La Rochelle and Racing arehalf-way to quarters
AN all-Top 14 clash in the Heineken Champions Cup defied domestic form as Ronan O’Gara’s La Rochelle prevailed 31-13 at Bordeaux.
Five tries lit up a lively last-16 first leg at Stade ChabanDelmas. Raymond Rhule and Jonathan Danty touched down for the visitors, who were also awarded a penalty try, while Ihaia West hit four penalties.
Cameron Woki and Federico Mori crossed for Bordeaux, who sit a place higher than their opponents in the French league.
Head coach O’Gara was not present on the sidelines for the victory as he serves a two-week suspension for ‘indiscipline’.
La Rochelle are in a strong position to qualify for the quarter-finals, with the second leg to be played at the Stade Marcel Deflandre on Saturday.
Racing 92 took a significant step towards the quarter-finals by toppling Stade Francais 22-9.
Centre Gael Fickou scored the only try of the last-16 first-leg clash at the Stade Jean-Bouin, and it took until the 66th minute to breach the home defence.
Scrum-half Nolann Le Garrec kicked five penalties to provide the foundation for a gritty win.
It was 12-6 at half-time, with fly-half Joris Segonds kicking all of Stade’s points.
Stade Francais suffered a major setback with 13 minutes to go when hooker Tolu Latu was sent off for a dangerous tackle on Baptiste Chouzenoux.
The second leg is at La
Defense Arena next Sunday.
Meanwhile, Bristol boss Pat Lam hailed a ‘morale-booster’ of a performance after Semi Radradra’s late try earned them a 10-9 comeback victory over Sale in their first-leg tie.
It was Sale who took the early lead through the boot of Rob Du Preez, before Callum Sheedy replied from the tee to reduce the deficit to 6-3 at half-time.
Both sides struggled before replacement Radradra burst through midfield and stepped his way past the last defender to put his side ahead late on.
Du Preez brought the Sharks back to within a point with another penalty three minutes from time, but the visitors held on for the narrowest of wins.
Lam said: ‘It’s a moralebooster in the sense that we have been up here five times during my time here and haven’t won.’