La Rochelle Half-Backs Lead Fightback Against Toulouse
Antoine Hastoy kicked the winner as La Rochelle erased a 14-point halftime deficit and handed Toulouse its first loss of the Top 14 season.
- La Rochelle defeated defending champions Toulouse 30-27 on Sunday, securing the victory with the final kick of the opening round of the Top 14 season.
- Toulouse established a 24-10 half-time lead after tries from star Italian centre Tommaso Menoncello, lock Emmanuel Meafou, and fly-half Romain Ntamack, but La Rochelle rallied in the second half.
- With eight minutes remaining, La Rochelle hooker Tolu Latu received a red card for a high tackle on Matthis Lebel, forcing the home team to play depleted.
- Antoine Hastoy converted the winning penalty as time expired, prompting hooker Pierre Bourgarit to say, "The lads showed great character to come back and get the victory."
- Toulouse lock Thibaud Flament attributed the shift to his team's shortened pre-season after winning last year's playoff final, noting that La Rochelle "started the second half with more energy and desire.
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11 Articles
While they were well-launched to impose for the first time in La Rochelle since 2021, the Touloussains sank into the second act and left only with a defensive bonus of their travel to the...
La Rochelle half-backs lead fightback against Toulouse
Toulouse cruised to a 14-point half-time lead, but La Rochelle's half-backs, Antoine Hastoy and Nolann Le Garrec, scored 16 second-half points between them to drag their team to victory. "There were a lot of imperfections in the first half but the lads showed great character to come back and get the victory," La Rochelle hooker Pierre Bourgarit told Canal Plus. "It's easier to build on a victory than on a defeat." La Rochelle, who brought in 11 …
With fourteen points at half-time, Stade Rochelais dropped Stade Toulousain on Sunday in its Marcel-Deflandre den.
Toulouse was overthrown in La Rochelle (30-27), Sunday 6 September 2027 in Marcel-Deflandre, on the 1st day of Top 14, after leading 24-10 to the break.
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