1
Watch: Wallaby Will Skelton charges over for unstoppable La Rochelle score
Wallabies captain Will Skelton played the role of hero and villain for La Rochelle on Sunday as the two-time defending European champions ran away with a commanding 45-12 win over Leicester in the Champions Cup.
ADVERTISEMENT
Australia’s 2023 Rugby World Cup skipper sent the crowd into a frenzy with a monstrous carry and score late in the first term, but poor discipline after the break risked bringing their English opponents back into the contest.
But thankfully for La Rochelle, the French juggernauts held on for an all-important victory at Stade Marcel-Deflandre – after all, it was a must-win game.
Ronan O’Gara’s men have fallen behind the pack domestically in France. While they sit in eighth place after 12 games, La Rochelle’s European form hasn’t exactly gone to plan either.
In a rematch of last year’s final, La Rochelle played Leinster in their first pool match of the 2023/24 Champions Cup campaign. But unlike that decider, La Rochelle was beaten.
South African side the Stormers also edged La Rochelle by one point in pool play which set up a decisive matchup with Leicester in just their third match of the European season.
France hooker Pierre Bourgarit opened the scoring in just the fifth minute for La Rochelle, but the hosts couldn’t add to their advantage for a while – but it was truly worth the wait.
ADVERTISEMENT
Setting up an attacking lineout just five metres out from the try-line, La Rochelle ran a clever set-piece play as towering lock Will Skelton peeled off the back of a maul.
Skelton, 31, charged towards the Leicester defensive line with purpose and intent. The second-rower beat three defenders to crash over for the score in the 32nd minute.
😤 You are not stopping Will Skelton from there!#InvestecChampionsCup #LARvLEI pic.twitter.com/WwwbSQuBX4
— Planet Rugby (@PlanetRugby) January 14, 2024
Teammates flocked to Skelton as the Australian began to celebrate in the in-goal. It was a big moment in the context of that clash.
Lock George Martin made things interesting with Leicester’s first try just before the break, but La Rochelle made sure to have the last laugh with centre Ulupano Seuteni adding to their advantage.
ADVERTISEMENT
With a 14-point lead at the break, La Rochelle were firmly in control. Teddy Thomas added to their score with another five-point shortly after the break, too.
But in what could’ve been a turning point in the contest, Skelton was sent to the sin bin in the 50th minute. France centre Jonathan Danty followed his teammate a minute later, too.
Leicester had a two-player advantage over their favoured opponents, but it didn’t stop the La Rochelle machine from getting the job done in Europe.
Joel Sclavi scored, and both Teddy Thomas and Ulupano Seuteni completed their braces. It was a dominant win over La Rochelle, that’s for sure.
La Rochelle now occupies fourth-place in Pool 4 with Leicester slightly ahead of them by just two-competition points. Leinster and the Stormers sit in first and second respectively.
Comments on RugbyPass
Fiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
1 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
31 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
31 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
31 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to comments