Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

O'Gara-less La Rochelle batter Northampton Saints

By PA
La Rochelle's South African wing Dillyn Leyds (L) and La Rochelle's French lock Thomas Lavault celebrate after scoring a try during the European Rugby Champions Cup pool B rugby union match between Stade Rochelais (La Rochelle) and Northampton at The Marcel-Deflandre Stadium in La Rochelle, western France on December 10, 2022. (Photo by XAVIER LEOTY / AFP) (Photo by XAVIER LEOTY/AFP via Getty Images)

Reigning champions La Rochelle showed they are in no mood to release their grip on the Heineken Champions Cup as they put Northampton to the sword at Stade Marcel Deflandre.

ADVERTISEMENT

Even without head coach Ronan O’Gara, serving a 10-week touchline ban, in their dug out, they stuck to their ruthless game plan and plundered their four-try bonus point before the first half had ended. That made it 32-0 at the break and they added two more tries early in the second half to extend their lead to 46.

Northampton’s only points came in the final 10 minutes and against 14 men, with tries from James Ramm and Matt Proctor while La Rochelle flanker Thomas Lavault was in the sin bin.

The assault on the Saints began as early as the third minute as French full-back Brice Dulin kicked through in the 22 and harassed Tom James into coughing up ball to bag the first try. That one was not converted by Antoine Hastoy, but he landed his next seven kicks in a row.

The first of those successes were penalties in the 10th and 13th minutes before he converted a flurry of tries from hooker Pierre Bourgarit and wings Pierre Boudehent and Dillyn Leyds to further reward the champions’ relentless attacking approach.

Saints had little or no answer in the opening 40 minutes against a side parading nine players from the starting XV in last season’s final. There was no let-up, either, in the second half.

It took a mere four minutes for La Rochelle to conjure up their fifth try. England scrum-half Alex Mitchell, a replacement for Northampton at half-time, had a box kick charged down by opposite number Tawera Kerr-Barlow and the ball bounced straight up into the arms of number eight Gregory Aldritt, who raced 20 metres to score.

ADVERTISEMENT

Five minutes later UJ Seuteni ran in try number six and Hastoy’s conversion made it 46-0 with 30 minutes still to play.

At that stage the odds were on a record beating for the visitors, but they got stronger as they emptied their bench and La Rochelle got weaker up front as they brought on their players.

England captain Courtney Lawes came on in the 50th minute to make his first appearance since suffering concussion in the game against Leicester in September and he lasted the pace well.

There was a late flourish from his side as they managed to break their duck, Ramm scoring the first out on the right wing before Proctor crossed at the posts and Fin Smith converted.

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

T
TI 3 hours ago
All Blacks player ratings vs Italy | Autumn Nations Series

Rieko took literally years to turn from a defensive liability at 13 into a guy, who’s defensively sound as it befits the position. And it all came at the cost of him being much less of an offensive threat, than what he used to be. Proctor is a natural 13, he handles, passes, and kicks way better than Rieko ever will, he just isn’t as fast.


It’s unfair to judge Tupaea on the handful of games he’s had in 2022 before he got nearly crippled by a Wallaby lock. What could Tupaea/Proctor pairing be, if they got the same amount of chances as Jordie/Rieko?


Because no matter how you spin it, playing a player outside of his natural position is a poor asset management. No matter how talented he is, he still competes against players who had years and years of practice at the position. And if said guy is so talented that he actually CAN compete against specialists, imagine how much better still he could have been, if he had all those years to iron the toothing issues at the position. It just drives me mad.


Two things I hate in rugby union beyond description: aping after league, and playing players outside of their natural position. Especially considering, that they all admit they hate it, when they’re allowed to speak freely. Owen Farrell spent 80% of his international career at 12, saying every time when asked, that he is a 10 and prefers to play at 10. Those players are literally held at a gunpoint: play out of position, or no national jersey for you.

47 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING All Blacks player ratings vs Italy | Autumn Nations Series All Blacks player ratings vs Italy
Search