O'Gara recalls Hastoy straight from suspension as La Rochelle face daunting Toulouse battle

After his controversial suspension, Hastoy is thrust right back in for Irishman's final Top 14 match of 2025 at a sold-out Stadium Toulouse

Sat, 27 Dec, 2025 - 22:08

James Harrington

Ronan O’Gara has brought fly-half Antoine Hastoy straight back into La Rochelle’s starting line-up on his return from suspension for their final match of 2025 at Toulouse on Sunday.

With Ihaia West recovering from a hamstring injury and Deflandre prodigy Diego Jurd rested, Hastoy, whose last outing in November lasted a total 34 seconds, lines up alongside teenage scrumhalf Nolhann Couillaud — in his first Top 14 outing — in a much-changed La Rochelle side for final Top 14 match of 2025 at a sold-out Stadium Toulouse.

Another teenager, 19-year-old backrow Kirill Fraindt, also makes his first domestic start for the visitors, while Ultan Dillane starts for the fourth time this season in the second row, and 20-year-old fullback Ugo Pacome is on the teamsheet for the first time since October after recovering from injury.

Cyril Baille, meanwhile, returns to the Toulouse starting line-up after several months struggling with an ankle injury, while Teddy Thomas and Georges-Henri Colombe start against their former team-mates, and Antoine Dupont — an influential replacement last weekend — will wear nine.

Toulouse-La Rochelle is the third and final Top 14 match of the final Sunday of 2025.

The first sees league leaders Pau host Montpellier at Stade du Hameau. The hosts welcome Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang back from a brain injury suffered in the Champions Cup defeat against Bristol, while Tom Banks — who has played every minute of every Top 14 game for Montpellier so far this season — starts at 15.

Meanwhile, new Toulon arrival Tomas Albornoz has been named on the bench for his debut outing against Perpignan at Stade Mayol, alongside the returning Gabin Villiere.

Australian tighthead prop Taniela Tupou made an instant impact for his new side Racing 92, scoring twice in 11 minutes after coming on as a second-half replacement. Scrum-half Leo Carbonneau weighed in with a rapid double of his own, as Patrice Collazo’s side scored nine to Montauban’s one in a 61-16 thumping at La Defense Arena.

Four second-half touchdowns handed Castres a 36-22 win over Lyon at Stade Pierre Fabre.

Bayonne made it 21 Top 14 wins in a row at home in dramatic fashion at the end of an eight-try encounter against Stade Francais at Stade Jean Dauger. Lucas Paulos forced his way over after a 20-phase attack that lasted well over two minutes. Joris Segonds coolly converted to win it 35-34. The Parisians have now lost a lead in the 80th-minute of their last three Top 14 outings.

A 34-19 win over Bordeaux at Stade Marcel Michelin ensured Clermont remain in touch at the back of the playoff-chasing peloton and eased some of the simmering pressure on coach Christophe Urios.