LA ROCHELLE HELD off a second-half fightback by Bath in the Somerset mist on Friday to win their opening Champions Cup pool game 24-20.
Both sides had trouble holding onto the ball in the rainy, windy English south west country.
“The conditions changed the game in terms of getting the ball wide in this wind. You have to play to conditions,” La Rochelle scrum half Tawera Kerr-Barlow told broadcaster Premier Sports.
“Bath wrestled back the momentum and we were really fortunate to hold on at the end.”
La Rochelle, competition winners in 2022 and 2023, dominated the first half and their forwards turned pressure into tries.
Flanker Oscar Jegou barged over for the first after a ruck close to the Bath line. Prop Reda Wardi touched down after La Rochelle mauled the home pack backwards from a lineout. Kerr-Barlow scampered over following a lineout close to the line after 31 minutes.
Bath’s pack responded after 47 minutes when they drove La Rochelle back in a maul and hooker Tom Dunn touched down.
The English league leaders cut the gap to one point afer Guy Pepper hacked through, Tawera Barlow was among players who dived and failed to gather the slippery ball. Bath lock Quinn Roux finally managed to get a hand on it behind the line after 56 minutes.
Ihaia West booted a penalty to take his tally to nine points and put La Rochelle four points up with 22 minutes left.
Bath pressed but struggled to hold on to the slippery ball.
“I liked how we stayed calm and didn’t chase it,” said Bath captain Charlie Ewels. “We had opportunities to then win the game but we didn’t take those chances.”
Congrats Leinster – well deserved and now officially the best Rugby province in Ireland :)
come on rte why can’t ye show this match hard to listen to Irish commentary drive u mad
watch it with radio commentary
Anthony
Will you ever stop complaining. Fair play to TG4
What’s the point having tmo when ye don’t use him??
Goes upstairs for other tries when they were clear tries and doesn’t bother when it’s marginal call
Thoroughly agree – perfect tries he goes upstairs and Laulala’s TRY he disallows it – no knock on by Earls – what a wan#er !
Come on Munster, Leinster are all mouth and no trousers. 20-15 win for the brave and the true. Tough luck ladyboys.
Not looking likely there
What type of idiot are you? Go back to your cave
What type of idiot are you? Go and buy a big bottle of cop-on. Dope.
breaking my bollix laughing Munster third best team in Ireland now
Your a bollix
enjoyed watching the Magpie. he had a great game in the back tonight
Bit worried about him for a a few moments in the second half, but good to see him to get back in the pitch to finish out an impressive debut.
Sing with Gusto
The Ref-er-ree iz uh bazturd
De Referee haz d last Wurd
Then recite the following twenty times:
No more & no less ye deserve
the Leinster lads held their nerve
And now ye give out, ye grumpy red lout
Ye sore losing whupped little sprout
Steven! Bit premature there dontchathink! Next time buddy.
2 against 1 isn’t fair the ref and Leinster on the same side
Kerry looks fairly bet into that Mack, it looks like he’s wearing a kids jacket!