La Rochelle (AFP)
La Rochelle reassured itself by dominating Castres at home (29-10) to offer its second victory of the season, thanks in particular to a clear round at the foot of its opener Pierre Popelin (19 points), Saturday during the 6th Top 14 day.
At the end of a non-match in Montpellier (defeat 21-11), symbolic of a delicate start to the season, the vice-champions of France, who approach the middle of the standings thanks to this victory, showed a completely different face facing Castres.
Very undisciplined, the CO could never find the solution during a sometimes electrifying and often electric match, marked by 3 yellow cards (Urdapilleta 39th, Dumora 40 + 2 for Castres and Danty 40 + 2 for La Rochelle) and some tussles.
The game, however, struggled to get started, Rochelais and Castrais responding for nearly a quarter of an hour with rough kicking.
At first slightly dominated by Castres (3-3 in the 11th minute), La Rochelle gradually gained the advantage by capitalizing on the lack of discipline of the CO thanks to Popelin (8, 18, 25, 35).
Settling in the Tarn camp, despite a relative lack of efficiency, the Rochelais concluded a tense first period marked by many opposing faults (nine times penalized at the break) on a try by their international hooker Bourgarit, transformed by Popelin (19-3).
Galvanized back from the locker room, in numerical superiority and with a dominating pack, the Yellow and Black tried to send more play but continued to struggle near the opposing end line with small inaccuracies.
Rechelais flanker Kevin Gourdon La Rochelle grabs the ball on a touchdown against Castres Olympique, October 9, 2021 in La Rochelle XAVIER LEOTY AFP
Faced with a team from Castres which tried to react without succeeding in being dangerous, Ronan O'Gara's men, clean in conquest, managed their advantage with an additional penalty from Popelin, before worsening the score on a test in force of the pack of forwards flattened by its captain Grégory Alldritt (69), symbol of the return of the La Rochelle collective.
Castres, helped by a few good starts, had the last word with a try from the former Rochelais Thomas Combezou (73).
© 2021 AFP