Stade Rochelais too strong for Sarries
MATCH REPORT: Saracens couldn't match a masterful Stade Rochelais performance in the Champions Cup quarterfinals as they went down 10-24 to the defending champions at the Stade Marcel Deflandre on Sunday.
Tawera Kerr Barlow dotted down in either half for the reigning champions, who were superb defensively, while Antoine Hastoy kicked 14 points.
The TOP 14 outfit's win sees them set up a semifinal at home to Exeter Chiefs on April 30.
Three-time champions Saracens struggled to cope with La Rochelle's physicality but got over through Eroni Mawi midway through the second half.
La Rochelle made an electric start to the contest in front of a boisterous home crowd and their aggression at the breakdown allowed flyhalf Hastoy to kick two penalties inside the first five minutes.
Despite struggling at the breakdown, Saracens spent plenty of time in the La Rochelle 22 during the course of the first half, fly-half Owen Farrell putting the visitors on the board with a penalty from in front of the posts on 21 minutes.
But Saracens failed to make their pressure count amid robust La Rochelle defence, and after Hastoy restored the hosts' six-point lead from the tee, scrum-half Kerr Barlow finished off a terrific score on 33 minutes as he ran a loop off Grégory Alldritt to dot down next to the posts.
Saracens were met with more stern La Rochelle resistance after the break, failing to convert another lengthy stay in their 22 into points.
In attack, La Rochelle's giant forwards continued to punch holes in Saracens' defence and flanker Levani Botia, who was superb at the breakdown all day, streaked through and teed up Kerr Barlow for his second score on 58 minutes.
Saracens kept their semi-final hopes alive when prop Mawi burrowed over from a metre out with a quarter of an hour to play, Farrell's conversion reducing the gap to 11 points.
But La Rochelle's breakdown supremacy earned them another penalty on 68 minutes, Hastoy slotting from range to bolster their position.
There was an eventful finish to the contest as Saracens were twice held up over the whitewash and La Rochelle had a score chalked off by the TMO.
La Rochelle full-back Brice Dulin was sin-binned with eight minutes to play as Saracens pushed for a second try, but there was no way through the home team's rearguard and their hopes were further dashed when replacement hooker Tom Woolstencroft was also shown a yellow card.
The scorers
For Stade Rochelais
Tries: Kerr Barlow 2
Con: Hastoy
Pens: Hastoy 4
For Saracens
Try: Mawi
Con: Farrell
Pen: Farrell
Yellow cards: Brice Dulin (Stade Rochelais, 72 - repeated offences, offsides), Tom Woolstencroft (Saracens, 76 - foul play, swinging arm to the head of an opponent)
Teams:
Stade Rochelais: 15 Brice Dulin, 14 Jules Favre, 13 UJ Seuteni, 12 Jonathan Danty, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Antoine Hastoy, 9 Tawera Kerr Barlow, 8 Grégory Alldritt (captain), 7 Levani Botia, 6 Ultan Dillane, 5 Will Skelton, 4 Thomas Lavault, 3 Uini Atonio, 2 Pierre Bourgarit, 1 Reda Wardi.
Replacements: 16 Quentin Lespiaucq, 17 Hayden Thompson-Stringer, 18 Joel Sclavi, 19 Romain Sazy, 20 Yoan Tanga, 21 Paul Boudehent, 22 Thomas Berjon, 23 Teddy Thomas.
Saracens: 15 Alex Goode, 14 Max Malins, 13 Alex Lozowski, 12 Nick Tompkins, 11 Sean Maitland, 10 Owen Farrell (captain), 9 Ivan van Zyl, 8 Billy Vunipola, 7 Ben Earl, 6 Nick Isiekwe, 5 Hugh Tizard, 4 Maro Itoje, 3 Marco Riccioni, 2 Jamie George, 1 Mako Vunipola.
Replacements: 16 Tom Woolstencroft, 17 Eroni Mawi, 18 Christian Judge, 19 Callum Hunter-Hill, 20 Jackson Wray, 21 Aled Davies, 22 Duncan Taylor, 23 Alex Lewington.
Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Frank Murphy (Ireland), Chris Busby (Ireland)
TMO: Joy Neville (Ireland)
Source: @ChampionsCup