O'Gara and La Rochelle survive almighty Stormers scare as Libbok misses winning kick
GRINDING IT OUT: La Rochelle’s Joel Sclavi celebrates scoring a try with teammates as the champions survived against the Stormers in their
History did not repeat itself at the DHL Stadium in Cape Town but it nearly did. Manie Libbok’s injury time conversion to give the Stormers victory over La Rochelle sailed just wide and the defending champions lived to fight another day.
La Rochelle’s 22-21 win, avenged their 21-20 pool loss in similar circumstances last December, with the Stormers scoring and Libbok converting.
This time, after wing Suleiman Hartzenberg touched down from a Libbok cross-field kick in the final minute, there was to be no happy repeat for a home team that played courageously despite a heavy injury toll.
Quite simply, La Rochelle refused to relinquish their European title despite finding themselves in a deep hole midway through this brutal clash in Cape Town.
They fought their way out of a 16-0 deficit early in the second half in a brutal contest that saw the home team lose four players to injury.
The howling gale that swept in off False Bay made conditions difficult while the attrition that saw the Stormers lose looseforwards Deon Fourie and Ben-Jason Dixon to serious injuries before halftime didn’t help.
After the break Dixon’s replacement Hacjivah Dayimani was stretchered off while lock Salmaan Moerat was knocked out cold trying to stop the behemoth Will Skelton. By the end, the Stormers had hooker Andre-Hugo Venter playing flank.
With the Stormers in disarray La Rochelle slowly turned the screw with their mighty pack knocking South African players backwards at will.
La Rochelle found their way back into the match from a multi-phase move where prop Louis Penverne burrowed over from close range and flyhalf Antoine Hastoy converted.
Minutes later No 8 Gregory Alldrit scored in similar fashion after a Hastoy penalty, and with the ensuing conversion, the defending champions took the lead for the first time in the match.
When the Stormers lost replacement lock Adre Smith to a yellow card, La Rochelle did what they do best, and smashed their way over for try number three through prop Joel Scalvi.
Earlier the Stormers dominated the first half, using the strong wind at their backs to pin La Rochelle back.
Libbok landed two first half penalties while scrumhalf Herschel Jantjies rounded off a fine move that started from deep, saw Libbok scythe through the defence to set up Moerat to feed the halfback for the opening try of the match.
It brought the 27660 fans to their feet, creating hope of upsetting the dominant French team.
But with the wind at their backs after the break, and their powerful pack, La Rochelle slowly, inevitably, ground their host down to set up a clash against either Leinster of Leicester in the quarterfinals.
Jantjies, Hartzenberg. Libbok. Libbok [3].
Penverne, Alldrit, Scalvi. Hastoy [2]. Penalty: Hastoy
15. Warrick Gelant, 14. Suleiman Hartzenberg, 13. Dan du Plessis, 12. Damian Willemse, 11. Leolin Zas [Ben Loader-41], 10. Manie Libbok, 9. Herschel Jantjies [Paul de Wet-62], 1. Brok Harris, 2. Joseph Dweba [Andre-Hugo Venter-48], 3. Neethling Fouche [Frans Malherbe-48], 4. Salmaan Moerat (c), 5. Ruben van Heerden, 6. Deon Fourie [Marcel Theunissen-40], 7. Ben-Jason Dixon [Hacjivah Dayimani 28-56, Adre Smith 57], 8. Evan Roos
15. Brice Dulin, 14. Teddy Thomas, 13. UJ Seuteni, 12. Jonathan Danty, 11. Dillyn Leyds, 10. Antoine Hastoy, 9. Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 1. Louis Penverne [Alexandre Kaddouri-59], 2. Tolu Latu [Quentin Lespiaucq -51], 3. Uini Atonio [Joel Scalvi-59], 4. Ultan Dillane, 5. Will Skelton, 6. Judicael Cancoriet [Paul Boudenhent-50], 7. Levani Botia, 8. Grégory Alldritt (c).
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