A ‘tit-for-tat dogfight’, Donnacha Ryan in a beret and that last-gasp missed drop goalRacing 92's Camille Chat and Wenceslas Lauret tackle Devin Toner of Leinster

in the 2018 Champions Cup final. Photograph: James Crombie/©INPHO

Sat May 23 2026 - 06:00 • 4 MIN READDevin Toner had a view of the late drop goal. Not quite the best vantage point, but a viewing experience all the same. The Leinster lock found himself at the bottom of a ruck, peering out between limbs as Rémi Talès stood in the pocket. It was supposed to be Dan Carter dropping back to decide the game. Named at outhalf for Racing 92, the All Black withdrew from the squad an hour before kick-off. South Africa’s Patrick Lambie replaced him, only to suffer a knee injury three minutes in. Enter Talès, a French international with 24 caps. Had his drop goal landed on target, the 2018 Champions Cup final would have gone to extra-time. A poorly-struck shank sailed wide left. With Leinster returning to Bilbao on Saturday, the scene of their last European triumph eight years on, memories inevitably start flowing. 2018 was a year of significant success for Irish rugby. Leinster won a domestic and European double. Ireland secured a St Patrick’s Day grand slam at Twickenham and a series win in Australia. During this period, James Ryan started his professional career with 23 consecutive victories. That Bilbao final tends not to be remembered as fondly as the other trophies. The game itself didn’t help, a try-less encounter decided by a kicking battle in the rain. Isa Nacewa and Johnny Sexton combined for 15 points from the tee, bettering Racing’s total of 12. “It’s quite a forgettable game,” says Toner. “I was looking at the highlights and it’s just people kicking penalties.“But it was huge for me, I was on the bench for the last three finals [in 2009, 2011 and 2012]. That was the first year where I was involved more, I felt like a leader in the team and was starting all year. It definitely meant more to me.” Rémi Talès misses a late drop goal as Andrew Porter, James Ryan, Jack Conan, Scott Fardy, Jamison Gibson-Park and Jonathan Sexton look on. Photograph: James Crombie/©INPHO