Johnny Sexton ‘lost for words’ as he battles to summarize rout in Champions Cup last

A disheartened Johnny Sexton conceded he was ‘lost for words’ after Leinster’s emotional Champions Cup last loss against La Rochelle.

Ronan O’Gara’s strategic masterclass as the La Rochelle mentor wrestled the prize away from Leinster with a last-heave 24-21 Heineken Champions Cup last triumph, leaving Sexton stunned.

“I’m lost for words frankly, we weren’t at our best,” conceded Sexton.

“We should take a gander at it before we point any fingers. It is decimating.

“Fair play to La Rochelle, they came here with an arrangement. I didn’t see them returning however we didn’t clear our lines and we addressed the cost.”

O’Gara was upbeat after the success, as he considered his excursion as La Rochelle mentor.

“We began far away from longing for getting to finals. We were second division quite a while back,” said the Ireland legend.

“I need to thank the young men and staff who have made me so glad. It would have been not difficult to lose today yet we have gained from past finals and figured out how to win.

“It wasn’t pretty yet I’m exceptionally glad. The guard was everything. We could see that assuming you stand off them they will be, areas of strength for incredibly.

“We needed to remove their existence and we realized we needed to score attempts to win. There was incredible heart. We might have turned over, yet we didn’t and I think this is the beginning of something uniquely great.

“We could see that assuming you stand off them they will be, areas of strength for incredibly. We needed to remove their existence and we realized we needed to score attempts to win. There was extraordinary heart. We might have turned over, however we didn’t and I think this is the beginning of something uniquely amazing.

Frantic Johnny Sexton ‘lost for words’ as he battles to summarize rout in Champions Cup last
Gregory Alldritt and Romain Sazy of La Rochelle lift the Heineken Champions Cup as their side celebrates after the last whistle following their triumph in the Heineken Champions Cup Final. (Photograph by David Rogers/Getty Images)
Gregory Alldritt and Romain Sazy of La Rochelle lift the Heineken Champions Cup as their side celebrates after the last whistle following their triumph in the Heineken Champions Cup Final. (Photograph by David Rogers/Getty Images)
May 28 2022 08:03 PM

A dejected Johnny Sexton conceded he was ‘lost for words’ after Leinster’s sensational Champions Cup last loss against La Rochelle.

Ronan O’Gara’s strategic masterclass as the La Rochelle mentor wrestled the prize away from Leinster with a last-heave 24-21 Heineken Champions Cup last triumph, leaving Sexton stunned.

“I’m lost for words frankly, we weren’t at our best,” conceded Sexton.

“We should take a gander at it before we point any fingers. It is pulverizing.

“Fair play to La Rochelle, they came here with an arrangement. I didn’t see them returning yet we didn’t clear our lines and we addressed the cost.”

O’Gara was cheerful after the success, as he considered his excursion as La Rochelle mentor.

“We began quite far away from longing for getting to finals. We were second division a long time back,” said the Ireland legend.

“I need to thank the young men and staff who have made me so glad. It would have been not difficult to lose today yet we have gained from past finals and figured out how to win.

“It wasn’t pretty however I’m exceptionally pleased. The safeguard was everything. We could see that assuming you stand off them they will be, serious areas of strength for incredibly.

“We needed to remove their reality and we realized we needed to score attempts to win. There was incredible heart. We might have turned over, yet we didn’t and I think this is the beginning of something uniquely amazing.

“We could see that assuming you stand off them they will be, major areas of strength for incredibly. We needed to remove their reality and we realized we needed to score attempts to win. There was incredible heart. We might have turned over, yet we didn’t and I think this is the beginning of something uniquely amazing.

“This is gigantic for La Rochelle, quite a while back they were in the subsequent level. We delighted in it last season, in light of the fact that the Top 14 is such a long distance race, we got somewhat of a run moving. We realize that Leinster are ordinarily far away in the main half, so when we came in five down at half-time we realized that was OK.

“It feels somewhat dreamlike in light of the fact that it was such a tight game.”

Leinster mentor Leo Cullen experienced altogether different feelings as he battled to find a sense of peace with his side’s loss.
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“It has not exactly struck a chord, we are resting and recuperating,” he conceded.

“It boiled down to fine edges and two or three protective sets, yet there is likely a tale about how we got into the circumstance.

“As of now we might have been something more. It is a sickener, however credit to La Rochelle.”