When the full-time whistle sounded at Stade Marcel-Deflandre, La Rochelle fans groaned as many of their rugby heroes fell to the ground.
When the full-time whistle sounded at Stade Marcel-Deflandre, La Rochelle fans groaned as many of their rugby heroes fell to the ground.
La Rochelle have gone for an aggressive 7-1 split on the bench for their Champions Cup showdown with Leinster, though they will be without their towering Wallaby lock Will Skelton.
The French, who are chasing a fourth successive world title in a row, swatted aside New Zealand 55-31 in their semi-final last Sunday.
Beaten 26-27 by an 80th-minute Baby Blacks penalty in a July 4 pool match in Stellenbosch, the French only reached the last four as the tournament’s best runner-up across the three pools courtesy of last Tuesday’s victory over Wales.
With Pool A leaders New Zealand expected to run up a big score in the 7pm kick-off in Stellenbosch and progress with a total of 15 match points, the French had a head-to-head shootout with the Welsh to decide second place in the pool.
The arrival of Stade Toulousain back-row Mathis Castro-Ferreira has shaken up the 23-man Bleuets squad that will face New Zealand.
The Spanish have the honour of opening the pool the DHL Stadium this Saturday, taking on a French team that didn’t fire on all cylinders in a Six Nations campaign that only merited third place.