La Rochelle: Coastal Atlantic outpost to European Champions
“Ici, ici, c’est Stade Rochelais.” “Here, here, it’s La Rochelle.” The chanted hymn of the French outpost on the Atlantic coast – now European champions.
From their humble beginnings, La Rochelle have risen through the ranks and, after promotion to France’s Top14 in 2014, have never looked like a side likely to slip up.
They have earned their place at the top of the European podium. First it was a Challenge Cup final in 2019, then a domestic and European final in 2021. Every time the bridesmaid.
Now, though, they’re the bride. A 24-21 victory over European giants and overwhelming favourites Leinster, arguably the biggest win in their history.
And for Ronan O’Gara’s men – with the likes of prop Uini Atonio and centre Levani Botia in tow from their days in second division ProD2 – it’s their first top flight trophy. And what an inaugural trophy to win.
In the Stade Velodrome in Marseille it was a sea of black and yellow, Leinster blue the minority in a European Champions Cup final for once.
But European finals aren’t decided in the stands, though the 16th man can be influential; it’s about what happens on the field.
Leinster used the tried and tested playbook for any final – take the three, build the score and hope the pressure tells.
Two early offences from the French side handed Leinster a 6-0 lead inside eight minutes but Raymond Rhule put an end to the points deficit by scoring five of his own after dancing his way to the whitewash. An Ihaia West conversion gave Les Corsaires the lead.
La Rochelle dominated, their scrum having the upper hand for much of the game, but it was their discipline that let them down. Two further penalties for Johnny Sexton gave the province – who will have many international representatives on the Irish plane to New Zealand this summer – a 12-7 half-time lead.
La Rochelle rustling feathers
Again penalties played a part in the opening 20 of the second half and at 59 minutes it was 18-10 to the Dubliners.
Up stepped the hotstepper, 24-year-old hooker Pierre Bourgarit.
His control at the back of La Rochelle’s rolling maul was simply sublime and he managed to find the line despite some cynical play from the Leinster back-row to scupper the move.
A completely brainless trip by Thomas Lavault on Leinster No9 Jamison Gibson-Park handed Leinster an easy three points and, with a successful kick by Ross Byrne, they led 21-17.
A barrage of La Rochelle attack in the latter minutes was met with penalty after penalty by referee Wayne Barnes but no card emerged from the Englishman’s pocket.
Alas, it didn’t matter in the end as a sniping try from Arthur Retiere in the final moments allowed West to use up the last seconds and seal a historic win.
There were storylines everywhere: David versus Goliath, O’Gara versus Leinster, four-time champions versus the newbies.
But the Munsterman-turned-head coach knew exactly how to keep Leinster at bay.
“There was a message during the week,” O’Gara said after Saturday’s match. “We have to score tries to win it. Three, six, nine [penalty scores] isn’t going to be enough.
“It nearly was enough for Leinster but there was great heart today. We could have rolled over…but I think this is the start of something now.
“We have all nationalities [in the squad], you’re teaching and speaking French and they’re looking at you going ‘why should we believe you, coach?’ and I’m there like ‘stay with me’. It feels surreal.”
So Leinster remain on four European stars, just one behind the French giants of Toulouse. But more importantly, the group of continental winners has diversified. La Rochelle are deserved European champions. Ici, ici, c’est Stade Rochelais.