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Connacht welcome La Rochelle to the Galway Sportsground on Saturday in their European Rugby Challenge Cup kick-off. - 16/10/2014 15:08
Connacht welcome La Rochelle to the Galway Sportsground on Saturday in their European Rugby Challenge Cup kick-off.
Both sides are making their first appearances in competition since the 2010/11 season, but for very different reasons.
Connacht have been fighting in the Champions Cup for the last three seasons, and despite not getting past the pool stages, they have had some memorable nights – including their 16-14 toppling of four-time champions Toulouse.
This is the first time La Rochelle will face Irish opposition in the Challenge Cup and the two sides have never met in any competition.
Having just been promoted to the Top 14 at the end of last season, the French side may be somewhat unfamiliar to their Pool Two rivals. But they have been flexing their muscles in their domestic league this season. They have already matched their opponents in beating Toulouse and have also claimed the scalps of Lyon and Castre – but have lost all four away meetings.
Connacht are flying high in the PRO12. They have four wins from six including notable victories over Leinster and away at Edinburgh. But Connacht Head Coach Pat Lam is wary of the French underdogs.
He said: We’ve studied La Rochelle quite a bit and we are expecting another massively physical game. They are a really big side. They are your typical French side. They have a very strong mauling game, so we are in for a battle there.
“We will be coming up against guys who are in excess of 120kg right across the board – particularly in the forward pack – so we have had to work together on our systems again to come up with the right game plan and tactics to try and expose them.”
La Rochelle Head Coach Patrice Collazo said: “With more conviction our game plan will work. We won our last match because we did the basics well. It's the desire and the way we take our chances that allows us to win.”
Match Facts
- Connacht return to this competition for the first time since 2010/11, after playing three consecutive seasons in the Heineken Cup.
- In their last appearance in the Challenge Cup (2010/11) La Rochelle progressed beyond the group stage of the competition for the first time in their history.
- This will be the first time La Rochelle have faced Irish opposition in this competition.
- Connacht averaged the second fewest offloads per game in last season’s Heineken Cup.
Connacht romped to a dream European Rugby Challenge Cup start with a 48-12 victory over La Rochelle. - 18/10/2014 19:05
Connacht romped to a dream European Rugby Challenge Cup start with a 48-12 victory over La Rochelle.
The hosts ran in seven tries in the bonus-point demolition at the Sportsground to claim top-spot in Pool Two.
A first-half flurry saw the hosts put La Rochelle out of reach as the Irish side made their scrummaging dominance pay.
The men from Galway got off to flying start thanks to outside-half Jack Carty. The 22-year-old sliced through after five minutes and no-one could catch him as he handed his side the early advantage. Centre Craig Ronaldson slotted the conversion.
La Rochelle struggled to hold out as Connacht marched back towards their line from kick-off.
Scrum-half Marmion sparked a free-flowing backs move that saw Darragh Leader crash through the first line of defence. The full-back found Marmion on a supporting run, and he waltzed in to claim their second try in 10 minutes.
The visitors’ scrum started to creak which gave Ronaldson his opportunity to extend their lead before Vincent Pelo was sent to the sin-bin for another infringement at the set-piece.
The hosts wasted no time in making their man advantage count as Robbie Henshaw crossed just one minute later.
The Connacht pack shunted their French opponents downfield and Henshaw was on hand to pounce as the ball popped out of the powerful rolling maul.
Galway boy Ronan Loughrey crashed over from close range to seal their try-scoring bonus point before the break.
La Rochelle started the second-half with a bang through flying wing Cler, but Connacht flexed their muscles once more as the unselfish Leader broke through once more and found Henshaw who claimed his second try.
Ian Healy started and finished the move that saw try number seven before Charles Bouldoire claimed a consolation for the French side.
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