They were 17 points down after 11 minutes against opponents enjoying home city advantage and bursting with intent after losing to the Top 14 side in the Marseille final last year.
Led by centre Robbie Henshaw, Leinster knocked back La Rochelle’s massive runners and swarmed all over the breakdown, creating a hazy picture for referee Jaco Peyper who, despite his vast experience, appeared at times to struggle to focus on so many moving parts.
Leinster’s strong start proved to be misleading. Their first try, after 40 seconds, was from the training field. Jack Conan burst through a gap in the middle of a line-out 40 metres out set up Dan Sheehan for the first of the hooker’s two tries.
It was reminiscent of a move that New Zealand brought off against South Africa four years ago when Richie McCaw scored, although from closer range, and their second, scored by wing Jimmy O’Brien after five minutes, followed another line-out earned when James Lowe stood in a pocket in his own half and brought off a 50-22.
Both tries had their origin in the analyst’s room and the third also followed a line-out. Jamison Gibson-Park used slow possession to tempt the defence to narrow and then threw a long pass to Sheehan who was unmarked on the right wing.
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