Ronan O'Gara's La Rochelle send sobering message to bitter rivals Leinster

Ronan O’Gara’s La Rochelle delivered a stark reminder of their Champions Cup credentials to bitter European rivals Leinster with a crushing 66-0 victory over Toulon in the Top 14.

It’s a result that lands squarely on the desk of Leo Cullen ahead of this weekend’s third round meeting in Dublin.

O’Gara’s side scored ten tries without reply, combining set-piece power with a pace and accuracy that left a star-studded Toulon unable to stem the flow from the opening exchanges.

Jules Favre crossed inside the first ten minutes after Stade Rochelais cut through the midfield, before the maul asserted itself in familiar fashion. Tolu Latu powered over twice, either side of a Nolann Le Garrec try as La Rochelle repeatedly punched holes close to the line.

Levani Botia burst through a fractured defensive line to score just before the break – La Rochelle heading into half-time with the contest already beyond doubt.

Davit Niniashvili wriggled over shortly after the interval before Le Garrec and Will Skelton added further tries as La Rochelle continued to dominate collisions and recycle at speed.

Dillyn Leyds and Kirill Fraindt finished off well-worked moves in the final quarter, flexing the depth available to O’Gara even as changes were made across the pack and backline. Ihaia West added the final conversion late on to complete a comprehensive afternoon’s work.

“We had a lot of respect for this Toulon team. They were younger and they put in a lot of energy,” admitted scrum-half Nolann Le Garrec after the flogging. “Despite the score, you have to recognize that they also have a lot of talent. We did things cleanly, trying to be as clinical as possible. We had a bit more energy compared to the last 10 years (of sold-out stadiums) and to react to last week (defeat in Toulouse). It was a complete performance over 80 minutes. We respected the DNA of this team and this club; in the set pieces, we went back to basics.”

The result was La Rochelle’s biggest win over Toulon and one of the most emphatic statements of the Top 14 season to date.

It certainly sharpens the focus for Leinster ahead Saturday’s Champions Cup clash at the Aviva Stadium.

Leinster, for their part, warmed up with their own commanding 52-17 United Rugby Championship win over Connacht.

Given the recent history between the sides, motivation was never going to be an issue but after this performance, Leinster will be under no illusions about the scale of the challenge arriving in Dublin.