Planes, trains and automobiles take La Rochelle to Leinster Champions Cup re-match
Two-time Champions Cup holders La Rochelle face Leinster in the quarter-finals on Saturday in a re-run of the past two tournament deciders after the French club crossed two continents, used three modes of transport and clocked up more than 21,000km of travel.
Ronan O’Gara’s side took a bus and a train to Paris before flying to Cape Town via Johannesburg to beat the Stormers in last weekend’s last 16.
After the victory in South Africa they took a plane back to the French capital before heading to O’Gara’s hometown of Cork in southern Ireland to prepare for the game in Dublin.
“It was good for planning to directly come here, we gained a day of working together and another recovery day,” said La Rochelle’s forwards coach Donnacha Ryan.
“It’s positive for the atmosphere, the routine’s a bit different for the players,” the former Ireland lock added.
Build-up to the meeting between two of club rugby’s modern greats has been dominated by O’Gara’s decision to take his side to Cork, in his former province Munster.
Ex-Ireland fly-half O’Gara helped Munster to two Champions Cup titles as a player as they built up a healthy rivalry with four-time winners Leinster.
“We went out for a meal, the mayor happened to be in there with the French ambassador in the restaurant,” Ryan said.
“He gave him the accolade of the free man of Cork. Everyone laughed about that, asking where the red carpet for him was,” he added.
– ‘Health warning’ –
The last time La Rochelle met Leinster, the Irish province edged December’s pool stage contest, gaining revenge for last-gasp final defeats in Marseille in 2022 and Dublin last May.
“When you’re at the top you’re going to be playing the same teams more often,” Ryan said.
“They’re serious battles. The games sometimes come with a health warning as they can be intense.
“It’s good for us because the boys love testing themselves against the best in the world,” he added.
Travel issues have also dominated the headlines before the Bulls trip from Pretoria to Northampton with the South Africans being split across eight itineraries to get to England.
South African Rugby organised and paid $218,000 for the flights but had to wait after the last 16 ties had ended on Sunday before confirming the travel arrangements.
“It’s something that was completely out of our control,” the Bulls’ back-rower Nizaam Carr told reporters.
“We said that if there are boys within their circles talking about the travel, saying that it’s not the nicest or complaining we need to shut it out.
“Those type of things will creep into our game, the way we train and our performances,” he added.
Elsewhere, two other French sides Bordeaux-Begles and record five-time winners Toulouse are favourites as they host Harlequins and Exeter.
Fixtures (all times GMT) Saturday
Bordeaux-Begles (FRA) v Harlequins (ENG) (1400), Leinster (IRL) v La Rochelle (FRA) (1730), Northampton (ENG) v Bulls (RSA) (1900)
Sunday
Toulouse (FRA) v Exeter (ENG) (1400)
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