'We lacked energy'- O'Gara's La Rochelle fulfil fixture but can't match Toulon

The La Rochelle manager had briefly threatened to keep his players at home this weekend.

Sat, 08 Nov, 2025 - 19:01

James Harrington

Perhaps Ronan O’Gara’s La Rochelle should have forfeited their rescheduled Top 14 trip to Toulon after all. Last Sunday, after their well-worked win over Racing 92, the manager had briefly threatened to keep his players at home this weekend to allow those not involved in the November tests a proper break.

“I’m going to ask the players when we get back to the locker room if we’re going [to Toulon] or if we’re taking a vacation,” O’Gara had said immediately after the win over Racing. “Lyon conceded [over] 50 at Mayol, Racing 45 — maybe it’s better to just accept the defeat and take two weeks off like the other teams. I’m going to sound out my players because it’s going to be a tough match.”

It was never much more than idle talk. By Monday, La Rochelle had confirmed they would fulfil the fixture, without their international players.

But by Saturday evening, O’Gara probably wished they hadn’t, as they headed back to the Atlantic coast from the Mediterranean on the back of a 39-14 defeat. Not as comprehensive as Lyon or Racing, but convincing enough. Toulon have now picked up 24 points at home out of a possible 25, and sit at the top of the table with defending champions Toulouse, a side that has yet to get out of third gear.

The home side’s fullback Melvyn Jaminet, whose reputation denies him consideration for the national side, scored two of their six tries, with the others added by ex-France under-20 Mathis Ferte, former England second row Dave Ribbans, prop Dany Priso, and future France prospect Gael Drean – who already has five tries to his name in six outings this season.

Jaminet’s first came in the eighth minute, while La Rochelle were still mentally in the dressing room, and Toulon were on top physically all game.

Despite the slow start, despite the scoreline and despite his abhorrence of losing, O’Gara will be quietly impressed with his heavily shuffled side’s resilience, if not their performance.

Judicael Cancoriet and Dillyn Leyds got their names on the scoresheet, while Lucas Andjisseramatchi had a try ruled out during a first-half period of Rochelais’ ascendancy.

There were opportunities late in the game, too. The visitors were within five metres of a score that would have denied Toulon the try-scoring bonus, before Drean had the final word.

“We lacked energy,” O’Gara said afterwards. “It’s a crucial ingredient in rugby – especially during the first 25 minutes, we didn’t impose our game. We were inconsistent, so it’s difficult to win under those conditions.

“[But] I think we saw, to some extent, the solutions or structures needed against Toulon. We had a try disallowed during a five or six-minute sequence that could have changed the game, but it didn’t.

“Toulon were dangerous on turnovers; they really changed the pace.”