.

Toulon were quickly into their stride and looked confident from the off as they chased their first Challenge Cup title at the venue where they won their first Heineken Champions Cup crown in 2013.

They lost Wales fly-half Dan Biggar with a head injury after only four minutes, then saw Australian centre Duncan Paia’Aua  go off for another HIA in the 32nd minute.

They also lost influential scrum-half Baptiste Serin in the final move of the opening 40 minutes with a left knee injury that required a third change to their starting back division.

There was a fourth alteration at the start o the second half when Mathieu Bastareaud came on to replace wing Gabin Villiers, who also failed an HIA.

By then, though, Serin has sparked his side into life with two tries as they sped into a 21-0 interval lead.

Toulon quickly recovered from the loss of Biggar and two minutes later, with Ihaia West on to replace the Welshman, Serin produced a moment of magic to get the scoreboard moving.

After taking the ball from a ruck on the Glasgow 22 he dabbed the ball through the defensive line, regathered and just managed to touch down despite the efforts of Ollie Smith to turn him on his back over the line.

The scrum half added the extras and then picked out 39-year-old Italian legend Sergio Parisse for a try at the posts after more pressure from the Top 14 outfit after Glasgow had lost a line-out.

Serin added the extras and then picked up the third try after 25 minutes. Glasgow lost another line out on their 10-metre line and Toulon skipper Charles Ollivon drove on.

Fijian centre Waisea Vuidravuwalu carried on strongly and when he was brought down on the line, Serin picked up and dotted down before adding a third conversion.

Glasgow started the second half encouragingly, but their inability to turn pressure into points cost them dearly. It was not until their 11th incursion into the Toulon 22 that they managed to break their duck and that came via a try from skipper Kyle Steyn in the 55th minute from a neat moved down the blindside of a line-out.

Before then replacement scrum-half Benoit Paillaugue had added a penalty to extend the lead to 24 points. George Horne’s angled conversion of Steyn’s score gave Glasgow hope, but two more tries slammed the door shut as far as a comeback was concerned.

The Fijian duo of Jiuta Wainiqolo and Vuidravuwalu scored them and Paillaugue converted the latter to make it 36-7 with 16 minutes to go.

Glasgow earned some respectability with later tries from Sebastian Cancelliere and Steyn, but it was never going to be enough.

West scampered over for the final try with two minutes to go and Paillaugue kicked another conversion to complete the scoring.

Alun Wyn Jones has called time on his illustrious international career after a world-record 170 caps.

With 158 appearances for Wales and 12 for the British and Irish Lions, Jones is 22 clear of any other player in rugby union history.

His influence extends far beyond sheer longevity and here, the PA news agency looks back at his record in the two famous red jerseys.

Wales

Jones made his international debut in 2006 at flanker, soon switching to lock where he quickly established himself as a mainstay of the team.

He won the Six Nations title five times, including three Grand Slams in 2008, 2012 and 2019, in the latter of which he captained the side and was named player of the championship.

His other titles came in 2013 and 2021 and his 66 appearances rank second in Six Nations history to former Italy captain Sergio Parisse, after Jones passed Brian O’Driscoll’s 65 games for Ireland during this season’s tournament.

He reached a century of Wales caps against New Zealand in 2016 and overtook prop Gethin Jenkins’ record of 129 when he appeared against Australia at the 2019 World Cup.

He went on to overhaul former New Zealand skipper Richie McCaw’s 148 record international appearances in October 2020 against France, with his 150th cap coming against Italy in March 2022 and his 158th and last against France this year.

He captained Wales on 48 occasions, one short of predecessor Sam Warburton’s record.

Jones scored nine international tries, the last remarkably coming back in 2016 against New Zealand in Wellington. He received only four yellow cards and no reds in his 158 games.

Jones’ retirement leaves New Zealand lock Sam Whitelock as the most-capped active international with 143 appearances, well clear of Australia’s James Slipper with 127.

British and Irish Lions

Jones first toured with the Lions in 2009, starting one Test against South Africa and featuring as a replacement in the other two.

He was ever-present again in 2013, deputising as captain for the injured Warburton in the series-clinching third Test against Australia, and in 2017 to become the first player in the professional era to play in nine consecutive Lions Tests.

He astonishingly was able to extend that record to 12 in 2021 as he recovered from a dislocated shoulder in the warm-up game against Japan to captain the tourists in all three Tests against the Springboks.

His dozen appearances match prop Graham Price as Wales’ most-capped Lion while only former Ireland lock Willie John McBride (17) and England scrum-half Dickie Jeeps (13) have won more Lions caps overall.

Jones, McBride and former Ireland centres O’Driscoll and Mike Gibson are the only players to have been selected for four or more Lions tours.

Including non-cap tour matches, Jones appeared 24 times for the Lions and scored two tries, both as a replacement against a Royal XV in 2009 and the Barbarians four years later.

Warren Gatland has hailed Alun Wyn Jones as “an incredibly special player” after world rugby’s most capped international announced his retirement from Test rugby.

The 37-year-old Ospreys lock played 158 times for Wales and made 12 British and Irish Lions Test appearances.

Wales flanker Justin Tipuric, who won 93 caps, had earlier announced on Friday that he would be stepping down from the international stage.

The players’ decisions come less than four months before Wales’ World Cup opener against Fiji in Bordeaux, and both had recently been named in a 54-player preliminary training squad for the tournament by Gatland.

Wales boss Gatland said: “I would like to congratulate Al on a phenomenal international career.

“His leadership, dedication and determination are second to none, and he has been an incredibly special player for Wales over the past 17 years.

“Every single time he has taken to the training pitch or put on the red jersey in a Test match he has given his absolute all, setting standards and leading by example.

“I am very fortunate to have been able to have worked with him with Wales and with the Lions.

“Al’s passion and commitment for his country are limitless, and he has been an important pillar for the game in Wales.

“He and his family can be immensely proud of all he has achieved and in knowing he leaves a lasting legacy in Welsh rugby.”

Writing on his Instagram page, Jones said: “Having been selected in this year’s preliminary Rugby World Cup squad, and after ongoing dialogue with the coaching staff and WRU (Welsh Rugby Union), I have decided to step away from the international game.

“So, after 17 years, I look back on special memories with Welsh greats and future Welsh greats.

“A huge thank you to the staff and players who have been part of my journey. I wish you well for the future.

“To the supporters, thank you for the support and making the most special occasions even more memorable.

“To the people closest to me, my family, I couldn’t have done it without you.”

Jones, who made his Test debut in 2006, is regarded as one of Wales’ greatest-ever players.

Time and time again, he produced inspired displays for his country, with a stellar career harvesting multiple Six Nations titles, Grand Slam successes and World Cup appearances.

He also went on four Lions tours – in 2009, 2013, 2017 and 2021 – and skippered them in South Africa two years ago.

In a statement released by his agents WIN Sports Management, meanwhile, Tipuric said: “During the off-season I’ve had time to reflect on my playing career, and now seems the right time to step away from international rugby.

“It has been a privilege to put on the Welsh jersey and have so many great memories.

“I would like to thank all the players and coaches I’ve been fortunate enough to work with over the years, and the wonderful support I’ve received from the Welsh public.

“I am looking forward to spending more time at home and putting all my energies into playing for my home region the Ospreys.”

Tipuric’s decision comes just a month after his fellow Wales back-row forward Josh Navidi called time on his career, being forced into retirement because of a serious neck problem.

Tipuric, 33, was an integral figure in Wales teams for more than a decade, helping his country win four Six Nations titles, including two Grand Slams.

He was awarded his Wales debut by Gatland against Argentina 12 years ago and played in the 2015 and 2019 World Cups.

Tipuric also made one Test match appearance for the Lions on their 2013 tour to Australia.

Gatland added: “Justin has been an integral player in the Wales back-row since he made his debut back in 2011.

“He is quite quiet off the pitch, but his skill-set and his work-rate really set him apart from others.

“He doesn’t like a lot of fuss, but I would like to congratulate him on a great career. He has made an outstanding contribution to Welsh rugby.”

Alun Wyn Jones will go down in rugby union history as an all-time great of the game.

The 37-year-old Ospreys lock has announced his retirement from international rugby after a career that reaped a world record 170 Test match appearances – 158 for Wales and 12 for the British and Irish Lions.

His Wales odyssey spanned 17 years, while he captained his country and the Lions.

And he will rightly be lauded in the same revered company as Welsh rugby legends such as Sir Gareth Edwards, Barry John and JPR Williams.

Jones’ international career began 7,500 miles from home at the sporting outpost of Estadio Raul Conti in Puerto Madryn, Patagonia.

Selected by new Wales coach Gareth Jenkins alongside James Hook, Richard Hibbard and Ian Evans among four debutants in the match-day 23 against first Test opponents Argentina that June afternoon, a 20-year-old Jones started as blindside flanker.

Little could anyone have known that it would launch approaching two decades in a Wales shirt.

He set a new national cap record when he overtook former prop Gethin Jenkins during the 2019 World Cup.

And then he moved past New Zealand World Cup-winning captain Richie McCaw’s mark of 148 caps, maintaining incredible consistency of performance in one of the sport’s toughest playing positions.

He helped Wales win five Six Nations titles, including three Grand Slams, played in four World Cups and helped Wales reach two World Cup semi-finals.

In the early stages of Jones’ Test career, though, Wales were inconsistent performers.

No greater an illustration of this came at the 2007 World Cup, where a dramatic pool stage defeat against Fiji in Nantes meant an early exit and coach Jenkins losing his job.

Warren Gatland’s appointment as Jenkins’ successor in early 2008 kick-started a spectacular change of fortunes, with players like Jones, Sam Warburton, Mike Phillips and Taulupe Faletau to the fore.

Wales reached the 2011 World Cup semi-finals before having Warburton sent off and losing by a point to France, were quarter-finalists four years later and then semi-finalists again in Japan in 2019. Jones made more World Cup appearances than any other Welshman, proving a driving force on the global stage.

And his Lions chapter was equally as impressive, with only two players – Willie John McBride and Dickie Jeeps – playing in more Tests than Jones did.

He was an ever-present in four Lions Test series, with captaincy on the 2021 tour to South Africa fittingly rewarding his status in the game. He also led the Lions to a Test series-clinching victory over Australia eight years earlier when Warburton was injured.

Given Jones’ fitness levels, it would have been no surprise to have see him being selected for a fifth and final World Cup campaign in France later this year.

But he has decided to call it a day on rugby union’s biggest stage, and Wales – maybe even the world game – are unlikely to see his like again.

Alun Wyn Jones, the world’s most capped rugby union player, has announced his retirement from the international game.

The 37-year-old lock played 158 times for Wales and made 12 British and Irish Lions Test appearances.

Wales flanker Justin Tipuric, who won 93 caps, had earlier announced his decision to step down from Test rugby.

The players’ decisions come less than four months before Wales’ World Cup opener against Fiji in Bordeaux, and both had recently been named in a 54-player preliminary training squad for the tournament by head coach Warren Gatland.

Writing on his Instagram page, Jones said: “Having been sele3cted in this year’s preliminary Rugby World Cup squad, and after ongoing dialogue with the coaching staff and WRU (Welsh Rugby Union), I have decided to step away from the international game.

“So, after 17 years, I look back on special memories with Welsh greats and future Welsh greats.”

Wales flanker Justin Tipuric has retired from international rugby with immediate effect.

The 93-cap Ospreys forward’s decision comes less than four months before Wales’ World Cup opener against Fiji in Bordeaux, and he was recently named in a 54-player preliminary training squad for the tournament by head coach Warren Gatland.

Tipuric, a former Wales captain, made his international debut in 2011, while he has also toured with the British and Irish Lions.

In a statement released by his agents WIN Sports Management, Tipuric said: “During the off-season I’ve had time to reflect on my playing career, and now seems the right time to step away from international rugby.

“It has been a privilege to put on the Welsh jersey and have so many great memories.

“I would like to thank all the players and coaches I’ve been fortunate enough to work with over the years, and the wonderful support I’ve received from the Welsh public.

“I am looking forward to spending more time at home and putting all my energies into playing for my home region the Ospreys.”

Jamison Gibson-Park says Stuart Lancaster will be “dearly” missed as Leinster bid to give the former England head coach a fitting send-off by clinching European glory.

Lancaster, who has served as senior coach under Leo Cullen since 2016, will leave the Irish province at the end of the season to become director of rugby at French club Racing 92.

Leinster’s final shot at lifting silverware before the 53-year-old heads to Paris comes on Saturday evening when they take on La Rochelle in the final of the Heineken Champions Cup in Dublin.

“He’s had a profound effect on my career – and I’m probably not alone in saying that – with regards to what he’s done here at Leinster,” scrum-half Gibson-Park said of Lancaster, who will be replaced by South Africa head coach Jacques Nienaber.

“It’s been incredible really. The turnaround from the start, the consistency throughout, his mindset has just been awesome.

“The way he came in and certainly for me personally changed a lot of things in my outlook on rugby. And I think that’s across the board with the rest of the team as well.

“He’s had a pretty massive impact on me and we’ll miss him dearly. Hopefully he goes well over in Racing.”

Leinster have a chance for immediate redemption against La Rochelle – 12 months on from a painful last-gasp 24-21 loss to the French side in the 2022 final in Marseille.

Having suffered a semi-final exit to rivals Munster in the United Rugby Championship last weekend, Cullen’s men will attempt to end the campaign on a high at the Aviva Stadium ahead of a handful of notable departures.

In addition to the imminent exit of Lancaster, who contributed to Champions Cup success in 2018 and four URC titles, long-serving wing Dave Kearney and injured captain Johnny Sexton are heading towards retirement.

Asked if giving Englishman Lancaster a trophy to leave with was extra incentive, Gibson-Park said: “I don’t think he would expect us to think of it that way but obviously Stu’s moving on and a few other guys are finishing up as well.

“It’s obviously incentive but there’s a performance you have to get right before you start worrying about that stuff.

“We’ll be focused on that but sure there are some guys that deserve a pretty good send-off.”

Leinster are hoping to equal Toulouse’s record of five Champions Cup titles by exacting revenge on Ronan O’Gara’s side.

Ireland international Gibson-Park will return to the starting XV alongside a host of other star names after head coach Cullen opted to rest them for last weekend’s surprise 16-15 defeat by Munster.

“It’s finals rugby and it’s win or die,” he said. “Small margins.

“We will just be chasing a performance and that’s the most important thing for us, to try and get that right.

“Obviously it’s very tough with a team as good as they are so it’s going to be challenging but we’re looking forward to it.”

Asked if Leinster will alter their style due to the formidable size of the opposition’s pack, he added: “We won’t be changing things drastically, I don’t think.

“But you’ve got to be smart around how you attack them so we’ll see how we go.”

Leinster head coach Leo Cullen believes that “pressure is a good thing” ahead of Saturday’s Heineken Champions Cup final against holders La Rochelle.

Dublin’s Aviva Stadium will be packed to its capacity of just over 50,000 as Leinster target a record-equalling fifth European title.

They were beaten by La Rochelle in last season’s final, but Cullen’s team go into battle as marginal favourites on home soil.

“Pressure is a funny thing, isn’t it?” Cullen told www.epcrugby.com.

“Everyone is nervous because they want to do their best. It is such an amazing tournament.

“We go back to the preparation during the course of the week, and you can’t fault the lads. They have prepared really well this week.

“I can’t wait to see them play and deliver something close to their best. That is all we need to do.

“Pressure is a good thing. That is what we want, we all want to be here. It is pressure, but it’s the most positive pressure you could ask for.”

Cullen has made two changes from the team that saw off semi-final opponents Toulouse.

Ireland internationals Robbie Henshaw and James Lowe return to the starting line-up, with Henshaw forging a familiar midfield partnership alongside Garry Ringrose.

La Rochelle have reached a third successive European final, and their head coach Ronan O’Gara said: “We talk all the time about stifling or stopping Leinster, but stopping La Rochelle is also a subject.

“This perception is also important. Our last defeat (in the Champions Cup) was almost two years ago.

“I am not too interested in the opponent, even if I respect him. I am focused on my team, on our path and what we are going to do on Saturday.

“We know it will be very hard, but it is possible. It will be crucial to manage stress in a venue where there will be a lot of adversity. It will be a big test.”

Tom Curry believes rugby should act to prevent the type of injury that has ended the World Cup aspirations of his twin brother Ben.

Ben has been ruled out of Sale’s first Gallagher Premiership final since 2006 after sustaining a serious hamstring injury in Sunday’s semi-final victory over Leicester.

The 24-year-old needs surgery that entails four to six months of recovery, all but ruling him out of the World Cup with England’s opener taking place against Argentina on September 9.

It is a savage blow given his breakthrough international season produced four appearances in the Six Nations.

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He was contesting the ball on the ground when he was twisted away by Leicester in a manoeuvre known as a ‘crocodile roll’, a controversial breakdown technique which has the capacity to cause significant injuries.

England flanker Jack Willis was sidelined for a year after being rolled out of a ruck against Italy in the 2021 Six Nations and there have been calls for this occupational hazard for back rows to be outlawed.

“If there was something to prevent that (crocodile roll), it would be nice. I think we’ve got to that point now,” Tom said.

“This doesn’t have to be a big thing. It’s just a conversation. But we’re seeing injuries at the breakdown from that and you’ve got to start listening to what’s happening.

“For me, ultimately we’re out there to play the game and if there’s something that’s going to make it safer for people going for the ball then brilliant. But for me rugby is brilliant the way it is and I’ll leave it at that.”

Ben’s rehabilitation has already begun and Tom believes the absence of one of Sale’s most effective performers will drive the Sharks on against Saracens at Twickenham on Saturday week.

“Ben’s a bit less sore now. Because of the type of person he is, he hasn’t really left the training ground. He’s been in a hyperbaric chamber for about five hours for treatment,” Tom said.

“It’s tough because if there’s someone who deserves to play in a final I think it’s him. It’s going to give us an edge. It has to.

“I’m sure he’ll return as the fittest, best person to have back from a hamstring that’s ever happened.”

Wasps must begin rebuilding from the bottom of the league pyramid after the Rugby Football Union revoked their licence to play in next season’s Championship.

Hopes that new owners HALO22 Limited could relaunch Wasps in the second tier have been dashed due to their failure to meet an RFU deadline for proving the club could still operate at the required level.

Among the commitments that have not been kept are the provision of evidence that creditors have been paid and the creation of a suitable governance structure.

The RFU has also been told by Wasps that they are unable to recruit staff or players until additional finance has been secured and cannot recommit to playing in the Championship.

Mako Vunipola feels that Saracens have not allowed themselves to be affected by external noise this season ahead of their ninth Gallagher Premiership final appearance.

Saracens return to Twickenham next week, where Sale will stand between them and a sixth title of the Premiership era.

Saracens were last crowned English champions in 2019, since when they spent a season in the Championship after being relegated for persistent salary cap breaches.

They teed up a dream finale to their first campaign back in the top flight last term by contesting domestic silverware with Leicester.

But the Tigers bit them, winning 15-12 thanks to a Freddie Burns drop goal during the nerve-shredding closing stages of a gripping final.

“Last year we probably focused too much on the things outside, worrying about what people were saying and wanting to prove them wrong,” Saracens and England prop Vunipola said.

“It probably got to that we didn’t actually enjoy the occasion. We didn’t throw a punch in the final, and that’s credit to Leicester – they didn’t let us throw a punch.

“This year, we have just been trying to improve game by game, probably a little bit more focused on ourselves and what we can control, rather than worry (about) outside.

“You get emotion spikes in big games, and we have to be able to control that, make sure we channel it in the right way and put it towards our rugby.

“Last year, we didn’t really fire a shot, and that was down to Leicester being able to dictate the way the game went.

“We weren’t able to attack because we didn’t work hard enough or we didn’t adjust well enough. Hopefully, we can do that this time.”

While Saracens have been regular Twickenham visitors over the past dozen seasons, Sale are through to their first Premiership final since 2006 when players like Jason Robinson, Charlie Hodgson and Sebastien Chabal ruled the roost.

And a pivotal part of Sale’s resurgence has been rugby director Alex Sanderson, who was previously key to Saracens’ success in a revered coaching team led by Mark McCall.

Vunipola added: “Me and Alex started working together when I was 16 or 17. He was the first one who kind of gave me a shot with the age-group stuff and gave me a bit of confidence that I could play at the highest level.

“To work with him at Saracens for so long was a privilege. He wears his heart on his sleeve, and you see that.

“We always knew here at the club how special he is as a coach and a person.

“And we knew if he did the same at Sale then success would come to them as a team, whether that was finishing higher in the league or the players enjoying what they are doing.

“Having been around a lot of them at England camps, they can’t speak highly enough of Al and what he has done.

“We know that Sale will be pumped for it, we know they will have a plan, and a lot of that will be down to the work he does with the leaders they have there at Sale.”

Domingo Miotti has won the race to start for Glasgow in the number 10 jersey in Friday’s EPCR Challenge Cup final against Toulon.

The 26-year-old Argentina international will make his ninth start for Warriors in Dublin as the replacement for the suspended Tom Jordan.

Stafford McDowall stepped back to deputise for Jordan following his red card in the BKT United Rugby Championship quarter-final defeat by Munster but the centre has had to make do with a place on the bench at the Aviva Stadium.

Miotti has been preferred to kicking specialist Duncan Weir in the vacant stand-off position.

Hooker Fraser Brown has been handed a start days after signing a new one-year contract, with Johnny Matthews dropping to the bench.

JP du Preez replaces Richie Gray in the second row, Sione Vailanu is in for Rory Darge in the back row while centre Huw Jones is also back in the starting line-up.

Head coach Franco Smith said: “This week’s training has been highly competitive, with every player putting their hand up for selection and pushing each other forward.”

Jamison Gibson-Park admits the lingering pain of last year’s agonising Heineken Champions Cup final defeat to La Rochelle has fuelled Leinster’s desire for a shot at redemption.

Leo Cullen’s men are preparing for Saturday’s showpiece rematch with the French club in Dublin – 12 months on from losing to a last-gasp try in Marseille.

Scrum-half Gibson-Park concedes the disappointment of the dramatic climax at Stade Velodrome was a bitter pill to swallow.

And the Ireland international is determined to help secure a different outcome against Ronan O’Gara’s side this time around as Leinster bid to equal Toulouse’s record of five Champions Cup titles.

“It’s one of those things that’s mentioned all the time with great teams over the years, the way they use defeats and having it spur you on for the next year,” said Gibson-Park, who won the competition with his province in 2018.

“There’s probably no doubt that it has for us in getting to this point.

“When you work with a collective group to try and get somewhere and you fall at the last hurdle, it’s hard, especially when it’s like that, a few minutes from the end of the game.

“It’s tough moments in the dressing room and on the pitch afterwards.

“You live for those moments where you get to lift trophies and you enjoy those moments in the dressing room with your brothers.

“But the sombre feelings after a defeat stick with you as well.”

Leinster led for most of the 2022 final before replacement scrum-half Arthur Retiere crossed a minute from time in a 24-21 victory for La Rochelle.

A year on from a gut-wrenching trip to the south of France, the Irish club have the luxury of home advantage on this occasion.

New Zealand-born Gibson-Park says the prospect of competing for silverware at a sold-out Aviva Stadium has been a motivating factor throughout the campaign.

“Last year was obviously tough, having to go away to France and play a French team,” said the 31-year-old.

“The La Rochelle fans were out in force that day, like they always are, so I’m sure there will be a few of them that show up to the Aviva Stadium no doubt.

“It was a pretty big carrot for us at the start of the year, the fact it was going to be here in the Aviva.

“We’re looking forward to it, we’ve got the chance to be in front of our friends and family and hopefully a few home supporters.”

Leinster failed to score a try against La Rochelle last year as captain Johnny Sexton slotted six penalties before deputy Ross Byrne added another.

With talisman Sexton sidelined due to a groin injury suffered helping Ireland win the Six Nations Grand Slam, Byrne will partner Gibson-Park in the half-back positions from the start.

“Ross has played all of our games this year in the Champions Cup so I suppose we’ve adjusted a little bit to life without him (Sexton),” said Gibson-Park.

“He’s been such a big part of Leinster over the last however long it is and he’s an unbelievable player so we miss him massively.

“But I think Ross has done a pretty good job up until this point.”