Paris (AFP)
La Rochelle has mortgaged his chances in the European Cup by bowing heavily home (12-31) Saturday against Exeter, unlike Toulouse, winner at Gloucester (25-20) Friday opening the competition.
The Stade Rochelais impregnable at home: the assertion shattered from the first day, the Chiefs leaving Marcel-Deflandre with a bonus victory.
The Rochelais experienced a nightmare against the vice-champions of England, unable to materialize their opportunities in the first period and completely extinct after the interception of a pass by Jeremy Sinzelle by Henry Slade, fatal (53). Only thinning, the test of Geoffrey Doumayrou (44th) on a beautiful combination of three-quarters.
"A little stronger ... they were especially more precise and they respected their rugby", said the third line Rochelais Grégory Alldritt on beIN Sports. "We're giving them two tries, maybe the match would have been different if we had done it in the first half."
A match in the image of a disappointing start to the season in Top 14 players Jono Gibbes and Ronan O'Gara, whose chances of qualifying are already considerably reduced in Pool 2. In the other match of the group, Glasgow defeated Sale (13-7).
Stade Toulousain, led to the break in Gloucester (20-9), was able to regain his hand at the hour of play to win a major success in the race to the quarterfinals.
The test of scrum half Sebastien Bézy (62), after a lot of work from the Toulouse front, was the turning point of the match. Striker Thomas Ramos was decisive with 14 points scored.
The Leinster, 2018 champion and 2018 finalist, did as expected full points against Treviso (33-19).
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