Alldritt dictates the rhythm, the indiscipline of the Héraultais

TOPS

Grégory Alldritt, the boss

He is one of the very best players in the world in his position and dazzled Europe with his talent last season with La Rochelle but also in the jersey of the XV of France. This Saturday, without delivering the best performance of his career, he showed all his ability to regulate his team’s game and displayed his power in the rucks. Especially during this series of La Rochelle scrums at the very end of the match which led to the winning penalty try. His impact made a big difference on Saturday.

The rock forwards

Overall, it is the entire forward line of Les Rochelais which has demonstrated its superiority. Particularly in the first period when the rucks turned almost systematically to the advantage of the Maritimes who managed to gain ground on each offensive. In this first act, the locals managed 77 transmissions against only 30 on the Montpellier side. A technical domination, made possible by the colossal work of a dominating and inspired pack of forwards.

Read alsoTop 14: La Rochelle snatch victory against Montpellier

Antoine Hastoy is acclimatizing well

He is the one who must make people forget Ihaia West, who left for the RCT. A heavy task which did not seem to impress the defector from the Pau Section. Adroit in front of the poles (5/6), the La Rochelle opener experienced little waste in his game (94% of successful passes). Also very clean on foot, he played the entire match and should quickly establish himself as a must for the reigning European champions.

FLOPS

Far too undisciplined Hérault residents

The referee’s whistle must still ring in the heads of Montpellier. Philippe Saint-André’s players conceded a whopping 16 penalties this Saturday. Bastien Chalureau and Mohamed Haouas have also paid the price, each collecting a yellow card. As a symbol, it was on a penalty try, resulting from yet another mistake from Hérault in the scrum, that the locals snatched this first success of the season.

Bastien Chalureau in pain

With the exception of a rather inspired Zach Mercier, the entire pack of Hérault forwards bit the dust this Saturday in La Rochelle land. But the game turned out to be particularly tricky for the second line of MHR Bastien Chalureau. Often beaten in the rucks, he put his team in difficulty in the 52nd minute by receiving a yellow card despite repeated warnings from the referee. Less than five minutes later, Dillyn Leyds scored the first try of the game for the Maritimes.

The Montpellier wings did not exist

Whether Ben Lam or Gabriel Ngandebe, the two Hérault wingers went through this meeting like two ghosts. It must be said that it was not easy for them to shine, especially during the first period given the mastery displayed by the people of Rochelle and the few balloons of interest to operators. But defensively, their performance was hardly more successful. With just three tackles each, they didn’t make enough of an impact.