Even messy, even approximate, La Rochelle is the team of the moment in the Top 14. It proved it again this Saturday evening by styling at the end of a badly embarked match Racing which had nevertheless started with a bang (24- 19).
“We are the team to beat, we know that,” said international center third line Grégory Alldritt at the final whistle.
It is up to us to assume our status.
“In this intense clash at times, the Ile-de-France residents nevertheless held out against a formation that has supplanted them over the years, dominating from the outset and then resisting until the very end of the meeting.
Until then, Racing had made the news at the start of the season … off the field.
The sudden end of the career of Virimi Vakatawa for a heart condition, then the announcement of the arrival on July 1 of Stuart Lancaster, the former coach of the XV of the Rose, currently coach at Leinster, propelled the Ciel et Blanc at the forefront of the media scene.
On the lawns of the Top 14, on the other hand, the Ile-de-France residents, weakened by cascading injuries, were much more discreet, barely winning the average with two victories in four games.
They therefore had a lot to prove against the Rochelais, reigning European champions, who have already asserted their power and their ambitions in just four days, in a packed Marcel-Deflandre stadium as usual.
The standoff quickly produced sparks.
And he first turned to the advantage of Racing, determined, determined and enterprising despite the ambient humidity making the balls slippery.
Faced with Ile-de-France intentions, La Rochelle did not exist, raising its head only around misplaced spats and scuffles.
Led by an imperial Finn Russell, Laurent Travers' men therefore first took the lead, well helped it is true by the clumsiness of Teddy Thomas, the international winger transferred to the Atlantic coast this season, responsible for the attempt by Saili (40th) by losing control of the ball and missing for the same reason a try which stretched out his arms at the start of the second period.
Their advantage of 9 points at the break could have melted very quickly in the La Rochelle night as the domination of the players of Ronan O'Gara was affirmed on the return from the locker room.
The obstinacy in the pounding in order just delayed the deadline, the Maritimes stumbling on the sky and white wall.
The crossing of the curves finally took place, on a corner try from Teddy Thomas (68th, 17-16).
La Rochelle, which has specialized in the transfer of Ile-de-France players by attracting a colony from Hauts-de-Seine in recent seasons (Dulin, Tanga, Colombe, Thomas and soon Iribaren...) has taken over for good , finally knocking out the Ile-de-France residents on a try from center Pierre Boudehent (75th).
Dots :
La Rochelle: 3 tries from Seuteni (35th), Thomas (68th), Pi Boudehent (75th) 3 conversions from Leyds, 1 penalty from Leyds (42nd)
Racing 92: 1 try by Saili (40th);
1 conversion from Russell, 4 penalties from Russell (7th, 16th, 20th, 80th)
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