This coming Sunday, after the fourth day of competition, ASM will hand the European champions their first loss of the year.
La Rochelle is in the first place by itself? It’s no. The European champions were victorious in their first three matches of the season in the Top 14; however, they were defeated in Clermont on Sunday (22-13), on the fourth day of competition. The team from Stade Rochelais has never been victorious in the Jaunards stadium, which is the penultimate venue before kickoff.
Arturia scored the first try of the contest in the third minute, putting the match off to a great start. Penaud gets the ball after a series of passes from left to right, makes a wonderful job horizontally, and serves his captain Iturria, who then leaps to score the try at the end of the line. What an incredible chain of events. The shot by Plisson was off target. 5-0. After ten more minutes have passed, La Rochelle finally finds the back of the net thanks to a goal scored by Leyds from 39 meters out from the posts. 5-3. However, the club from Auvergne does not shake and will demonstrate a high level of realism by registering a new try (32nd). ASM’s forwards make the most of this opportunity by chaining the charges five meters away from the line. After taking her turn, Raka hits and immediately releases for Bézy, who moves into the closed position to put Simone to the test in the finish. This is Simone’s first time competing in the top 14. As a result, La Rochelle is already down 10-3 going into the half.
In the second session, Clermont keeps up its strong pace and extends its advantage to ten points due to Plisson, who scores a goal by converting a penalty shot from 24 meters out (54th). However, La Rochelle will up their quality of play, and as a result, they will begin to pick up the score. A new penalty for Leyds is a distance of 39 meters with the player facing the posts (58th). And then, after another four minutes, the away team crosses the goal line for the first time. After the ball was knocked loose from the ruck, Tanga recovered it and scored a try right on the line. Once more, leads were transformed, and then they were equalized. 13-13. (62nd). But Plisson would put an end to the competition by converting three penalties (in the 74th, 77th, and 80th minutes, respectively), giving his team the win. La Rochelle suffers its first loss of the year at the hands of a Clermont team that has finally woken up (22-13).