Stade Rochelais opened the 2024-2025 edition of the Champions Cup by winning against Bath, Premiership leader (20-24). Grégory Alldritt's teammates, strong in their strengths and tactically intelligent – especially in the first half – were able to tame the difficult weather conditions despite a scare in the second half (only three points scored). The essential is there for the champion of the 2022 and 2023 editions, who is off to a good start to his competition.
Unfortunately we see him less often than before, but Finn Russell hasn't changed. In the rain and wind, this Friday December 6, in Bath, the Scottish fly-half is responsible for kicking off the match. A strange kick, mid-height and long, to try to put the Rochelais in difficulty, given the weather conditions. An intelligent pirouette, but devoid of effects. La Rochelle had too much to prove to itself this evening to fall at the first arrow.
Applied and efficient Rochelais
Nor on the following ones for that matter. Because at the start of the match, the English hold the ball and multiply the phases of play with zero passes, in the axis. Diligent, the Rochelais hold firm in defense and wait their turn to strike. With great realism, on one of their first forays, the Maritimes sent Oscar Jégou behind the line, after a sequence of upwind possession (19th, 3-7). The management of Ihaia West, and his well-adjusted kicks, allows the game to be placed in Bath's camp, to quickly double the lead, through Reda Wardi, once again all powerful (28th, 3-14 ). Then Kerr-Barlow's vista, coming off a throw-in five meters from the English goal, offers a considerable lead, after half an hour of play (31st, 6-21).
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