Clinical Leinster have the edge over Racing 92 ahead of Champions Cup final

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  • The Champions Cup final may yet to be played, but Leinster can already claim to be Europe’s best, such was the different as well as clinical styles they displayed to brush aside every opposition en route to the showpiece.

    Their passage to Saturday’s decider in Bilbao included two victories against Aviva Premiership winners Exeter, a couple of wins over Top 14 leaders Montpellier, a resounding triumph to knock out reigning Champions Cup champions Saracens and then a thrilling success to blow away PRO14 winners Scarlets.

    Such is the ruthlessness of their performances, it looks difficult for any team to even come remotely close to challenging Leo Cullen’s menacing side, let alone toppling them.

    But, it should be said, a fourth European title is still not a given in any year. Standing in their way are a Racing side who are also brimming with confidence after their semi-final success over Munster.

    Although they tired out in the final quarter and looked frail in defence, the French giants have an organised game plan and effective attacking line out to cause Leinster problems.

    The only worry for them is they will battle for the European crown without their star man Maxime Macheaneau. The French scrum-half ruptured his knee ligaments two weeks ago and has been ruled out for rest of the season. It’s a bitter blow for a player of his calibre – the man who makes the back line tick and boasts a 88.89% place-kicking accuracy in the competition this year.

    Still with Macheaneau ruled out, Teddy Iribaren will step in – potentially with Dan Carter offered a start in his Racing swansong. The three-time World Player of the Year will leave the U Arena this summer after three fruitful years in the French capital. Although he has been reduced to game time from the bench this season, the Kiwi still has the sense of calmness and purpose to inspire his side to a maiden European crown.

    Leinster may go into this contest as overwhelming favourites, but a final can go either way, especially when Racing have players with the level of talent and class as Carter, Leone Nakarawa, Juan Imhoff, Patrick Lambie and Teddy Thomas.

    They have may have had a more comfortable route to the final with pool wins over Munster, Castre and Leicester. But, as facile as it may seem, Les Ciel et Blanc still overcame a ferocious foe in Clermont in the last eight and Munster in the semis – both of whom have the potential to beat any opposition on their day.

    The French side can hold on to possession and spread the ball wide at the right time, with their biggest weakness coming from a lack of fitness in the final stage of matches. Still, it was from 12 to 15 channels where they did most of their damage against Munster in the semi-final, with Thomas scoring a brace of early tries to put them on the frontfoot.

    But Leinster have multiple plays to win as proven over the course of their campaign, in which they have showed time again they can do it all. Winning ugly, succeeding with creativity or just clinching wins with hard rugby are all part of their tactical make-up.

    Their squad purrs with flair and quality with Johnny Sexton, Robbie Henshaw, Tadhg Furlong, James Ryan and Dan Leavy all playing out of their skin in recent fixtures.

    The instrumental Wallaby Scott Fardy produced a man-of-the-match display in the semi-final win, and his voracious work-rate at the breakdown and effective carrying ability makes him the heart of the Leinster pack.

    Racing coaches Laurent Labit and Laurent Travers will have to accept there is few weaknesses in this well-oiled Leinster machine, and need to rely on an exceptional performance from their own group to outsmart them.

    They play with emotion, and the defeat to Saracens in 2016 final, may well inspire them in a year where they have looked sharp across European and domestic competitions.

    As it stands, Racing are into another Top 14 semi-final, but nothing would mean more to Carter et al than becoming Champions Cup winners – especially without the services of ace talisman Machenaud.

    Leinster though have been the most prominent team in the competition and possess the pace and power to outsmart any opposition.

    It will require an almighty effort from Racing, but on a sunny day in northern Spain, the final could go either way.

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