La Rochelle thrash Bayonne with festival of attacking rugby

Josh Brennan, son of former Ireland international Trevor Brennan, was one of six different try-scorers in a 41-19 win for Toulouse

Jack Nowell and Nathan Bollengier both score two tries for La Rochelle in their victory over Bayonne. Pic: XAVIER LEOTY / AFP via Getty Images)

Veteran winger Jack Nowell and his youthful counterpart on the other side of the pitch Nathan Bollengier each scored twice as La Rochelle handed manager Ronan O’Gara and their fans an early seven-try Christmas present by beating an abject Bayonne 49-17.

In their last outing at Stade Marcel Deflandre of 2025, La Rochelle ended a three-match Top 14 losing streak in emphatic style, climbing provisionally into the top six for the holidays. Bollengier and Nowell touched down in each half, while Levani Botia — who came on as a first-minute replacement for the unfortunate Matthias Haddad — Reda Wardi and Nika Sutidze also crossed, as they put on a festival of attacking rugby, leading 30-3 at half-time.

Two yellow cards and nine penalties for the indisciplined visitors before the break alone undoubtedly helped La Rochelle’s cause, while their third yellow at the death gifted 22-year-old hooker Sutidze his try with the clock in the red.

It's a genuine boost for O'Gara's side, who head to Toulouse for their final match of the year next Sunday.

But, for Bayonne and their under-the-microscope manager Gregory Patat, this was more than a result to forget. It was the sixth time in seven away matches in all competitions this season that they have conceded more than 40 points, and it cost them a place in the top six. Their victory at Perpignan on the opening weekend of the season, back in September, is the only time they have conceded a lower figure on the road.

A first Top 14 victory at the 12th time of asking for bottom-of-the-table Perpignan, who beat Clermont 26-20 — courtesy of 16 points from the apparently ageless Benjamin Urdapilleta — despite playing for an hour with 14 players, following Jefferson-Lee Joseph’s red card for a dangerous challenge.

That result, and Montauban’s 53-17 defeat at home to table-toppers Pau meant that the gap between 13th and 14th is now just two points.

In the opening match of the Top 14 weekend, a crowd of more than 19,000 saw replacement tighthead Giorgi Melikidze crash over in the 85th minute of an enthralling match as Stade Francais pulled a 20-20 draw from the jaws of defeat at Stade Jean Bouin against neighbours Racing 92.

Montpellier, the side with the best defence in the Top 14, let slip a 17-point first-quarter lead, and a 16-point one early in the second-half to trail visitors Castres by a single point with five minutes left on the clock. But a Leo Coly penalty in the 77th minute salvaged a 33-31 victory at the end of an intense encounter at the Septeo Stadium.

Replacement Antoine Dupont showed he is rapidly rediscovering his match-winning form as Toulouse worked out some of the frustration of last weekend’s Champions Cup defeat in Glasgow with a first win in Lyon since 2017. Josh Brennan was one of six different try-scorers in a 19-41 bonus-point victory at Stade Gerland, the decisive try coming with the clock in the red.

Bordeaux have selected an all-France international back line for the visit of a strong Toulon outfit on Sunday night, with Maxime Lucu and an in-form Matthieu Jalibert feeding fit-again Yoram Moefana, Nicolas Depoortere, Louis Bielle-Biarrey, Damian Penaud and Romain Buros.