Even deprived for various reasons – injury, sanction, selection – of its internationals, namely Grégory Alldritt, Pierre Bourgarit, Will Skelton, Uini Antonio, Reda Wardi, Paul Boudehent and Jonathan Danty, Stade Rochelais found again, Sunday evening at the end of on the 17th day, which was once his strength. The Clermontois, sluggish, unable to score the slightest try at Marcel-Deflandre, paid the price for this spectacular revival and left with suitcases full of points.
Direct play, carried balls, sharp combinations in the axis of the field, hermetic defense, taking initiatives and 100% at the foot for Antoine Hastoy: despite already nine defeats which weigh down their ranking, the double European champions are back in a particularly tight Championship, as evidenced by this very clear improved success, six tries to zero, which allows them to climb to the level of Racing 92, on the edge of the top 6.
Faced with a Clermontoise team in great difficulty and which already has three defeats at home since the start of the season, the last of which against Toulouse (33-37) the previous day, the Rochelais were quick to get started. in action. A little shaken in the scrum, they rectified the situation and opened their counter in the 12th by their captain Judicaël Cancoriet, put into orbit by the Seuteni-Tanga duo. It was then a surge of yellow and black, with the strong attempt of Georges-Henri Colombe (19th), the more subtle one of Jules Favre (29th) after a contortion carried out by Teddy Thomas on his wing.
Offensive bonus in their pocket after having taken advantage of a numerical superiority following the yellow card collected by the Auvergne third-line center Pita Sowakula for a high tackle on Dillyn Leyds (28th), the Rochelais did not relax their efforts, adding two tries around the break: Quentin Lespiaucq on a carried ball (40th) and Thomas near Brice Dulin (45th). At the hour mark, the Maritimes reduced the sail a little before scoring their sixth try (Thomas Berjon, 73rd), but it had been a long time since they had sealed this success which revived them, nine days from the end of the regular phase.
