Leinster Rugby became European champions for the fourth time on Saturday after a thrilling 15-12 win over Racing 92 in the European Rugby Champions Cup Final at the San Mamés Stadium in Bilbao. Isa Nacewa was the Leinster hero after slotting over two penalties in the final seven minutes to deny Racing 92 a first Champions Cup success. The French side made the better start, taking the lead on three minutes through scrum-half Teddy Iribaren after Leinster were penalised for a high tackle by referee Wayne Barnes. That lead lasted just over 10 minutes as Nacewa launched a Leinster attack down the left wing that led to a penalty for the Irish province. Fly-half Johnny Sexton duly slotted through the posts.

Ladies and gentlemen, your 2018 Champions Cup winners - @LeinsterRugby. #ChampionsCup #Bilbao2018 pic.twitter.com/YefIPh0lKJ
— Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) May 12, 2018

Iribaren put Racing 92 in front again from the kicking tee after 21 minutes but Leinster came roaring back and levelled things up just before half-time. Barnes brought play back for a knock-on after the Irish province were pushing for the opening try of the afternoon, allowing Sexton to convert a simple penalty. The second half started as the first with Iribaren putting Racing ahead from the kicking tee before Sexton levelled the score after 53 minutes. Both sides made plenty of changes in the latter stages but it was scrum-half Iribaren who was able to put the French side back in front with a wonderfully executed penalty kick from the touchline with nine minutes to play.

This team ? pic.twitter.com/UOhkrrYHqC
— Leinster Rugby (@leinsterrugby) May 12, 2018

Nacewa – who was playing his last ever Champions Cup match for Leinster before retiring at the end of the season – put the Irish province level for the fourth time on 73 minutes from the tee but the best was still to come from the 35-year-old New Zealander. Leinster won another penalty in front of the posts with just two minutes to play, and Nacewa made no mistake to put Leinster in front for the first and only time in the match. Racing attempted to take the match to extra time and were able to drive the ball to the Leinster 22-metre line but the drop goal attempt of Rémi Tales fell wide to give the Irish province a record-equalling fourth European Cup.