By Nick Powell, Online Editor
La Rochelle……………….24
Tries: Kerr-Barlow 34, 59
Conversions: Hastoy 35
Penalties: Hastoy 2, 5, 24, 68
Saracens……………….10
Tries: Mawi 65
Conversions: Farrell 65
Penalties: Farrell 22
Reigning champions La Rochelle continued the defence of their Champions Cup title as a Tewara Kerr-Barlow double helped them ease past ragged Saracens at Stade Marcel-Deflandre.
Aside from some flashes of attacking promise, Saracens were out-fought and out-thought by their opponents on the Atlantic coast from start to finish.
“It's a great performance because we never gave in mentally,” La Rochelle head coach Ronan O'Gara said. “Saracens have a great mindset and are founded on doggedness and respect and we knew we would be tested.
“We never put them away but the game was based on fine margins. What was pleasing was that we didn't give them scores.
“We are very happy. It's a special place and it's important for me as a coach to connect with the boys and we represent the town well.”
Sarries' ball retention and ruck dominance, which regularly allows them to bully teams in the Premiership, was non-existent. Levani Botia made turnovers all over the park in an exceptional individual performance for the hosts, some which scuppered scoring opportunities for the visitors and others that provided La Rochelle fly-half Antoine Hastoy with numerous kickable chances.
His two penalties inside the first five minutes got La Rochelle off to an ideal start, and though he should have knocked a third over a few minutes later, Saracens could only cut the gap to three again for a mere 90 seconds before he eventually knocked his third penalty over on 24 minutes.
They had created opportunities, with Max Malins making a great counter-attacking on 20 minutes and taking a smart quick-tap penalty 10 minutes later, both of which moved the Premiership leaders into the opposition 22.
But while La Rochelle were able to cap their brilliant first half with a try that saw upwards of 15 phases take them from one 22 to the other, before Tawera Kerr-Barlow smartly spotted a gap on the blindside edge of the ruck to score, Saracens could only dream of such a consistent set of phases.
They managed to stop the damage getting worse before the break as Nick Iseikwe disrupted a crucial five-metre lineout to leave the half-time damage at 16-3, but yet another Botia turnover less than four minutes into the second-half indicated the pattern of the game was unlikely to change.
To their credit, Saracens never folded. Other Premiership teams would have found themselves utterly overwhelmed by the relentless intensity of La Rochelle's play both sides of the ball and wall of noise that their sold-out stadium generated.
But after Nick Tompkins was held up in a crucial Sarries attack only a few yards out, with the visitors barely able to keep the ball secure despite playing pick-and-go rugby, it showed just how much of a mountain 13 points would be to overcome.
Once Kerr-Barlow added his second it really was over for them. Botia's final act of openside perfection saw him throw a dummy completely bought by Owen Farrell, before he fed the former All-Black scrum-half for another try,even more simple than his first.
Eroni Mawi's pick-and-drive score gave them a glimmer of hope, but as Yoan Tanga made a turnover reminiscent of the man he had replaced only a few minutes earlier, which won La Rochelle a kickable penalty duly knocked over by Hastoy, it was a stark reminder of why Saracens had struggled to get a foothold so much throughout.
Any lingering belief was finally extinguished as Ben Earl broke from a maul only to be held up, before the same happened to Maro Itoje as he picked and drove, and though they finished the stronger Sarries will have to go back to the drawing board if they are to win back a first Premiership in four seasons, with their wait for another Champions Cup now heading into a fifth term.
La Rochelle: Dulin 6, Rhule 7, Seuteni 8, Danty 8 (Thomas 68, 6), Favre 6, Hastoy 7, Kerr-Barlow 9 (Berjon 70); Wardi 7 (Thompson-Stringer 57, 7), Bourgarit 6 (Lespiaucq-Brettesat 43, 6), Atonio 8 (Sclavia 57, 7), Lavault 7 (Sazy 65, 5), Skelton 8, Dillane 7 (Bourdeau 65, 6), Botia 10 (Tanga 60, 8), Alldritt (c) 8
Saracens: Goode 5 (Lewington 65, 5), Malins 7, Lozowski 7, Tompkins 5 (Taylor 60, 6), Maitland 6, Farrell (c) 6, Van Zyl 7 (de Haas 76); M Vunipola 6 (Mawi 61, 7), George 5 (Woolstencroft 61, 4), Riccioni 5 (Judge 61, 5), Itoje 6, Tizard 5 (Hunter-Hill 68, 6), Isiekwe 7, Earl 6, B Vunipola 6 (Wray 21, 7)
Star Man: Levani Botia
Attendance: 16,000
Referee:
