Champions Cup pool stage: Bayonne 7 Leinster 0
21 mins: Early change for Leinster as Furlong is swapped for Clarkson in the frontrow.
Some possession for Leinster and Byrne tries to find Tommy O’Brien in the corner, but just slightly overhit.
Brilliant run by Jimmy O’Brien who collects a kick and charges 30 metres. The ball is with the backs and Bayonne give up a penalty. Gibson-Park tries a crossfield kick that doesn’t work, but back for the penalty.
15 mins: Try for Bayonne! Leinster’s defence ripped open by Orabe after the scrum, who expertly runs through a gap and slips Maqala in to speed through for a try. Segonds adds the extras and Bayonne take the lead.
Bayonne 7 Leinster 0
11 mins: After a scrum, Gibson-Park with a crisp pass to Byrne and then Kenny on the wing, but he’s put out of play. Then a bright piece of play from Kenny, who runs to the other wing with serious pace, but is smashed with a tackle and misses the pass.
8 mins: Leinster escape with the ball from the maul after the lineout, Boyle grabbing it, and Gibson-Park clears. Leinster then knock the ball on and from the scrum, the scrumhalf Jantjies goes quickly and finds spring. Byrne covers but put out of play in the corner.
Five-metre scrum for Bayonne, but they’re turned over by Leinster! Strong scrum.
5 mins: Turnover by captain Doris early on after Bayonne won a few aerials. Solid scrum by Leinster, but they lose it around halfway, then give away a penalty for obstruction. Bayonne kick into touch for an attacking lineout.
2 mins: Early possession for Bayonne then they exchange a few kicks back and forth, kick tennis on a wet day in the south of France.
Caelan Doris leads the Leinster team out to the pitch, wearing white today.
In the Challenge Cup, Ulster have beaten Stade Francais 26-19 with a bonus point in Belfast to win their pool.
Here’s Gerry Thornley’s match preview:
“When the fixtures were unveiled, Leinster players, management and supporters alike circled this Pool Three finale for its setting, novelty value and potential high stakes.
“As it transpires, Bayonne are already out of contention, but this remains an attractive and significant game in Leinster’s season.
“Bayonne’s lack of tangible reward should enhance Leinster’s prospects of a 30th consecutive pool win and favourable passage in the knock-out stages.
“But history shows us to beware a French side swinging from the hip against celebrated opposition in front of their fans. And, though beaten by Stormers here in round one, this is regarded as the ultimate fortress in French rugby.”
[ Leinster can get valuable win if they conquer French rugby’s ultimate fortressOpens in new window ]
More on the defence from Nathan Johns, who writes that a fascinating dynamic is at work under Jacques Nienaber in the province’s Champions Cup campaign as more and more opponents find ways to exploit Leinster’s imperfections.
[ The Jacques Nienaber conundrum: What’s going on with Leinster’s defence?Opens in new window ]
Matt Williams critiques Leinster’s defence today in his column, writing “If Leinster are to win the URC or the Champions Cup, they need to have some deeply honest and open discussions about the frailties of their defensive system because defence wins championships.
“There are three main scenarios that defensive systems have to deal with. The first two are when the number of attacking players and defenders are equal. The second is when there are more defenders than attackers. Leinster’s system is coping with both of these scenarios.
“When Leinster’s rushing defence is faced with more attackers than defenders, then the system is deeply vulnerable to failure. Last weekend, when La Rochelle had superior attacking numbers, it was their inability to quickly transfer the ball to the flanks, where Leinster are leaving huge tracks of space, that cost them the game.
“What should deeply worry Leinster is that Toulouse, Bordeaux, Bath and Northampton all have players with exceptional catching and passing skills that can exploit these spaces.”
Read more from Williams:
La Rochelle’s Simeli Daunivucu against Leinster. Photograph: Morgan Treacy/Inpho
Hello and welcome to live coverage of Leinster against Bayonne, in the final round of the Champions Cup pool stage. Kick-off at Stade Jean Dauger is at 3.15pm. Leinster are in a strong position in their pool after three wins from three, and can guarantee top spot with a win against the French opposition. They will have one eye on the top seeding though as well, given to the top two teams with the most points in the pool stage, as it would ensure home advantage all the way to the Champions Cup final. Still some business to be done here though first before thinking ahead. Here are the teams:
Leinster: J O’Brien; T O’Brien, G Ringrose, R Henshaw, J Kenny; H Byrne, J Gibson-Park; J Boyle, R Kelleher, T Furlong; RG Snyman, J Ryan; M Deegan, J van der Flier, C Doris (capt). Replacements: D Sheehan, J Cahir, T Clarkson, J McCarthy, S Penny, L McGrath, S Prendergast, R Ioane.
Bayonne: J Tiberghien; T Spring, S Maqala, M Tuilagi, Y Orabe; J Segonds, H Jantjies; I Calles, L Martin, L Tagi; E Johnson, L Paulos; A Fischer, A Iturria, N Lomidze. Replacements: F Bosch, E Tumania, E Setiano, AG Iandolino, B Heguy, M Ariceta, G Martocq, V Hannoun