Top 14 round-up: Ronan O'Gara's La Rochelle lose out narrowly at Bayonne

France captain Gregory Alldritt marked his birthday with a try but the visitors lost out by a point.

Sat, 23 Mar, 2024 - 22:03

James Harrington

Returning France captain Gregory Alldritt scored for La Rochelle on his 27th birthday, but could not prevent Ronan O’Gara’s side slipping to a tension-fuelled 13-12 defeat at Bayonne’s fortress Jean Dauger.

Even with Six Nations stars Alldritt, Paul Boudehent and Georges-Henri Colombe in the squad, Saturday night’s trip down the Atlantic coast of France was always going to be difficult for O’Gara’s side. Their Basque hosts have not lost a domestic game at their home ground since they returned to the Top 14 at the start of the 2022/23 campaign.