La Rochelle vs Leinster live stream: how to watch Champions Cup semi-final from anywhere
Can La Rochelle's best ever Champions Cup run continue?
Pro14 champions Leinster have it all to do in their 2021 European Champions Cup semi-final clash with Top 14 heavyweights La Rochelle. Leo Cullen will be without captain Johnny Sexton, after he picked up yet another head injury last month, and Les Maritimes also have home advantage. It's a blockbuster match-up, so read on as we explain how to watch a La Rochelle vs Leinster live stream today and catch all the rugby union action online from wherever you are.
Date: Sunday, May 2
Time: 3pm BST-IST / 10am ET / 7am PT / 12am AEST / 2am NZST
Venue: Stade Marcel-Deflandre, La Rochelle, France
UK/Irish channel: BT Sport (UK and Ireland)
FREE live stream: Kayo Sports FREE trial (AUS) | Peacock FREE trial (US) | France TV Sport
Watch anywhere: try a world-class VPN 100% risk-free
Leinster's overcame defending champions Exeter in the last round. It was a brilliant tie, which saw the province recover from a nightmare 14-point deficit in the first 10 minutes, to win 34-22. Ross Byrne replaced Sexton midway through the first half and, along with Jordan Lamour and James Lowe, was one of the stars of the show, kicking 17 points for his team. Can he rise to the occasion again today?
It was much smoother sailing for La Rochelle, who gave Sale a 45-21 trouncing. This is the furthest they've ever made it through the European Champions Cup, and another famous win would be the perfect way to celebrate Ronan O'Gara's recent promotion.
This should be a belter, so read on as we explain how to watch a La Rochelle vs Leinster live stream and watch the Champions Cup rugby - no matter where you are, and for free in some regions around the world.
How to watch La Rochelle vs Leinster live stream from outside your country
We've recommended some of the best places to live stream La Rochelle vs Leinster below. But you might run into a problem trying to access them if you're outside of your country - even if you're fully registered and in all likelihood paying a subscription fee. This is because of something called geo-blocking - best thought of as a kind of digital border. But it's not nearly as scary as it sounds and we can help you get back to your preferred rugby live stream in no time at all.
Simply follow our VPN advice below and you'll soon be up and running with a great bit of software that allows you to relocate your device back to your country of residence - thereby regaining access to all the streaming services you normally enjoy at home.
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Throw in its robust set of security features and ExpressVPN is the best all-round VPN for streaming - and perhaps best of all, it has a 30-day money back guarantee plus 3 months FREE when you subscribe for a year.
Access ExpressVPN via your laptop, iPhone, tablet, Android phone, PlayStation, Xbox and plenty more. Express is a do-it-all service that also benefits from 24/7 customer support.
How to live stream La Rochelle vs Leinster in the UK
You'll need a BT Sport subscription in order to watch La Rochelle vs Leinster. Kick-off is scheduled for 3pm BST, and coverage begins at 2.30pm on BT Sport 2. The BT Sport app also lets subscribers watch the rugby on any number of devices, including mobiles, tablets, consoles and smart TVs.
Don't forget that BT now has a new £25 monthly sports pass, so you can get all that BT Sport goodness without a long-term commitment.
If you find yourself outside the UK and want to watch La Rochelle vs Leinster like you would at home, don't worry about geo-blocks on your account – simply grab a VPN and follow the instructions above to live stream the action.
- Related: how to watch a Premiership rugby live stream
How to watch La Rochelle vs Leinster: live stream rugby in Ireland
BT Sport is also the place to tune into for rugby fans based in Ireland, with kick-off for the La Rochelle vs Leinster game scheduled for 3pm IST on Sunday afternoon.
Outside of Ireland? Watch European Champions Cup rugby online just like you would at home with the help of a quality VPN.
How to watch La Rochelle vs Leinster FREE: live stream European Champions Cup rugby in Australia
You'll need to be up late to watch La Rochelle vs Leinster in Australia, with kick-off set for midnight on Sunday night.
The good news, however, is that you can live stream the game without paying a thing, via Kayo Sports. That's because the sports streaming service offers a FREE 14-day Kayo Sports trial.
After that, the Basic plan costs just $25 a month and lets you stream on two screens, while Premium is a mere $35 a month for simultaneous viewing on up to three devices.
beIN Sports is also showing the European Champions Cup rugby match Down Under, and if you're a Foxtel customer, you can add beIN to your package for an extra fee. No worries if you aren't though as you can also subscribe to beIN as a standalone subscription that can be watched on your laptop, desktop computer or mobile device. That costs $19.99 per month after you've taken advantage of a FREE two-week trial.
And remember, if you're out of Australia right now you can use a VPN to watch your preferred rugby live stream from anywhere.
- More egg-chasing? Here's how to get a Super League rugby live stream
How to watch La Rochelle vs Leinster: live stream rugby European Champions Cup in New Zealand
New Zealanders can watch La Rochelle vs Leinster on Sky Sport, which is available as part of a range of pay TV packages.
Prepare for a late night though, as the game kicks off at 2am NZST on Sunday night/Monday morning. Sky Sport's coverage gets underway at 1.55am.
Subscribers are able to watch online using the country's Sky Go service, while cord-cutters and anyone else can try the Sky Sport Now streaming-only platform - where a weekly pass costs just $19.99.
If you're away from New Zealand right now, use a VPN and you'll be streaming the rugger in no time at all.
- Related: how to watch a Champions League live stream
How to watch La Rochelle vs Leinster FREE: live stream rugby in the US
Rugby fans based in the US can watch the La Rochelle vs Leinster game on NBC's excellent new streaming platform, Peacock TV, which offers a FREE 7-day trial so you can tune in without paying a cent.
The game kicks off at 10am ET / 7am PT on Sunday morning.
After the free trial, Peacock costs just $4.99 a month for an ad-supported service that also features Premiership Rugby, plus loads more premium sports coverage, TV shows, and movies. Alternatively, you can pay a $10 a month for commercial-free coverage.
Outside of the US? Don't forget that US residents abroad can still tune in just like they would at home with the help of a good VPN.
- Related: how to watch Peacock from outside the US with a VPN
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Aatif is a freelance copywriter and journalist based in the UK. He’s written about technology, science and politics for publications including Gizmodo, The Independent, Trusted Reviews and Newsweek, but focuses on streaming at Future, an arrangement that combines two of his greatest passions: sport and penny-pinching.