Champions Cup final: Leinster braced for era-defining La Rochelle battle | Robert Kitson

In Ronan O’Gara’s French side the Irish juggernauts face old foes uniquely positioned to exploit any psychological weakness

To be a Leinster player or supporter this weekend is to be standing at an era-defining junction. One way lies the sweetest of dreams: a record-equalling fifth gold star on the blue jersey and Champions Cup immortality. The other leads straight to their worst nightmare: another painful knockout defeat at the hands of their all-too-familiar bogeyman.

Up until last week’s shock home loss to Munster in the semi-final of the United Rugby Championship, the former felt slightly more likely. Suddenly, though, they have played straight into the hands of their old friend Ronan O’Gara, the head coach of La Rochelle. If ever “Rog” needed a handy pre-match omen, it is his old province winning on the same stretch of grass last Saturday.