FRANCE SCRUM-HALF Nolann Le Garrec scored 24 points as La Rochelle hammered a much-changed Toulon 66-0 to move up to seventh in the French Top 14 table.
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Le Garrec scored twice and slotted seven conversions, missing just two, while Australia hooker Tolu Latu also claimed a double.
Wallabies lock Will Skelton made a timely return from injury, coming ioff the bench in the second half, as Ronan O’Gara’s side moved to within two points of the Top 14 play-off spots.
La Rochelle now turn their attention to next weekend’s trip to the Aviva Stadium to face Leinster in the Champions Cup, a re-run of the 2022 and 2023 finals.
Toulon named 10 academy players in their 23-man squad, resting first-choice players ahead of hosting Munster in the Champions Cup next Sunday, but ex-All Black Ma’a Nonu was among the substitutes aged 43. They are now fifth in the table, having failed to score a point in a game for the first time since December 2018.
La Rochelle were celebrating a decade of sold-out Top 14 games at their Stade Marcel Deflandre home, a run of 112 matches. The 18,000 crowd on the Atlantic coast were more than pleased with the first half as their side led 35-0 at the break.
O’Gara’s side steamrolled their inexperienced visitors with Latu’s double and Le Garrec scoring 15 points.
Latu was replaced at the break by Nika Sutidze and Skelton entered the fray as the rout continued with five tries as Le Garrec added a second and 33-year-old Skelton claimed his first touchdown since November 2024.
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Toulon keep big guns in reserve for Munster - and get hammered 66-0 by Leinster-bound La Rochelle
FRANCE SCRUM-HALF Nolann Le Garrec scored 24 points as La Rochelle hammered a much-changed Toulon 66-0 to move up to seventh in the French Top 14 table.
Le Garrec scored twice and slotted seven conversions, missing just two, while Australia hooker Tolu Latu also claimed a double.
Wallabies lock Will Skelton made a timely return from injury, coming ioff the bench in the second half, as Ronan O’Gara’s side moved to within two points of the Top 14 play-off spots.
La Rochelle now turn their attention to next weekend’s trip to the Aviva Stadium to face Leinster in the Champions Cup, a re-run of the 2022 and 2023 finals.
Toulon named 10 academy players in their 23-man squad, resting first-choice players ahead of hosting Munster in the Champions Cup next Sunday, but ex-All Black Ma’a Nonu was among the substitutes aged 43. They are now fifth in the table, having failed to score a point in a game for the first time since December 2018.
La Rochelle were celebrating a decade of sold-out Top 14 games at their Stade Marcel Deflandre home, a run of 112 matches. The 18,000 crowd on the Atlantic coast were more than pleased with the first half as their side led 35-0 at the break.
O’Gara’s side steamrolled their inexperienced visitors with Latu’s double and Le Garrec scoring 15 points.
Latu was replaced at the break by Nika Sutidze and Skelton entered the fray as the rout continued with five tries as Le Garrec added a second and 33-year-old Skelton claimed his first touchdown since November 2024.
– © AFP 2026
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