The 2022 European Rugby Champions Cup Final was the final match of the 2021–22 European Rugby Champions Cup, and the twenty-seventh European club rugby final in general. The final was contested between La Rochelle and Leinster with La Rochelle winning the game with a late try.

Despite having hosted a number of Champions Cup semi-finals, the Stade Vélodrome hosted its first European final, two years later than expected after it was rearranged from 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background Both Leinster and La Rochelle entered the final on similar form, with both teams having won 7 out of their 8 games in the Championship, with both losses being a default result due to cancellations earlier in the campaign.

This was Leinster's sixth appearance in the Champions Cup Final, winning four and losing one, their last win being in 2018. If Leinster had won, it would have been a record equalling victory for them, joining Toulouse with five European titles to their name. For La Rochelle, this was the second time they have made the final, after they made the final in the previous year. They became the first team since Leinster to appear in back-to-back finals after the Irish side achieved this in 2018 and 2019. La Rochelle's victory was the first major trophy for the club.

The two sides had met just once before in the Champions Cup, with La Rochelle triumphing 32–23 in last season's semi-finals and it was the fifth time that an Irish team faced a TOP 14 club in the European Cup final, with Irish sides having won on each of the previous four occasions.

Route to the final

Note: In all results below, the score of the finalist is given first (H: home; A: away). La RochelleRound LeinsterOpponentResultPool stageOpponentResult Glasgow Warriors20–13 (H)Matchday 1 Bath45–20 (H) Bath0–0 (A)(Cancelled)Matchday 2 Montpellier0–28 (A)(Cancelled) Bath39–21 (H)Matchday 3 Montpellier89–7 (H) Glasgow Warriors38–20 (A)Matchday 4 Bath64–7 (A) Final standingsPool A Top 4TeamPWDLPFPADiffTFTATBLBPts Racing 92 4 4 0 0 126 24 +102 16 3 3 0 19 Ulster 4 4 0 0 114 96 +18 15 9 3 0 19 La Rochelle 4 3 1 0 97 64 +33 11 7 2 0 16 Leinster 4 3 0 1 198 62 +136 30 8 3 0 15OpponentResultKnockout stageOpponentResult Bordeaux31–13 (A)Round of 16 Leg 1 Connacht26–21 (A) Bordeaux31–23 (H)Round of 16 Leg 2 Connacht56–20 (H) Montpellier31–19 (H)Quarter-finals Leicester Tigers14–23 (A) Racing 9213–20 (A)Semi-finals Toulouse40–17 (H)

Match

Details

FB 15 Brice DulinRW 14 Dillyn Leyds OC 13 Jérémy SinzelleIC 12 Jonathan Danty LW 11 Raymond RhuleFH 10 Ihaia WestSH 9 Thomas Berjon N8 8 Grégory Alldritt (c) OF 7 Matthias Haddad BF 6 Wiaan Liebenberg RL 5 Will SkeltonLL 4 Thomas Lavault TP 3 Uini Atonio HK 2 Pierre Bourgarit LP 1 Dany PrisoSubstitutions:HK 16 Facundo Bosch PR 17 Reda Wardi PR 18 Joel Sclavi LK 19 Romain Sazy FL 20 Rémi Bourdeau SH 21 Arthur Retière CE 22 Levani Botia WG 23 Jules Favre Coach: Ronan O'Gara FB 15 Hugo KeenanRW 14 Jimmy O'BrienOC 13 Garry RingroseIC 12 Robbie HenshawLW 11 James LoweFH 10 Johnny Sexton (c) SH 9 Jamison Gibson-Park N8 8 Jack ConanOF 7 Josh van der FlierBF 6 Caelan Doris RL 5 James RyanLL 4 Ross Molony TP 3 Tadhg Furlong HK 2 Rónan Kelleher LP 1 Andrew Porter Substitutions:HK 16 Dan Sheehan PR 17 Cian Healy PR 18 Michael Alaalatoa LK 19 Joe McCarthy FL 20 Rhys Ruddock SH 21 Luke McGrath FH 22 Ross Byrne CE 23 Ciarán FrawleyCoach: Leo Cullen Star of the Match: Dillyn Leyds (La Rochelle)

Assistant referees: Matthew Carley (England) Christophe Ridley (England) Television Match Official: Tom Foley (England)

References