Ronan O’Gara’s La Rochelle miss out on Top 14 play-off place

A defeat to Pau on Saturday night means the Corkman's side slip out out of the reckoning.

DRAMA: Ronan O’Gara’s side saw their season end on a final night when all seven games kicked off at the same time. Pic: ROMAIN PERROCHEAU / AFP

Ronan O’Gara’s La Rochelle missed out on a place in the Top 14 play-offs for the first time since 2017 as they lost 32-15 at Pau to slip down to seventh in the table, one point behind Castres.

On a tense final regular season night, in which the lead at Stade du Hameau changed hands more than once, two late tries decided the result in favour of the home side, who claimed the eighth and final Champions Cup place.