There was no match at the RDS Arena in Dublin. In this meeting of the 3rd day of Rugby Champions Cup, Leinster blew up Montpellier (89-7), the biggest victory of the Irish in the European Cup. Philippe Saint-André’s players, who finished the match 14 against 15 after the expulsion of the Fijian Masivesi Dakuwaqa, author of the only Montpellier try, collected a whopping 13 tries!
If the defeat is surprising in its magnitude, it is actually quite logical since the MHR had fielded a strongly rejuvenated team due to the Covid-19 which is hitting the workforce hard. Opposite, Leinster presented itself with its typical team, a good part of the national team of Ireland winner of the All Blacks in November. The Héraultais, they had not played a single match in official competition since December 27 and a victory won in pain against Biarritz.
Biggest French defeat in the European Cup
Montpellier’s defeat is also historic. Never had a French club suffered such a setback in the European Cup. Worse, the Languedoc club even includes the inglorious top 3 of the worst gaps conceded in this competition. In 1998, Stade Toulouse inflicted a bloody 108-16 on Ebbw Vale, imitated two years later by Stade Français against the Italians of L’Aquila (92-7).
This time, it is the tricolor club that puts itself in the shoes of the loser by integrating the third step of this sad podium in a draw with Aironi, defeated 82-0 by Clermont in 2012.