Ninety-ninth sold-out match Saturday December 21 at home for the welcome of Clermont in Top14. A record in the French championship, the attendance is the same in the Champions Cup. For the arrival of the English from Bristol, the club management authorized the Rugby Magazine teams to slip behind the scenes. As on the pitch, the Stade Rochelais “machine” must be perfectly well oiled.
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Night had not yet fallen on the Stade Marcel Deflandre in La Rochelle when the procession began. The first to arrive are stewards, security guards, cooks and even sellers. Everyone is smiling despite the winter weather. And for good reason, they are proud to work for THEIR rugby team. “We are happy to be here. It’s my ninth year. We are a family, we are part of the same team with the players” says Rodolphe Biraud, reception agent, very proudly.
Two hours before the start of the meeting, the bars, bodegas and other restaurants enter the scene. There are some at all prices. Under the stands of the Marcel Deflandre stadium, a small town is waking up. The marketing has been thought through down to the smallest detail. Here the burgers bear the seal of the caravelle. Several thousand will be sold in the evening. “More than 450 temporary workers work with us on match nights, our goal is to retain them and train them” explains Thomas Rousseau, the operations director.
These are special work situations, it is in our interest to keep the best people.
Thomas Rousseauoperations manager
The queue of supporters on match night
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© Patricia Perin
An hour and a half before kick-off. Regulars know that it is one of the most important moments of the evening. All the players on the match sheet arrive on foot. Instinctively, a guard of honor forms in a few seconds. Thousands of supporters over nearly 200m and the thrills running through the crowd. “Here, here, is La Rochelle”.
Grégory Alldritt, the captain at the head of the procession, followed by Oscar Jégou and the rest of the team. “We have to be here.”
They smile at us, we meet their eyes, they make little gestures to us.
Heard in the crowd of supporters
“It’s happiness, the mass, the rugby mass, ma’am.” The 16,000 yellow and black supporters are over the moon.
The queue of supporters on match night
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© Patricia Perin
At kick-off, on the pitch, the players wear the jersey designed for the European Cup. One more opportunity to expand your collection, a way again to fuel the “business, Stade Rochelais”. After a difficult first half, Ronan O'Gara's men took the lead by scoring five tries and winning with the offensive bonus.
Oscar Jégou during the match against Bristol in the Champions CUp on December 14, 2024
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© LAURENT LAIRYS / MAXPPP
“We owed our public a reaction after the home defeat against Vannes. They pay for their tickets, they travel miles, they are always behind us.“ insists Thomas Berjon, scrum half from Stade Rochelais.
We owe them that.
Thomas BerjonScrum half
Immediate demonstration at the end of the meeting. The players organize a lap of honour, despite the rain, to thank this special audience, before meeting up a few moments later, in front of a bodega to perhaps share a beer or nibble a Stade Rochelais burger.
Rugby Magazine, every Saturday at 12:30 p.m. on France3 Nouvelle Aquitaine. The collection can be seen on France.TV.
