Bath comeback thwarted as La Rochelle sparkle in the rain in first-half blitz

Bath 20-24 La Rochelle
French side run in three first-half tries

Ronan O’Gara enjoyed plenty of wet and wild rugby nights during his playing days with Munster and this sodden contest would have stirred some fond memories. There was more than a hint of old-school Irish dog in the way his La Rochelle side took an early forward grip on a filthy evening and built a sufficiently big lead to insulate them from a concerted Bath fightback.

As the opening salvo to the new Champions Cup season it was also a thought-provoking one for English onlookers. Bath sit top of the Premiership table and were widely seen as powerful contenders in Pool 2. Here was a reminder that gigantic French Top 14 packs take a good deal of knocking over when they have a point to prove.

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