La Rochelle won a sluggish match which will count in the race for the Top 6! After a striking start to the match, and despite long-established physical domination, the Maritimes let the Palois exist in the second period before taking cover. The Béarnais didn’t give up until the end to get the defensive bonus after the siren. La Rochelle moved to 5th place ahead of Racing, Pau remained 8th, two points from the final stages.
A newfound intensity
The Rochelais had a rout to forget on Saturday evening at Marcel-Deflandre. Corrected at UBB last week, overwhelmed physically and in the game, the double European champions showed a sad face, that of a team stuck in sixth place and not guaranteed to see the final stages of the Top 14.
Faced with the Palois, who also want their ticket for the Top 6, La Rochelle found its values at the start of this meeting. Aggressive in defense, driven by the impact of Will Skelton up front and superior in the scrum, the Rochelais asphyxiated the Section, who made a series of mistakes, collected two quick yellow cards and suffered the first attempt in the Top 14 from English winger Jack Nowell (7th).
But you don’t rebuild the confidence of a champion so easily, and the Rochelais then had to be content to widen the gap at the foot for lack of points in the game (11-3, 24th). Once again at 15, the Palois rebalanced the debates, but were unable to exploit the ammunition offered at the feet of Dan Robson then Jack Maddocks. Six lost points that will weigh dearly.
Pau snatches the bonus at the end of the effort
In the second period, La Rochelle was again able to rely on the power of its forwards to break the first Pau attacks, then collect a penalty try on the hour mark by forcing a scrum 5 meters from the goal (18-6, 58th). The Palois, lacking creativity, believed they could count on a twist of fate, when Nathan Decron snatched a ball from the hands of Dillyn Leyds to flatten in a corner… before the video showed a forward from the Béarnais center.
Jules Favre finally put La Rochelle away with a gag try, when Elliott Roudil threw himself to avoid a touch in his 22… and offered a dragging ball in front of the in-goal in the center which was able to flatten right side (25-9, 72nd). In the absence of a victory, the Section did not give up, storming the tired Rochelais and who collapsed twice, at 14. Faced with Siate Tokolahi first, on an irresistible carried ball, then with a last attempt of penalty after the siren, in force on the left side (25-23, 80th+2).
Without shining, without reassuring themselves either, La Rochelle finally did the essential at home and won to overtake Racing in 5th place, which they will receive on the last day. The Section, with its defensive bonus, is 2 points behind the Ile-de-France residents and the final phases.