Champions Cup result: La Rochelle down heroic Lions amid emotional scenes in France

French giants La Rochelle emerged victorious, clinching a 31-14 bonus point win over the Lions in their Champions Cup clash at the Stade Marcel-Deflandre in France on Saturday night, amid extremely emotional scenes after the sudden tragic passing of Lions lock Hyron Andrews on Friday.

Andrews was found unresponsive after a fall at the team hotel a day earlier, and the Lions heroically made the tough decision to play their first ever match in the Champions Cup, in his honour.

It was then a massively gritty performance from the Lions that pushed La Rochelle the whole way, despite the intense emotions that must have been running through the players, and it took until the final few minutes for the hosts to make the game safe.

Before the match there were emotional scenes in La Rochelle, as Lions club captain Francke Horn, injured for this match, placed Andrews No5 jersey in front of the team as they stood arm-to-arm for a perfectly observed moment of silence, with a number of Lions players in tears during it.

The Lions also announced that they have retired the No5 jersey in the Champions Cup this season and will utilise the No24 jersey over the rest of this season’s competition.

Superb start

It was then a superb start to the match for the Joburg side, as they started on the front foot, took play into the La Rochelle 22m, and outside centre Henco van Wyk smashed over from close range for the opening score in the fourth minute, converted by captain Chris Smith.

In the fifth minute the brilliant La Rochelle crowd then applauded for a minute in honour of Andrews in another very emotional moment.

The home side responded in the 17^th minute, as they took a quick tap on the Lions 5m and then swung the ball quickly out wide, where wing Tevita Ofa brushed off a poor tackle attempt from fullback Quan Horn to go over in the corner for the converted score to level things up.

In the 27^th minute Lions flank Siba Mahashe was yellow carded after a team warning for penalties in their 22m, and La Rochelle hit the front three minutes later, after setting up a lineout deep in the Lions 22m, before their maul was stopped short, but flank Oscar Jegou broke off and powered over to score.

It was then La Rochelle’s turn to concede a yellow, to hooker Pierre Bourgarit for a deliberate knock on with a line break on, and the Lions took advantage as they kicked the penalty to the corner, saw the maul stopped and hooker Morne Brandon forced his way over, with Smith’s conversion levelling the scores in the 34^th minute.

Halftime lead

But La Rochelle made sure they would take a lead into the halftime break as they exposed a poor Lions defensive line off a lineout, with a kick pass into space allowing wing Davit Niniashvili to pick up on the bounce and go over untouched to make it 19-14.

The first 20 minutes of the second half was incredibly hard fought, but eventually La Rochelle extended their lead as they mauled over from a 5m lineout, with replacement hooker Tolu Latu dotting down to move into a 24-14 lead.

The Lions then threw everything they could at the French giants, but mistakes at crucial times cost them, while they also thought replacement scrumhalf Nico Steyn had scored to haul them back into the match, but the TMO picked up a forward pass in the build up and chalked it off.

That allowed La Rochelle to seal the bonus point and make the game safe in the 76^th minute as on attack in the Lions half they worked space out wide and replacement back Avakuki Niusalelekitoga ran into the corner for the final try of the match.

A few minutes later the final whistle went, with most of the Lions players dropping to their knees, likely physically and emotionally spent after showing incredible courage to play this match.

Scorers

La Rochelle: Tries – Tevita Ofa, Oscar Jegou, Davit Niniashvili, Tolu Latu, Avakuki Niusalelekitoga; Conversions – Antoine Hastoy (3)

Lions: Tries – Henco van Wyk, Morne Brandon; Conversions -Chris Smith (2)