Ronan O'Gara's injury-ravaged La Rochelle get back to winning ways with spirited win over Castres

O'Gara was without 19 players for the meeting.

Sat, 28 Feb, 2026 - 22:13

James Harrington

Ronan O’Gara’s injury-ravaged La Rochelle spoiled Castres’ 120th-anniversary celebrations with a spirited 31-26 win at Stade Pierre Fabre to end a 56-day five-match spell without a victory.

With 18 players in the infirmary and Oscar Jegou retained by France, the evening got off to the worst possible start for the visitors, when hooker Pierre Bourgarit pulled up with an ankle injury in the warm-up.

Worse was to follow, as backrow Kirill Fraindt was helped off shortly before halftime. By then, however, La Rochelle had ripped up the widely anticipated script.

The hosts had got off to the brighter start, winning the collisions, marching forwards in the scrum and stealing lineout ball. Former La Rochelle fly-half Pierre Popelin took full advantage of early penalties to kick Castres into a 6-0 lead in the opening 13 minutes.

Slowly, however, they forced their way into the game. A lineout went to plan and centre Adrien Seguret, until earlier this season, a Castres player, released Jack Nowell to touch down under the posts on 20 minutes.

Suddenly, Castres were in trouble. The visitors started to dominate territory and possession, to win penalty after penalty. Davit Niniashvili’s forward pass denied Dillyn Leyds a try in the 23rd minute. Paul Boudehent was held up over the line just before the break.

Moments later, however, with Castres’ captain Baptiste Delaporte already sin-binned following repeated infringements, referee Thomas Charabas awarded La Rochelle a penalty try and showed a yellow to hooker Teddy Durand.

Five minutes into the second half, with Castres still down two, Quentin Lespiauq mauled over for the visitors’ third try.

Their fourth came less than 10 minutes later, when Antoine Hastoy offloaded to Nolann Le Garrec in the shadow of the uprights.

Durand peeled off from a maul to give Castres hope with their first try of the night on the hour. But a third yellow, for Popelin for a dangerous tackle on Matthias Haddad, in his first game following a two-month lay-off with a brain injury, ended any serious hopes they might have had.

Replacement scrum-half Jeremy Fernandez darted over to cut the deficit to six points with four minutes to play. There was time left for it to become more than a consolation, but the fightback had come far too late, and La Rochelle controlled the ball for the remaining moments.

Doubles for veteran Teddy Thomas and young Lucien Richardis helped Toulouse to a 10-try 68-13 win over bottom-of-the-table Montauban at Stade Ernest Wallon. But Célian Pouzelgues’ 80th-minute touchdown was equally notable. It was the champions’ 100th try of the current campaign, leaving them 18 short of their own season record with eight matches left.

Paul Gustard’s Stade Francais returned to winning ways with a 42-21 bonus-point victory over Perpignan at Stade Jean Bouin. It will be precisely no consolation, but the visitors won the second half after going in at the break 28-0 down.

Ged Fraser’s first match as manager of Bayonne following Gregory Patat’s departure ended in a 38-15 defeat at Clermont. Harry Plummer led the charge for the hosts.

Gabriel Ngandebe’s 79th-minute breakaway touchdown handed Montpellier an attacking bonus as they beat visitors Racing 92 41-17 at Septeo Stadium.

Toulon’s Baptiste Serin is an injury concern for Fabien Galthie after leaving the pitch for a head injury assessment in the 75th minute of their 13-13 draw at Lyon. The hosts’ Martin Meliande had a chance to win it after the hooter, but fired a difficult penalty across the face of the posts.

Pau have called released France internationals Hugo Auradou, Thomas Laclayat, and Grégoire Arfeuil into their matchday squad as they look to do a season double over Champions Cup holders Bordeaux at Stade du Hameau. Pau host Bordeaux at Stade du Hameau.

The hosts will be looking to do the double over the Champions Cup holders, after their thrilling 33-34 victory at Stade Chaban Delmas in November.

The visitors, meanwhile, will play returning Bleus Maxime Lamothe, Yoram Moefana, and Temo Matiu, while Madosh Tambwe is also set to start for the first time following his return to the club from Montpellier.