The beginnings of the season follow each other but are not alike for the Maritimes.

Hosts for the second year in a row at the opening of the reigning French champions - after Toulouse in 2021 - Ronan O'Gara's men did not fall into the trap for the second time in a row.

It didn't take much because Philippe Saint-André's players were still leading three minutes from time.

With a lot of realism, also suffering, but facing the local fray, they ended up cracking for the greatest relief of Marcel-Deflandre who we knew more serene.

A prestigious success which ideally launches the club to the caravel, but which does not alarm the holder of the Brennus shield.

The MHR took over later than its host, it was seen at the level of the rhythm and the intensity, but has in its DNA values ​​​​of solidity which made the young and black people tremble.

As he had promised, the Stadium started this shock with a beating drum, confiscating the ball and pushing back until the fault of the Héraultais caught in all areas and logically led at the half hour mark thanks to four penalties from Antoine Hastoy (12-3).

But this great intensity put on by the locals did not last and Montpellier raised their heads by feeding on a nascent La Rochelle indiscipline to such an extent that just after the restart, Louis Carbonel set the record straight (12- 12).

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The former Toulon opener even thought he was putting his people in front on a penalty he saw pass, but not the refereeing body (49).

Mental shift?

Perhaps because this decision put the Rochelais back in the lead.

Bastien Chalureau, taken by the patrol, left his teammates ten minutes and on the next big highlight, Dillyn Leyds took advantage of the excess to finish behind the line (19-12, 56).

Montpellier did not completely let go, quite the contrary.

After a new penalty from Carbonnel, Clément Doumenc countered a clearance from Thomas Berjon and finished in turn in the goal (19-22, 66).

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La Rochelle quickly mobilized, relying on a once again successful conquest, in particular its scrum, preferred to several yet well-placed penalties.

One of them resulted in a yellow card for Mohammed Haouas, the next on a rather logical penalty try granted by Mr. Raynal for a victory that was admittedly narrow but reassuring.

© 2022 AFP