Each team has its pet peeve.
Threesome.
Toulouse has long been that of Stade Rochelais.
Leinster is that of Toulouse, beaten a third time in a row on Saturday.
But, obviously, La Rochelle is Leinster's pet peeve.
Few teams can indeed boast of remaining on two victories against the province of Dublin in the Champions Cup.
After having done so – all in force – in 2021 in the semi-finals at Deflandre (32-23), the La Rochelle club succeeded last year in the tour de force of making Jonathan Sexton bend the band in extremis in the final, at the Stade Vélodrome (24-21).
Two masterful strokes.
The reunion promises to be strong between Leinstermen and Rochelais.
“It's these kind of matches that we want to play,
already stamps Grégory Alldritt.
Winning there is something we didn't do.
We love big challenges.
The team does not go there saying that it has nothing to lose, it goes there to surpass itself collectively and individually.
The show of force against Exeter (47-28), Sunday at the Matmut Atlantique in Bordeaux, sent a strong signal: in addition to having weapons of mass destruction in front, the caravel club has a line of three- sparkling and efficient shifts.
“I liked our ability with the ball even if there are things to correct,
advance manager Ronan O'Gara.
But I liked the urge, the strategy
We were powerful, intelligent with the game on foot, brutal on the balls carried and in the scrums.
"We can see, from their pride today, that the players' commitment is sincere"
And the Irish technician to savor:
"When you mix all that up, they are great weapons and with a workforce that few clubs in the world can have, it's interesting for me as a coach."
Stade Rochelais, after a sluggish restart at the start of the season, is clearly gaining momentum and not many people seem to be able to derail the beautiful machine, which has just scored a ninth success in all competitions since the beginning of February.
Read alsoLa Rochelle-Exeter: the favorites and claws of our special correspondent
The totemic Romain Sazy, who – like Uini Atonio – knew everything with La Rochelle, sweeps away this figure, however speaking: “
So, that, the statistics … We only retain the titles.
In a few years, we will only talk about that.
If we can get it, we won't miss it.
The playoffs don't matter much to us."
Grégory Alldritt, impressive bulldozer against the English Chiefs, also discovers the stat:
“You teach me … We don't look behind us.
The team just wanted to qualify for this final and in the Top 14.
The number 8 of the XV of France however insists on the fact that the La Rochelle group is even stronger, more substantial:
“We want to finish this competition without regret.
The best way is to lift the cup in Dublin.
For that, we are lucky to have guys like Antoine (Hastoy) who arrived and starved to death.
It pushes us to get that second star.
We are lucky to have 40 to 50 players involved and we can see, from their pride today, that their commitment is sincere.
“It was bigger than rugby, it was powerful for the club, the city”
While waiting for the final, on May 20 at the Aviva Stadium, Stade Rochelais will have to negotiate two trips to the Top 14, to Toulon which relocated its match to the Vélodrome, then to Montpellier.
In the standings, Uini Atonio and his merry band are currently second, with a small lead of 6 points over Stade Français Paris (3rd).
“Everyone will enjoy this
(Sunday)
evening and, from Tuesday, we will project ourselves on the Marseille match.
We are lucky to switch from a half to a prime time match at the Vélodrome,
underlines the international third line.
We must not slow down even if we will have the final in the back of our minds.
The group is growing.
Being qualified is not enough for us.
We are very ambitious.”
Read alsoChampions Cup: "We are more than a bunch of friends in La Rochelle", savors Romain Sazy
Ronan O'Gara, who completely transformed and uninhibited the club, had, when hot,
"no interest in talking about the final",
preferring to greet the huge La Rochelle audience who had made the transhumance to Bordeaux.
But, clever, he could not help remembering that he is a man from Munster (European champion 2006 and 2008), the hereditary enemy of Leinster:
"I was with the Red Army when I was a player and saw what a stadium of 80,000 people was like.
Today was bigger than rugby, it was powerful for the club, the city.
Seeing a connection between the public and my players pleases me enormously.
People think it's normal to still be in the final but it's not normal at all.
“The club has come out of this culture of humility which prevents you from being ambitious”
President Vincent Merling, who has also known everything with Stade Rochelais, measures the progress made.
"Everything that happens, I don't even have the right to dream about it,"
he confides.
It's something new.
Even if it's the third final.
Me, like the public, I live my dream.
Live moments like that, I did not even think about it … “
All the same, the Stade Rochelais is now part of the big leagues?
“On the sporting level, we have grown, of course.
The team is stronger and is reaching a certain form of maturity
, he admits.
But Ronan says she's only playing 30% of her ability.
The players and our collective have not reached their limits.
Read alsoChampions Cup: the video summary of La Rochelle's crushing victory against Exeter
The historic manager, founder of the eponymous company specializing in coffee roasting, finally let go, faced with the excellent results of his club which was still in Pro D2 10 years ago: "One thing is certain: the club
is emerged from this culture of humility a few years ago which prevents you from being ambitious.
Today, we have understood that we can be humble and ambitious.
Winning these kinds of matches creates even more ambition.”
What does not hide either Grégory Alldritt, courageous captain, face reddened by the shocks:
“I am very happy with this victory, with this qualification.
But we are still far from the perfect match.
And there's no point in making the perfect match in the half, you have to do it in the final.
We still have things to work on before Dublin.
We will have to take on the impossible but we love it.
I can not wait to be there."
The whole of French rugby too.