La Rochelle & Racing 92 meet for the first time in European competition

Although old foes in terms of the French Top 14, history will be made at Stade Bollaert-Delelis where Racing and La Rochelle will meet for the first time in European competition. 

Racing earned their right to compete in the semis after despatching Sale Sharks, 42-21, last weekend in the quarters: 

La Rochelle, meanwhile, knocked over Montpellier at Stade Marcel-Deflandre: 

Speaking earlier this week, La Rochelle number 8 Gregory Alldritt sent a solemn warning to Racing, stating that his side are eager to dispel the regret stemming from their loss in the final last season, suggesting that Racing are a mere obstacle on their way to the final and, ultimately, the title. 

“Last year we missed out and we still have a bitter taste in our mouths,” Alldritt said. “We want to get rid of it, so we are more motivated than ever. 

“There are great players who have left us, like Keke (Kevin Gourdon, forced to quit during the season), Victor (Vito), and Jérémy Sinzelle, who is going to leave. We want to end on a high note for these guys.” 

Alldritt went on to comment on what it means to the team to once again be in the play-offs.  

 “It’s great for the club,” he commented. “As we often repeat among ourselves, it is not normal to be in the semi-finals of the Champions Cup. It’s huge, especially for a club who are only playing in it for the fourth time. 

“We have to realise what we are doing. Ronan (O’Gara, the head coach) told us that we have won the first of the three finals – now we have two left.” 

In the Racing corner, the magnitude of the occasion is not lost on the troops.  

“It’s probably going to be even harder,” said fly-half Finn Russell, comparing the imminent clash with last week’s quarter-final.  

“We have already played La Rochelle a few times this year and last year they beat us in the semi-finals of the TOP 14. We know them, we will have to prepare well.” 

Key facts:

• Racing have faced TOP 14 opposition on 13 previous occasions in the European Cup (W8, L5), while La Rochelle have played French opposition four times (W3, L1).
• La Rochelle’s four previous matches against TOP 14 opposition in the Heineken Champions Cup have all come in the knockout stage of the competition.
• La Rochelle have won 10 of their last 11 matches in the Heineken Champions Cup (L1, excluding cancelled matches), including the last six in a row, this after winning just three of their previous 10 fixtures in the competition (L7).
• Racing have scored six tries from counter attacks in the Heineken Champions Cup this season, more than any other club. That tally accounts for 35% of their tries this campaign, also the highest ratio of any side.
• Racing have won each of their 22 scrums on their own feed in the Heineken Champions Cup this season. Only four other clubs have recorded a 100% scrum success rate in the competition in 2021/22 and none of those sides have contested as many as Racing.
• Only 47% of the defensive rucks that Racing have faced in the Heineken Champions Cup this season have been completed in under three seconds. No other side have managed to slow their opponents down as much, while in attack only Toulouse (73%) and Leinster (70%) have completed a higher percentage of their rucks in under three seconds than La Rochelle (66%).
• Grégory Alldritt (La Rochelle) has made the most carries (94) of any player in the Heineken Champions Cup this season, with no forward recording more metres (601), defenders beaten (19), line breaks (5) or offloads (14) than the French international.
• Racing’s Finn Russell has made eight passes that have directly led to a line break in the Heineken Champions Cup this season, two more than any other player. The fly half has also made the third most kicks in play (64) and gained the third most kicking metres (1939) of any player in the competition this season.