Top 14: in control, La Rochelle revives and takes its revenge on Toulouse

2023-12-31 00:32:29

A revenge to end the year. Opposed to Stade Toulouse, their executioner in the Top 14 final on June 17 (29-26), the Rochelais thrilled the Deflandre public for the last time in 2023 by bringing down their rival. If the Maritimes will certainly not forget this rush from Romain Ntamack in the 78th minute of the final, this victory accompanied by an offensive bonus (29-8), this Saturday evening for the 11th day of the Top 14, should nevertheless help them to mourn.

For this remake, the Rouge et Noir had taken the gamble of rotating, Ugo Mola having notably left Antoine Dupont, Anthony Jelonch, François Cros, Thomas Ramos and Peato Mauvaka to rest. Losing bet. Engaged in a difficult dynamic, La Rochelle, which has only won four of its last twelve matches in all competitions, was able to be realistic despite a start to the game dominated by Toulouse. Indeed, it was on one of their first forays into the opposing camp that Ronan O’Gara’s men opened the scoring with a penalty try, the defensive line of the reigning French champions illegally collapsing a maul on the line (14th, 7-0).

Realistic La Rochelle

With its weapons of the moment and driven by the desire to get out of the crisis after three defeats in a row, La Rochelle relied on a more restrictive game than usual and could have taken off after half an hour of play when Nathan Bollengier, launched by a subtle play at the foot of Antoine Hastoy, was very close to flattening in the in-goal. This was without counting on the safe return of Baptiste Germain.

Overall dominant in the game, Toulouse, launched to score thanks to a penalty transformed by their scrum half (33rd, 7-3), was punished by two yellow stabs at the end of the first period. Following a well-negotiated scrum by the La Rochelle full-axis pack, Dillyn Leyds managed a beautiful refocusing kick from the right side, allowing Levani Botia to flatten and Hugo Reus to transform (39th, 17- 3). Then, a few moments before the break, Bollengier, hyperactive, took his revenge on Germain by intercepting a pass from his opponent in the middle of the field to score the third try of the evening (45th + 2, 24-3).

All shit de retour

Rigorous, pragmatic and realistic, the Maritimes did not give up during the second act. From the outset, the winners of the last two Champions Cups quickly played a penalty, passing from right to left to Leyds, solid to resist the return of two defenders to flatten (50th, 29-3). And as good news never comes alone, Grégory Alldritt, who came on in place of Judicaël Cancoriet in the 54th minute, made his return to competition, more than two months after his last appearance at the World Cup with the Blues, under the ovation from his supporters.

If Toulouse seemed poorly paid at the end of the first period, the end of the game was totally controlled by the locals, although they were reduced to 10 following the expulsion of Thomas Lavault, penalized for clearing the shoulder in the head of an opponent (55th). In control, the Yellow and Black offered themselves a quiet end to the match, as they have experienced too little this season, despite the Stadistes’ only try, scored by Clément Vergé (29-8, 80th). Now 7th, a small point behind Toulouse, the Rochelais will try to continue on January 6 in Pau (3 p.m.).