LA ROCHELLE HAVE been hit with a setback ahead of Sunday’s Champions Cup tie with Leinster as hooker Tolu Latu has been banned for three weeks.
The suspension emerged after a disciplinary hearing today that the former Wallaby faced, arising from an incident in last weekend’s French Top 14 win over Toulouse.
The news was announced in a statement by Ligue Nationale de Rugby this evening and is a blow to Ronan O’Gara’s La Rochelle side as they prepare to face Leinster for the sixth time in recent seasons in European action.
#Discipline
— Ligue Nationale de Rugby (@LNRofficiel) January 8, 2025
Voici les convocations et décisions de la commission de discipline et des règlements des 6, 7 et 8 janvier ➡️📄 https://t.co/OpOSn11Vy9 pic.twitter.com/Er02R5vkmU
Latu was found responsible for ‘dangerous play at ruck or maul’, with the median suspension of four weeks handed out. This was increased by one week after Tatu’s disciplinary record was taken into account as an aggravating circumstance.
But mitigating circumstaces (recognition of the facts, conduct before and during the hearing, expression of remorse), were then factored in, resulting in the sanction being reduced by two weeks.
La Rochelle beat Leinster in the 2021 Champions Cup semi-final, and 2022 and 2023 finals, before Leinster turned the tables last season with wins in the pool stage and in the quarter-final last April.
As well as the game against Leinster this Saturday, Latu will miss La Rochelle’s Champions Cup trip to face Benetton on Saturday 18 January, and their French Top 14 game against Toulon on Sunday 26 January.
It’s St Stephens Day