Bath comeback thwarted as La Rochelle sparkle in the rain in first-half blitz

12/06/2024 05:04 PM

• Bath 20-24 La Rochelle
• French side run in three first-half tries

Ronan O'Gara enjoyed plenty of wet and wild rugby nights during his ­playing days with Munster and this sodden contest would have stirred some fond memories. There was more than a hint of old-school Irish dog in the way his La Rochelle side took an early forward grip on a filthy evening and built a sufficiently big lead to insulate them from a ­concerted Bath fightback.

As the opening salvo to the new Champions Cup season it was also a thought-provoking one for ­English onlookers. Bath sit top of the ­Premiership table and were widely seen as powerful contenders in Pool 2. Here was a reminder that gigantic French Top 14 packs take a good deal of knocking over when they have a point to prove.