Rónan Kelleher
Club: Leinster
Position: Hooker
Age: 24
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Height: 6′
Weight: 105kgs (16st 6lbs)
Leinster appearances: 35
Points: 65
Why he is so important? Recovered from the head knock that forced his premature departure in the semi-final win over Toulouse, Leinster will be happy to be able to call upon his ball-carrying power and athleticism that made him such a handful for the opponents. It’s always been his strength, so too his scrum work, as befits a player who enjoyed a short stint in the backs and also as a prop. He’s worked hard on his lineout throwing and defence to complement those other assets. La Rochelle are a physically big and tall pack, so variety and movement will be key if he is to be able to hit his jumpers.
Trivia: He became the fourth player to score four tries for Ireland in a single match, a feat he managed against the USA in a 71-10 at the Aviva Stadium. Denis Hickie crossed for four against Italy at Thomond Park, Keith Wood did so also against the USA in a 1999 World Cup match while number eight Brian Robinson scored four against Zimbabwe in the 1991 World Cup.
Pierre Bourgarit
Club: La Rochelle
Position: Hooker
Age: 24
Height: 6′
Weight: 104kgs (16st 4lbs)
La Rochelle appearances: 112
Points: 90
Why he is so important? His role as a key player can be gleaned from a single statistic in which he has started a staggering 26 of 28 matches for La Rochelle this season in the Top 14 and Heineken Champions Cup. It is all the most impressive when you consider that his back-up is the Argentina international Facundo Bosch. He is an excellent player around the pitch, very mobile and quick for someone his size and is often to be found popping up in the winder channels. He is aggressive in the tackle. The La Rochelle lineout can occasionally be flaky as they lost seven in a recent game against Perpignan and six in a match against Bordeaux.
Trivia: He played for the same Auch Gers club as team-mate Gregor Alldritt and fellow French internationals Antoine Dupont and Anthony Jelonch. The most recent of his five French caps was as a replacement against Ireland at the Aviva Stadium in the 2021 Six Nations, a match the visitors won 15-13.
