LAST UPDATE | 14 Jan
DEFENDING TWO-TIME champions La Rochelle finally kick started their Champions Cup campaign with an entertaining 45-12 demolition of Leicester.
Ronan O’Gara’s team faced a must-win Pool 4 match against Leicester after going down 16-9 in their opener at home to Leinster and being pipped by a point away to the Stormers. They made no mistake here in a seven-try masterclass.
Hooker Pierre Bourgarit opened the scoring for La Rochelle off an attacking line-out maul, Antoine Hastoy hitting the extras in what proved to be a fine afternoon with the boot for the fly-half.
Giant Australian lock Will Skelton used all his considerable size and strength to barrel over for La Rochelle’s second try.
Leicester stayed in the game, however, Skelton’s opposite number George Martin wrestling his own way over the home side’s tryline after a Ben Youngs dart.
Jamie Shillcock converted, but was guilty of a terrible attempt at a tackle after a thrilling period of play that saw Samoa centre Ulupano Seuteni cross for La Rochelle’s third try, Hastoy converting to make it 21-7 at half-time.
La Rochelle ensured an attacking bonus point five minutes into the second period when Teddy Thomas ran in a fourth try, converted by Hastoy.
Handre Pollard, South Africa’s World Cup-winning fly-half, was brought on off the bench to help stir Leicester into action.
Skelton was sin binned as the Tigers roared back up the field, followed a minute later by Jonathan Danty for a reckless tackle on Pollard.
Despite being down to 13 players, it was La Rochelle next on the scoreboard, Joel Sclavi driven over from close range.
Thomas grabbed his second with a fine solo long-range effort with 10 minutes to play.
Seuteni then bagged his brace after smart work by Gregory Alldritt in midfield before Dan Kelly crossed for a consolation try to bring the curtain down on a miserable afternoon for the English club.
A bigger concern for La Rochelle and France was the departure of Bourgarit with a shoulder injury that left the hooker in tears and a likely head injury protocol for Danty.
“For Pierre, it’s a serious injury,” said O’Gara.
“I don’t know how many months but at least three or four, I think.”
Scotland fly-half Finn Russell earlier guided Bath to a third successive Champions Cup victory, this time over his former club and Top 14 leaders Racing 92.
Bath left it late, winger Will Muir scoring the decisive try in the closing minutes to seal a 29-25 bonus-point home win.
The victory nailed down Bath’s place in the last 16, while a Racing team featuring South Africa’s World cup-winning skipper Siya Kolisi need to beat Cardiff next weekend to give themselves any chance of qualification.
Nolann le Garrec and Thomas du Toit scored opening tries for the respective sides.
Racing built on their 10-8 half-time lead with further tries from Fijian No 8 Kitione Kamikamica and English winger Henry Arundell.
But the hosts refused to roll over, Alfie Barbeary and Joe Cokansiaga crossing for tries before Muir’s coup de grace eight minutes from time for a fine comeback victory.
In the late game, Bordeaux-Begles stamped home their impressive form by destroying Saracens 55-15 in Pool 1 to stretch to eight their win streak in all competitions.
Former England captain Owen Farrell opened the scoring for Sarries with a penalty, but the hosts responded with four tries through star France wingers Louis Bielle-Biarrey and Damian Penaud, Romain Buros and Maxime Lamothe, two converted by Matthieu Jalibert.
Jalibert and Penaud both crossed in the second half before Theo Dan and Nick Tompkins saved some sort of face for Saracens with consolation scores.
Bordeaux had the last word through a Pablo Uberti try and a second from Bielle-Biarrey.
