Rhule double helps Stade Rochelais crush Chiefs in Euro semi
CHAMPIONS CUP REPORT: Stade Rochelais advanced to another Champions Cup Final after they beat Exeter Chiefs 47-28 in their semifinal in Bordeaux on Sunday.
The reigning champions scored seven tries in the match with Springbok in Raymond Rhule and All Black Tawera Kerr-Barlow both getting a brace.
Ronan O'Gara's side will face Leinster in the final which is a repeat of last year's event.
This time the final will be played at Lansdowne Road in Dublin.
It is the most points and most tries scored by a team in a Champions Cup semifinal.
Exeter, who bid farewell to a number of players who helped them lift the trophy in 2020, were soundly beaten but managed scores through Sam Simmonds, Josh Iosefa-Scott, Olly Woodburn and Jack Yeandle.
Chiefs got off to a dream start as they piled early pressure on La Rochelle before No.8 Simmonds eventually powered over in a trademark finish on five minutes.
But the hosts would find a response three minutes later as wing Rhule controlled flyhalf Antoine Hastoy’s chip with a deft piece of footwork before gathering and dotting down.
La Rochelle began to wrestle control of the contest and notched their second try 22 minutes as No.8 Gregory Alldritt linked with centre UJ Seuteni, the latter ghosting through the Chiefs defence to cross unchallenged.
When Exeter hooker Dan Frost was sin-binned on half an hour, Stade Rochelais further seized the initiative, captain Alldritt darting over after scooping up at the back of a dominant scrum.
And the TOP 14 side would score their best try of the half shortly before the break as a delightful, flowing team move ended with scrum-half Kerr Barlow cruising in.
Another stunning score came moments after the restart as La Rochelle ran the ball from deep, ripping through the Exeter defence before Hastoy landed a pinpoint cross-field kick in the arms of Rhule, who stepped inside to finish for his second try of the afternoon.
Hooker Pierre Bourgarit added a sixth on 52 minutes as he profited from a rumbling maul, but Chiefs would grab second score shortly before the hour mark courtesy of replacement prop Josh Iosefa-Scott’s close-range finish.
Stade Rochelais would respond with a seventh try on 67 minutes as Kerr Barlow spotted a gap and finished cleverly for his second, but Exeter hit back again as wing Woodburn completed a cracking move after combining with fullback Stuart Hogg and centre Henry Slade.
Replacement hooker Yeandle squirmed over for the visitors’ fourth on 74 minutes but La Rochelle were never under any serious threat.
The home fans seemed to have one more try to celebrate at the death as their replacement hooker Quentin Lespiaucq Brettes crossed, but the TMO chalked that score off for an illegal maul bind.
But the La Rochelle fans were in full voice as the final whistle blew and confirmed their place in the Champions Cup showpiece game once again, with Leinster awaiting after their thrashing of Stade Toulousain on saturday.
The Champions Cup final takes place in Dublin on May 20.
Man of the match: Stade Rochelais's Raymond Rhule and Tawera Kerr-Barlow both scored two tries in the match. Kerr-Barlow's service was outstanding from the base of the rucks and his speed and strength with ball in hand gave Exeter plenty of problems. However, the award goes to La Rochelle's centre UJ Seuteni, who was immense in the midfield. He scored a great try and had a hand in another. He was just a hard man to bring down and his defence was good as well.
The scorers:
For Stade Rochelais:
Tries: Rhule 2, Seuteni, Alldritt, Kerr-Barlow 2, Bourgarit
Cons: Hastoy 6
For Exter Chiefs:
Tries: S Simmonds, Iosefa-Scott, Woodburn, Yeandle
Cons: J Simmonds 4
Yellow card: Dan Frost (Exeter Chiefs, 31' - cynical play, collapsing the maul)
Teams:
Stade Rochelais: 15 Brice Dulin, 14 Dillyn Leyds, 13 UJ Seuteni, 12 Jules Favre, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Antoine Hastoy, 9 Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 8 Grégory Alldritt (captain), 7 Levani Botia, 6 Ultan Dillane, 5 Will Skelton, 4 Romain Sazy, 3 Uini Atonio, 2 Pierre Bourgarit, 1 Reda Wardi.
Replacements: 16 Quentin Lespiaucq-Brettes, 17 Joel Sclavi, 18 Georges Henri Colombe, 19 Thomas Lavault, 20 Paul Boudehent, 21 Remi Bourdeau, 22 Thomas Berjon, 23 Teddy Thomas.
Exeter Chiefs: 15 Tom Wyatt, 14 Jack Nowell (captain), 13 Henry Slade, 12 Sean O’Brien, 11 Olly Woodburn, 10 Joe Simmonds, 9 Will Becconsall, 8 Sam Simmonds, 7 Christ Tshiunza, 6 Jacques Vermeulen, 5 Jonny Gray, 4 Jannes Kirsten, 3 Marcus Street, 2 Dan Frost, 1 Scott Sio.
Replacements: 16 Jack Yeandle, 17 Nika Abuladze, 18 Josh Iosefa-Scott, 19 Aidon Davis, 20 Dave Ewers, 21 Stu Townsend, 22 Harvey Skinner, 23 Stuart Hogg.
Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Assistant Referees: Andrew Brace (Ireland), Andrea Piardi (Italy)
TMO: Brian MacNeice (Ireland)
Additional source: @ChampionsCup