La Rochelle, or Les Maritimes as they are affectionately known, managed what many considered impossible in denying Leinster a fifth Champions Cup title in a ferociously contested final in Marseilles on Saturday.
Ronan O’Gara’s well-crafted game plan eventually bore fruition; it took 79 minutes for the French club to lead for the first time, but it was perfectly timed and reversed last year’s final disappointment when they lost to Toulouse. In doing so they shredded Leinster’s dreams for a second season in succession. O’Gara was widely praised for his part in plotting the Irish province’s downfall.
The focus in the French media was predominantly La Rochelle centric, understandable in the context of their achievement. Under the headline ‘Atlantic Pioneers’ L’Equipe newspaper proclaimed, “after imposing a furious and memorable battle on Leinster, the Rochelais won the European Cup, the first title in their history. They have entered the world of the greats”.
Yann Sternis wrote: “It is not every day that you see a bunch of giants burst into tears. When Arthur Retiere stretched out his right arm to anchor the ball on the Irish goal line the eyes of the Rochelais players as well as those spectators at the Velodrome, including president Vincent Merling had suddenly fogged up. All had understood the history of their club was being written in front of them.”
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‘Bourgarit and Alldritt inexhaustible’ proclaimed another headline in the French sports newspaper singling out a try scorer and the La Rochelle captain for special mention and describing their efforts as “invaluable”.
In the same paper Patrick Sowden paid tribute to a couple of La Rochelle players who deputised very capably for two New Zealand stars. He wrote: “Promoted in place of injured [Victor] Vito and [Tamera] Kerr-Barlow, Mathias Haddad-Victor and Thomas Berjon, the two kids from La Rochelle rose to the occasion without feeling the pressure of the event.”
A headline in Le Parisien newspaper read, “The Irresistible rise of La Rochelle’ with Olivier Francois writing “Kings of Europe even before having been [kings] in France, the coronation coming by the sea for the Maritimes.
“Winners in Marseilles over Leinster, the Irish mountain that was believed to be impregnable, Gregory Alldritt and his band thwarted all predictions and brought to a pinnacle, a club that never ceases to seduce.”
The theme and tone of many of the articles was how La Rochelle had defied the odds in a victory that was fully merited on the balance of play, scoring three tries to nil and dominating territory and position.
A strapline in Midi Olympique read: “The Rochelais won after a tension filled Champions Cup final, this Saturday, against Leinster. To defeat the Irish ogre at the Velodrome de Marseilles, Ronan O’Gara’s men went to the limit.
Simon Valzer wrote: “This final will have kept all its promises. It was a real clash of the titans. A heavyweight boxing match, the two giants traded blow for blow.”
He pointed out that many believed that Thomas Lavault’s yellow card was set to be the pivotal moment of the final “but that was without counting on their incredible pugnacity, which allowed them to lay siege to the Irish [line] five metres [out], and to pound Leinster for almost ten minutes, until Arthur Retière found a mouse hole at the level of a ruck to offer La Rochelle its first European title. Disappointed finalists last year, the Rochelais have finally won their Holy Grail.”
Mathias Merlo (Rugbyrama website) contextualised the French club’s achievement. “Finally, a final smiles on La Rochelle! Crying with sadness, supporters of the Yellow and Black tasted tears of joy at the end of a hair-raising scenario, like the trajectory of the club led by Vincent Merling.
“After reaching the Top 14, in 2015, the Rochelais laid stone by stone until May 28, 2022. Nirvana. There were ups, downs, the progression remained linear. Championship semi-finalists (2017, 2019), European Challenge (Cup, 2019), Top 14 (2021) and Champions Cup (2021) finalists, Romain Sazy’s teammates have overcome the curse.
“Now we are champions. It’s huge for the club, it’s progress. We will try to keep winning, because now it becomes our culture.”
Writing under the headline, ‘Stade Rochelais caused an earthquake in its history’ Benjamin Deudon highlighted the French club’s win as “one of the greatest feats of French clubs by inflicting on the Irish internationals of Leinster their second defeat in six Champions Cup finals, all with Munsterman Ronan O’Gara at their head.”
We will leave the final words to Arnaud Coudry writing in Le Figaro. “‘They say that you can’t learn from your mistakes. We have proven the opposite,’” savours Ronan O’Gara, former idol of Munster, who applied the old methods of his province to bend the hereditary enemy of Leinster. Old Rivalry.”
