Murray Kinsella
Reports from Stade Marcel Deflandre
A FEW MINUTES before Ronan O’Gara kicked off his post-match press conference in the bowels of the Stade Marcel Deflandre, it was impossible not to hear the Leinster supporters chanting outside.
“Allez les Bleus! Allez les Bleus! Allez les Bleus,” roared these happy fans who will head home having watched their team notch a crucial 16-14 pool-stage victory away to La Rochelle.
And as O’Gara wrapped up his media briefing 25 minutes later, there was another familiar sound from outside as a group of supporters launched into a defeaning rendition of Ireland’s Call.
Maybe O’Gara will answer that call at some stage in the future but right now he is totally invested in life with La Rochelle, who have had a challenging season in the Top 14 but reminded everyone of their class in this brilliant Champions Cup clash with Leinster.
O’Gara was obviously disappointed at his side coming up short when they had chances to win the game at the death, but there was pride at the display too.
“We needed that because we’ve been talking enough but the performances haven’t been there,” said O’Gara.
“Some of these poor French journalists have to suffer watching some of the shite in the Top 14 games which hasn’t been good but now I think that will give a jolt to everyone, the town and the team, because essentially nothing is lost.
“We’re disappointed but nothing is lost.”
Indeed, even after defeat at home here, La Rochelle have a good chance of advancing into a favourable home Round of 16 game.
They will have to beat Benetton away next weekend to secure that but O’Gara is hoping his team drive on and get another meeting with their great rivals, Leinster, later in the Champions Cup.
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O'Gara would love to play Leinster again. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
“Obviously if Leinster can get five points next week, they’re going to finish second [in the overall seedings] behind Bordeaux and that means they’re in the Aviva for as long as they can be.
“That’s exactly what you’re trying to control, the same as me today, I wanted to be at the Deflandre for the rest of the season.
“Congratulations to Leinster, they’re better but I hope we get another crack later in the season because our boys can do better and will do better.”
O’Gara outlined how La Rochelle came into the game with a plan to get outside Leinster’s aggressive defence but said that Jordie Barrett’s brilliance in closing up from the backfield meant it didn’t quite work out.
“They give you kick space to regather, the example being Dillyn Leyds’ try which was a cracking finish because that was there all night,” said O’Gara.
“I can optimistically say that what will happen as we gather momentum and confidence that if we had the balls in the last play to kick a cross-field kick then we’re in, but it’s a big play for a guy… that’s the time to do it, in a pool game.”
La Rochelle nearly pulled off the win with clock in the red but out-half Antoine Hastoy, having just come up short with a long-range penalty attempt, saw his drop goal effort blocked down by Josh van der Flier.
A former master of the craft, O’Gara felt his number 10 needed to get deeper for his drop goal attempt.
“We probably didn’t expect such a dent on the gainline off that scrum,” said O’Gara.
“It was a brilliant play and then, bang, it’s a good learning for Antoine because he can be another seven or eight metres deeper and he eliminates van der Flier.
La Rochelle's Ultan Dillane. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
“That’s the way we control, hopefully, we get to show it again. Home advantage is big too, we’ve got to be really disappointed with losing at home. It’s not a crushing defeat, but it’s still a big defeat.”
La Rochelle have enjoyed great successes against Leinster, beating them in the 2022 and 2023 finals, but this makes it three defeats in a row to the Irish province.
All three of those games have been under the guidance of Leinster senior coach Jacques Nienaber, whose impact on their defence has been clear.
Again tonight, it was Leinster’s efforts without the ball that made the difference.
O’Gara confirmed that Leinster in this guise are more difficult to deal with but he’s not yet sure if they’re a better team.
“I think they’re definitely harder to play against, but are they better? We’ll see in May.
“You look at the [2023] final in Dublin and not many Test teams can do what they did in 11 minutes. We didn’t do much wrong and we’re 17-0 down. Plus they’ve Dan Sheehan to come back who I think is one of the world’s best players. Speed kills and he kills teams on his own.”
Despite some worrying performances from La Rochelle this season, O’Gara is hopeful tonight’s effort is a sign of better things to come.
A first-ever Top 14 title would be huge but the Champions Cup means so much to the people of La Rochelle.
“We love this competition,” said O’Gara.
“It’s connected a town, so there’s life left in us, that’s for sure.”
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ROG: 'Congrats to Leinster, they're better but I hope we get another crack'
A FEW MINUTES before Ronan O’Gara kicked off his post-match press conference in the bowels of the Stade Marcel Deflandre, it was impossible not to hear the Leinster supporters chanting outside.
“Allez les Bleus! Allez les Bleus! Allez les Bleus,” roared these happy fans who will head home having watched their team notch a crucial 16-14 pool-stage victory away to La Rochelle.
And as O’Gara wrapped up his media briefing 25 minutes later, there was another familiar sound from outside as a group of supporters launched into a defeaning rendition of Ireland’s Call.
Maybe O’Gara will answer that call at some stage in the future but right now he is totally invested in life with La Rochelle, who have had a challenging season in the Top 14 but reminded everyone of their class in this brilliant Champions Cup clash with Leinster.
O’Gara was obviously disappointed at his side coming up short when they had chances to win the game at the death, but there was pride at the display too.
“We needed that because we’ve been talking enough but the performances haven’t been there,” said O’Gara.
“Some of these poor French journalists have to suffer watching some of the shite in the Top 14 games which hasn’t been good but now I think that will give a jolt to everyone, the town and the team, because essentially nothing is lost.
“We’re disappointed but nothing is lost.”
Indeed, even after defeat at home here, La Rochelle have a good chance of advancing into a favourable home Round of 16 game.
They will have to beat Benetton away next weekend to secure that but O’Gara is hoping his team drive on and get another meeting with their great rivals, Leinster, later in the Champions Cup.
“Obviously if Leinster can get five points next week, they’re going to finish second [in the overall seedings] behind Bordeaux and that means they’re in the Aviva for as long as they can be.
“That’s exactly what you’re trying to control, the same as me today, I wanted to be at the Deflandre for the rest of the season.
“Congratulations to Leinster, they’re better but I hope we get another crack later in the season because our boys can do better and will do better.”
O’Gara outlined how La Rochelle came into the game with a plan to get outside Leinster’s aggressive defence but said that Jordie Barrett’s brilliance in closing up from the backfield meant it didn’t quite work out.
“They give you kick space to regather, the example being Dillyn Leyds’ try which was a cracking finish because that was there all night,” said O’Gara.
“I can optimistically say that what will happen as we gather momentum and confidence that if we had the balls in the last play to kick a cross-field kick then we’re in, but it’s a big play for a guy… that’s the time to do it, in a pool game.”
La Rochelle nearly pulled off the win with clock in the red but out-half Antoine Hastoy, having just come up short with a long-range penalty attempt, saw his drop goal effort blocked down by Josh van der Flier.
A former master of the craft, O’Gara felt his number 10 needed to get deeper for his drop goal attempt.
“We probably didn’t expect such a dent on the gainline off that scrum,” said O’Gara.
“It was a brilliant play and then, bang, it’s a good learning for Antoine because he can be another seven or eight metres deeper and he eliminates van der Flier.
“That’s the way we control, hopefully, we get to show it again. Home advantage is big too, we’ve got to be really disappointed with losing at home. It’s not a crushing defeat, but it’s still a big defeat.”
La Rochelle have enjoyed great successes against Leinster, beating them in the 2022 and 2023 finals, but this makes it three defeats in a row to the Irish province.
All three of those games have been under the guidance of Leinster senior coach Jacques Nienaber, whose impact on their defence has been clear.
Again tonight, it was Leinster’s efforts without the ball that made the difference.
O’Gara confirmed that Leinster in this guise are more difficult to deal with but he’s not yet sure if they’re a better team.
“I think they’re definitely harder to play against, but are they better? We’ll see in May.
“You look at the [2023] final in Dublin and not many Test teams can do what they did in 11 minutes. We didn’t do much wrong and we’re 17-0 down. Plus they’ve Dan Sheehan to come back who I think is one of the world’s best players. Speed kills and he kills teams on his own.”
Despite some worrying performances from La Rochelle this season, O’Gara is hopeful tonight’s effort is a sign of better things to come.
A first-ever Top 14 title would be huge but the Champions Cup means so much to the people of La Rochelle.
“We love this competition,” said O’Gara.
“It’s connected a town, so there’s life left in us, that’s for sure.”
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la rochelle Leinster nothing is lost ROG Ronan O'Gara