La Rochelle entered the Investec Champions Cup quarter-final with high expectations, but they were decisively outplayed by Leinster in a 40-13 defeat. In the wake of this disappointing loss for Ronan O’Gara’s team, let us assess the performance of each player.
Dillyn Leyds faced the challenging task of filling in for the absent Brice Dulin. Despite managing to gain 40 metres from six carries early on, his evening was cut short due to injury.
Jack Nowell had a subdued start but picked up momentum in the second half, ultimately accumulating 61 metres from seven carries. Nevertheless, he struggled against the remarkable James Lowe.
Ulupano Seuteni encountered difficulties in regaining his previous form and was notably challenged by Robbie Henshaw. Similarly, Jonathan Danty was thoroughly outplayed by Jamie Osborne and had minimal impact offensively.
Teddy Thomas endeavored to make an impact on the game, successfully beating six defenders from seven carries. However, he was hindered by the struggles of La Rochelle’s pack.
Antoine Hastoy faced challenges in unlocking the Leinster defence and frequently made erroneous decisions on the field. Tawera Kerr-Barlow’s evening concluded prematurely due to injury, and he was bested by Jamison Gibson-Park before being stretchered off.
Gregory Alldritt stood out for La Rochelle, recording 16 carries and 46 metres. However, it often felt as though he was battling alone. Levani Botia and Judicael Cancoriet contributed physicality at times but struggled to disrupt Leinster’s control.
Known for his physical dominance, Will Skelton appeared visibly frustrated as he failed to replicate his previous successes against Leinster. Ultan Dillane conceded penalties and was overpowered by the Leinster pack.
Uini Atonio struggled to gain the upper hand over Andrew Porter in the scrum battle, while Tolu Latu performed consistently but did not have the same impact as Pierre Bourgarit. Louis Penverne was one of the few bright spots for La Rochelle, rightfully scoring a try.
Regrettably, the bench did not have a significant impact for La Rochelle, allowing Leinster to pull away in the latter stages of the game. Nonetheless, Teddy Iribaren was a rare positive, demonstrating his ability to execute 50:22s.
Overall, La Rochelle’s performance was disappointing as they were convincingly defeated by Leinster in this pivotal Champions Cup quarter-final.