Remember last year: despite 2 finals without ever really being dropped, Stade Rochelais lost each time to Stade Toulousain. The reasons ? They are obviously numerous, especially when we think back to Botia’s red card in the Champions Cup, but obviously many have remembered that with a successful scorer, the Maritimes would probably have been – at least – European champions. There, it is therefore Ihaia West who concentrated the majority of criticism, the New Zealand opener missing 8 points at Twickenham first to, in total over the two meetings, only achieve a small 50% (5/10 ) at the foot.
Champions Cup. VIDEO SUMMARY. Thomas eats the sheet, West derails but La Rochelle climbs to the final!
So, on Sunday, the supporters of the club at the caravel must have had some reminiscences when they saw the match of their opener. Relatively uninspired in the game, West mostly once again lost the North to goal. However, it is not for lack of having worked on it and, after heavy failures in the first part of the season, ended up freeing itself and raising its gauge to 70% success in the league. Not exceptional but acceptable, while his 16/19 in his Champions Cup attempts before the half made his record even more positive.
RUGBY. VIDEO. Without shaking! Against UBB, Ihaia West offers victory to La Rochelle
There, the future Toulonnais again collapsed in the face of the challenge against Racing. Author of a meager 1/4 on the foot, despite attempts all well within his limits, the former Blues player has long allowed the Racingmen to maintain the advantage in the score, until his pack finally made the difference. To his credit, he is the one who comes to carry the thrust on the last action of the match, diving into a corner to complete a good streak of shelling from his big guys and finish the job (13 to 20). Not sure, however, that this is enough to remove the doubts of the maritime people (nor his own) two weeks away from facing the clinical Leinster team in the final. Unless he brings out the mastery (22 points) he had achieved last year in half, against these same Irish …
Top 14. La Rochelle. Ihaia West, the providential man of Stade Rochelais?
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