Top 14: O'Gara's half-time rollicking pays off as La Rochelle storm to big win over Perpignan

La Rochelle had been clumsy with the ball, and repeatedly battered off it in the opening period. They were guilty, too, of over-ambition – repeatedly preferring in-vain penalty kicks to touch rather than the posts.

La Rochelle head coach Ronan O'Gara gestures during the French Top14 rugby union match between La Rochelle and Toulouse at The Marcel-Deflandre Stadium. Pic: XAVIER LEOTY / AFP

A half-time rollicking from Ronan O’Gara gave La Rochelle the shock they needed to recover from a slow start and pick up a bonus-point 31-8 win over bottom-of-the-table Perpignan at Stade Marcel Deflandre.

They had been clumsy with the ball, and repeatedly battered off it in the opening period. They were guilty, too, of over-ambition – repeatedly preferring in-vain penalty kicks to touch rather than the posts.