Coming into play in the 64th minute of the top-of-the-table match between La Rochelle and Lyon (43-22), the young Le Mans third row Edouard Richer is not about to forget this Saturday, October 5, 2024.
Could he honestly dream of a better scenario than offering an unexpected offensive bonus to La Rochelle for its first “real” Top 14 match? It’s an understatement to say that Edouard Richer, 20, lived a lovely fairy tale this Saturday in Deflandre. Nine months almost to the day after his only minute played so far with the first team – a victory day in Pau, January 6, 2024 – this young captain of the junior team has sunk his teeth into the big quarter hour that Ronan O’Gara gave him against Radradra’s LOU. Rushing in particular on the final ruck of the game (80e+3), a few centimeters from the Lyon goal, to pick up this expensive ammunition with both hands and send it behind the line. A precious initiative, precious loot: an additional point in the Stade Rochelais accounting bag and a place of choice for the person concerned at the time of the post-match circle.
“He deserves it”
“We always reward either the best or the one who made the biggest mistake by putting him in the middle. There, naturally the start of the school year was good for Edouard so it was he who closed the match today”, greeted Brice Dulin as he left the field. The story is all the more beautiful as the flanker was champing at the bit for a good while before seeing his name on a professional scoresheet again, where the competition for the position is insane. “Edouard has been waiting for this opportunity for a long time, confirms Paul Boudehent. He worked in the shadows. I’m really happy for him that he’s rewarded like this in front of his family, he deserves it.” His training club from Le Mans, too, has something to be proud of.
