Investec Champions Cup Last-16 Preview: Stade Rochelais Vs. Munster Rugby
Investec Champions Cup Last-16 Preview: Stade Rochelais Vs. Munster Rugby
Investec Champions Cup last-16 knockout match preview sees Stade Rochelais welcome head coach Ronan O'Gara's former club Munster Rugby for a huge match up.
The 2025 Ronan O’Gara (ROG) derby is the consensus favorite amongst neutrals, pitting old Europe royalty in Munster against a side that has taken the competition by storm in the past five years in Stade Rochelais, has led to a mouth-watering contest.
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Central to the four titles the two clubs share between? Well, there is only one answer: Ronan O’Gara.
The iconic former Munster and Ireland fly-half still is regarded as the greatest fly-half to ever play in this competition. Guiding the Munster men to the title in 2006 and 2008 after more than a decade of trying, O’Gara further cemented himself as a god like figure in his home province.
Since hanging up his boots, ROG has carved out one of the most intriguing coaching careers going.
First, he took up a post with Parisian side Racing 92, before diving south to link up with current All Blacks boss Scott Robertson and the Crusaders, where he duly won Super Rugby titles.
ROG would make his grand return to European Rugby as the head coach of Stade Rochelais.
Once entrenched as the main man on the French Atlantic coast, ROG imparted his love for this competition to the club. This drive and desire for domination has yielded three finals appearances in the past four years, including two titles.
At the domestic level, though they have yet to claim the Top 14 title, only a last-minute breakaway try by Romain Ntamack has halted a total domination of European Rugby.
Munster, on the other hand, now has 17 years removed from O’Gara and his Munster teammates creating history and has remained perennial contender.
At the URC level, Munster claimed its second title in the 2022-2023 season, with fly-half Jac Crowley sinking Leinster with a clutch drop goal in the semifinal. That immediately drew comparisons between him and O’Gara.
Thus, this weekend’s first competitive clash (they played a preseason fixture over a decade ago) has long been awaited.
Ironically, it comes at Stade Rochelais lowest ebb, with the squad yet to win since January this year.
Munster, though it has had a tumultuous season of its own with head coach Graham Rowntree departing five weeks into the season, has been ascending over the past few weeks.
Welcoming back several key players and gaining form, Munster’s chances in this contest are far different from how they looked when the draw first was announced.
Perhaps presenting the most black and white paths to victory this round, the two sides could not be more different if they tried.
Stade Rochelais is built exclusively on power across the board, with some of the biggest players in professional sports amongst their ranks.
No player comes bigger in professional rugby than Wallabies lock, Will Skelton, who will start this week for O’Gara’s side. Coming in at 6-foot-8 and 150kg, the lock is one of the most successful players in Champions Cup history, winning the title as a key member of the Saracens dynasty, before lifting the cup twice with Stade Rochelais.
Lining up alongside Skelton, French stalwart Gregory Alldritt is a truly elite No. 8 and one of the most powerful ball carriers in World Rugby, while Levani Botia and Oscar Jegou are lethal at the breakdown.
In the front row, La Rochelle possess an elite trio with Redi Wardi, Pierre Bourgarit and Uini Antonio all being stalwarts of the French international squad.
Across the backline, the power theme continues with UJ Seuteni, Teddy Thomas and Jack Nowell, all players who prefer to go direct rather than wide.
For Munster, while the challenge is mighty, is fortunate to have a squad that relishes the big occasions and, more importantly, an all-out brawl.
In the pack, Jeremy Loughman, Diarmuid Barron and Oli Jager all are strong carriers who are good over the breakdown.
In the second row, World Cup winner Jean Kleyn’s return gives Munster some much-needed ballast and raw power, while Tadhg Beirne is arguably the best turnover merchant in the game.
Adding its skills, pace and power in the carry, Munster’s back row of Peter O’Mahony, John Hodnett and Gavin Coombes are menaces at the breakdown.
In O’Mahony, Munster has its last true throwback to the glory days of O’Gara’s vintage.
Bursting onto the scene as an 18-year-old, the now 35-year-old former Ireland captain epitomizes what it means to be a Munster Rugby player. Unwilling to ever back down, built for the big occasion and pure class, the soon-to-be-retired blindside flanker will be crucial to his side.
Pulling the strings in the halfbacks, the pairing of Craig Casey and Jack Crowley will look to lay down a marker to prove they are the future of the Irish nine and 10 shirts.
Playing out of their skin a week ago against Connacht, the pair are hitting form at the perfect time for Munster, and in truth, their ability to put the Munster pack in favorable positions will be crucial.
In the back line, the loss of the suspended Alex Nankivell is significant, but his replacement, Sean O’Brien, is a top quality operator in his own right.
His center partner, Tom Farrell, has arguably been the signing of the season in Irish Rugby. Operating as the chief defensive reader and the facilitator between outside and inside backs, Farrell has been nothing short of superb this season.
Completing the lineup, Munster’s back three are nothing short of electric, with South African Thaakir Abrahams bringing an x-factor to the fullback shirt. On his wings, Calvin Nash and Andrew Smith have pace to burn and will punish any sloppy kicking by Stade Rochelais.
This fixture has the makings to be an all-time classic in every sense of the word.
On paper, La Rochelle is the favorite, but it is mighty close.
If the hosts do not drag their Irish rivals into an arm wrestle early, they risk being run off the park. The converse is, of course, true for Munster, which will want to avoid a wrestling session. Going off of a gut feeling for this one - a feeling of a great Munster day out - has been building all week. Munster by two points.
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