CIt was an evening under pressure. For La Rochelle as for one of its players, Oscar Jegou, whom the club had decided to put back into play during the week. They got away with it during a match that was initially difficult then perfectly controlled against the Parisians who were incapable of making them doubt more than forty minutes (35-18). With the offensive bonus at stake, the Yellow and Black give an interesting start to the season, with 27 points on the clock, 6 victories against 3 defeats. And know that they have a mentally strong player in their ranks.
Because even those who, unhappy to see him return, wanted to avoid looking at Oscar Jegou had no choice, unless they left the stadium or turned off the radio. Four months after his last match, a selection with the Blues which preceded a disastrous night for French rugby and for him – he is, like the Palois Hugo Auradou, indicted for rape in Argentina and awaiting the examination of a request for dismissal – the 21-year-old flanker is everywhere for his reunion with Deflandre.
Young people hold on
He who appeared extremely concentrated upon his arrival at the stadium and during the warm-up, he whose name was chanted like the others and for whom his partners did not make any particular gesture, except Will Skelton at the leaving the locker room, touches his first ball in touch. Then he shows himself more and more present in defense, which can be attested to by the massive JJ Van Der Mescht, pushed back by this 90 kg player. But it is also with the ball in hand that he reminds us that he is a valuable player, as in his two interventions for the only try in the first act. He first improves an unobvious pass from Tawera Kerr-Barlow, then serves Dillyn Leyds who transmits to Teddy Thomas (8-9, 32nd).
In fact, he participates in all the (rare) good movements of his team. Against the wind, and uninhibited Parisians, the Yellow and Black displayed the same deficiencies as in Montpellier, a week earlier (16-0), complicated outings, a chaotic conquest and stupid indiscipline, which allowed Louis Carbonel to make the most of all the opportunities offered to him (0-3, 9th, 0-6, 13th, 3-9, 28th, 8-12, 36th, 8-15, 39th).
Skelton has his left knee manipulated for a long time, while his team benefits from a penalty? False alarm, he is part of the enormous maul which takes away the Parisian curtain (17-15, 48th) and allows – thanks to Latu well helped by… Jegou – for the caravel to sail in the lead for the first time. Another poor outing from the camp again converted into points (18-18, 47th) shows that this remains fragile, even if the young Alexandre Kaddouri and Aleksandre Kuntelia hold up in the scrum (21-18, 53rd) while Jegou is pushed into touches 5 m from the goal (58th).
Skelton scores on the wing
But Stade Français is on the ropes, and the 3rd international line scores his team's 3rd try, that of the bonus, provoking an ovation from Marcel-Deflandre then chants celebrating his name (28-18, 61st) – it will be again the case during the lap of honor as he passed in front of all the stands. He answers it with a heart with his fingers. We had a more discreet return, even if, sportingly, it only confirmed that his first cape was in no way usurped.
“And they are there, the Rochelais”, then proclaims the public, never disappointed when the Maritimes play in front of them, especially when Skelton scores in a winger position (35-18, 75th). Incredibly, while Marchant and Etien are two to flatten in the goal without managing to do so (78th), this match will also remain the first of the season without a try conceded for the Maritimes. Deprived of its internationals remaining at Marcoussis (Reda Wardi, Georges-Henri Colombe Reazel, Paul Boudehent, Grégory Aldritt) or forfeited (Uini Atonio), but with Jonathan Danty and Antoine Hastoy coming on after the break, Stade Rochelais offers itself a truce two weeks more comfortable. Even if the trip to Castres, for the resumption, will not be the best place to test its solidity while traveling.
Notes
7/10 Jegou, Kaddouri, Skelton, Kuntelia, Thomas
6/10 Kerr-Barlow, Dillane, Dulin, West, Douglas, Favre, Leyds, Nowell
5/10 Haddad-Victor, Latu
