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Irish Examiner
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Ronan O'Gara's La Rochelle tighten play-off grip with sharp victory over Montpellier
Ronan O'Gara's La Rochelle climbed to fifth in the Top 14 with a sharp 47-18 bonus-point win over fellow play-off chasers Montpellier at Stade Marcel Deflandre in the closing match of the Top 14's 24th weekend. Just two places in the top six remain open – and every side down to Lyon, in 11th, is still in the hunt as the regular season winds down – points in the bag are more important than points in potential. This was La Rochelle's first domestic try-scoring bonus since their win over Stade Francais on November 2. After Mael Moustin had given the visitors an early lead with a well-taken try, the Rochelais – with O'Gara serving the second week of his touchline and dressing room suspension up in the stadium gods – dominated the rest of the game. Antoine Hastoy got the home side of the scoreboard moving with a penalty, before wingers Jack Nowell and Dillyn Leyds combined to send the former over the line. Prop Thierry Paiva then crashed over to finish off a fast and furious spell in which both sides turned over the ball in the visitors' 22. And Hastoy completed the first-half scoring with his second on-the-hooter drop goal in as many matches. His first gave La Rochelle their third win in a row at Vannes last Saturday. This one put them 15 points ahead – almost, but not quite out of sight. It wasn't all good news, however, as Uini Atonio did not come out for the second half, but the hosts continued to squeeze Montpellier out of the game. Levani Botia burst through a lineout maul to extend their lead just before the hour; Leyds acrobatically benefited from a Hastoy hack ahead five minutes later. He thought he had a dramatic second 10 minutes from time, racing clear after a determined defensive set from his forwards — but referee Pierre Brousset ruled it out following a lengthy TMO consultation and instead awarded a penalty try to Montpellier. With the last play of the game, however, Brice Dulin finished off a sweeping move to regain the try-scoring bonus. On Saturday, Matthieu Jalibert had the pundits purring with a consummate performance for Champions Cup finalists Bordeaux a week ahead of the showpiece against Northampton in Cardiff. He scored one special try and made two more equally impressive ones as his side came back from 14-0 down against Castres at Stade Chaban Delmas to lead 29-14 at the break. Job done, plaudits assured, he was subbed off shortly after 50 minutes, a bigger job in store next weekend. Castres pulled back to within five points, and were driving towards the line once more when one handling error too many stopped them short, with the score at 34-29. The win was welcome – important, even, given the play-off stakes – but manager Yannick Bru will be happier his charges have no serious injury concerns. Challenge Cup finalists Lyon suffered a setback six days before they meet Bath for the title, giving up an early 17-0 lead to lose 31-30 at Stade Francais. The result, Stade's first win since March 22, moved them out of the bottom two. Perpignan slipped into the relegation play-off spot after their 31-13 loss at Clermont. Meanwhile, bottom side Vannes led 25-12 after half-an-hour at fourth-placed Bayonne. But the hosts roared back in the second period to win 38-32 and guarantee their place in the post-season race for the Brennus. Toulon fell to a third Top 14 defeat in a row, coming out on the wrong end of a 25-21 scoreline at Pau, as their top-two challenge falters. Leaders Toulouse, too, slipped to a surprise loss at home, beaten 37-35 by a determined Racing 92, who are back on the fringes of the play-off hunt, something that seemed an impossibility after Stuart Lancaster was removed from his post earlier this year.
Kuwait Times
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Kuwait Times
Toulouse crush Toulon to reach Top 14 semis
PARIS: Toulouse crushed Toulon for the third time this season on Saturday with a 50-16 win to qualify directly for the Top 14 semi-finals as Castres mourned Fijian wing Josaia Raisuqe. Some 2,000 people gathered at the Stade Pierre-Fabre in Castres to pay their respects to Raisuqe after the Fijian Olympic silver medallist died Thursday when his car was hit by a train. A minute's applause will be held at all Top 14 and second-tier matches this weekend. 'We will all remember his spectacular plays, his flashes of genius,' said Castres president Pierre-Yves Revol, speaking fondly of a player who was 'always smiling'. Players, members of the coaching staff and other club officials joined supporters at the entrance to the stadium, with large screens and Fijian flags set up as part of a ceremony in memory of the 30-year-old winger. Raisuqe was on his way to training earlier this week when the train collided with his car on a level crossing. 'Castres will be there in every way possible to make the days to come a little less heavy, a little less painful,' added Revol, after a tearful address from Raisuqe's partner, Ilona. Saturday's game between Castres, who are fifth in the table, and Clermont was postponed and rescheduled for the weekend of May 24-25. Top 14 leaders Toulouse ensured their place in the semi-finals and moved 15 points ahead of Bordeaux-Begles, who play in Montpellier on Sunday, with an emphatic win over Toulon. Toulon, reduced to 14 men throughout the second half, suffered their third defeat in their last four matches in all competitions and remain stuck in third place. Ugo Mola's Toulouse, looking to redeem themselves from their Champions Cup semi-final defeat, took an early lead with a penalty try. Mathis Castro-Ferreira doubled the lead with a 14th minute try before fly-half Romain Ntamack left the pitch with concussion and was replaced by Paul Graou. Santiago Chocobares, Naoto Saito, Paul Costes, Matthis Lebel, Pierre-Louis Barassi and Graou also touched down for Toulouse. Hastoy lifts La Rochelle Earlier, La Rochelle fly-half Antoine Hastoy's late drop goal snatched a precious 30-29 win over Vannes to stay in the race to qualify for the Top 14 final phase. After the postponement of the Castres match, La Rochelle moved into sixth place, the last qualifying spot for the play-offs, thanks to their bonus-point victory. The western port side came close to defeat against bottom outfit Vannes, who had come back from 12-0 down and thought they had a crucial victory for survival when prop Thomas Moukoro's try put his team 29-27 in front after 77 minutes. But they were crushed by Hastoy's masterful drop goal in the 80th minute, scored some 40 metres from the posts to give his team a third consecutive win. Also a contender for the play-offs, Lyon took a risky gamble by resting most of their senior players after winning their Challenge Cup semi-final against Racing. But Karim Ghezal's decision failed to pay off, as his seventh-placed side suffered a narrow 29-27 defeat against a determined Pau who won thanks to Thibault Daubagna's 76th-minute penalty. Pau are ninth, four points behind La Rochelle. Bayonne, meanwhile, consolidated their fourth place with a 24-24 draw against a tough but uninspired Racing 92 team, who are in 11th position. In a close, nerve-racking match, Perpignan defeated Stade Francais 20-18, giving themselves a bit of breathing room in the relegation race by climbing one place to 12th—the spot previously occupied by the capital side. Despite two long-range misses, Tommaso Allan scored the decisive penalty with five minutes remaining. Stade Francais are now in more danger than ever -- 13th and in the relegation zone, just one point ahead of Vannes. – AFP
France 24
11-05-2025
- Sport
- France 24
Toulouse crush Toulon to reach Top 14 semis as Castres pay tribute to Raisuqe
Some 2,000 people gathered at the Stade Pierre-Fabre in Castres to pay their respects to Raisuqe after the Fijian Olympic silver medallist died Thursday when his car was hit by a train. A minute's applause will be held at all Top 14 and second-tier matches this weekend. "We will all remember his spectacular plays, his flashes of genius," said Castres president Pierre-Yves Revol, speaking fondly of a player who was "always smiling". Players, members of the coaching staff and other club officials joined supporters at the entrance to the stadium, with large screens and Fijian flags set up as part of a ceremony in memory of the 30-year-old winger. Raisuqe was on his way to training earlier this week when the train collided with his car on a level crossing. "Castres will be there in every way possible to make the days to come a little less heavy, a little less painful," added Revol, after a tearful address from Raisuqe's partner, Ilona. Saturday's game between Castres, who are fifth in the table, and Clermont was postponed and rescheduled for the weekend of May 24-25. Top 14 leaders Toulouse ensured their place in the semi-finals and moved 15 points ahead of Bordeaux-Begles, who play in Montpellier on Sunday, with an emphatic win over Toulon. Toulon, reduced to 14 men throughout the second half, suffered their third defeat in their last four matches in all competitions and remain stuck in third place. Ugo Mola's Toulouse, looking to redeem themselves from their Champions Cup semi-final defeat, took an early lead with a penalty try. Mathis Castro-Ferreira doubled the lead with a 14th minute try before fly-half Romain Ntamack left the pitch with concussion and was replaced by Paul Graou. Santiago Chocobares, Naoto Saito, Paul Costes, Matthis Lebel, Pierre-Louis Barassi and Graou also touched down for Toulouse. Hastoy lifts La Rochelle Earlier, La Rochelle fly-half Antoine Hastoy's late drop goal snatched a precious 30-29 win over Vannes to stay in the race to qualify for the Top 14 final phase. After the postponement of the Castres match, La Rochelle moved into sixth place, the last qualifying spot for the play-offs, thanks to their bonus-point victory. The western port side came close to defeat against bottom outfit Vannes, who had come back from 12-0 down and thought they had a crucial victory for survival when prop Thomas Moukoro's try put his team 29-27 in front after 77 minutes. But they were crushed by Hastoy's masterful drop goal in the 80th minute, scored some 40 metres from the posts to give his team a third consecutive win. Also a contender for the play-offs, Lyon took a risky gamble by resting most of their senior players after winning their Challenge Cup semi-final against Racing. But Karim Ghezal's decision failed to pay off, as his seventh-placed side suffered a narrow 29-27 defeat against a determined Pau who won thanks to Thibault Daubagna's 76th-minute penalty. Pau are ninth, four points behind La Rochelle. Bayonne, meanwhile, consolidated their fourth place with a 24-24 draw against a tough but uninspired Racing 92 team, who are in 11th position. In a close, nerve-racking match, Perpignan defeated Stade Francais 20-18, giving themselves a bit of breathing room in the relegation race by climbing one place to 12th -- the spot previously occupied by the capital side. Despite two long-range misses, Tommaso Allan scored the decisive penalty with five minutes remaining. Stade Francais are now in more danger than ever -- 13th and in the relegation zone, just one point ahead of Vannes.
