Sale (United Kingdom) (AFP)

A red card, two yellow, a penalty try, a penalty returned, shots missed ... Stade Rochelais can bite their fingers after a second defeat in the European Cup, Sunday Sale (25-15), including he is solely responsible.

Dominated by Exeter last week in Deflandre (31-12), the Maritimes, for whom the door of the quarterfinals already seems very narrow, can once again blame themselves after this second setback in as many days.

A match that, despite the defeat, could paradoxically be a source of hope for the French who showed great bravery and self-sacrifice, not taking any point on the 20 minutes spent 13 against 15.

But it will take to erase gestures difficult to understand at this level and at a time when video almost invariably catches bad behavior.

The 38th minute expulsion of hooker Pierre Bourgarit, who had tried to take advantage of a clash between his teammate Dany Priso and the third line Tom Curry to commit a bad move, was the turning point of the game.

Especially since the Rochelais were already outnumbered for two minutes, the second line Rémi Leroux having taken a card of the same color as his shirt to see plated without a ball winger Denny Solomona who was going to recover a test ball to a few meters from the line.

- Priso, James, Doumayrou guilty -

La Rochelle had still managed to maintain the gap at three points at the break, a magnificent test on a breakthrough Rattez (20th) having responded to a ball flattened in the end by the center Rohan Janse van Rensburg from the 7th.

At the beginning of the second period, Brock James, on penalty, put the two teams level (10-10, 44th) and the return in the wake of Leroux of his temporary exclusion could let hope a second promising act.

But a few seconds later, Priso put himself at fault on a penetrating group of English and Irish referee Andrew Brace inflicted a double penalty: penalty test between the posts and yellow card for the pillar (17-10, 46th).

La Rochelle really gave everything, was 14 and even saw an attempt to drop James pushed back by the post, but ended up giving way again after a clearance against the Australian (25-10, 73rd).

Last stupidity rochelaise? A penalty returned because of the center Geoffrey Doumayrou who put his crampons on an arm English in a grouping (76e).

The final try of Jérémy Sinzelle in the additional time (25-15) will only make even more alive the regrets of losing a match where there was plenty of room to take the 4 points.

© 2019 AFP