Stade Rochelais Rugby World Cup O'Gara shares dream of winning RWC, but not necessarily with Ireland
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La Rochelle boss Ronan O'Gara has set his sights on winning a World Cup in the future as a coach.
by Josh Raisey by Josh Raisey ![Stade Rochelais]()
Stade Rochelais
Stade Rochelais ![Stade Rochelais]()
Stade Rochelais are the pride of La Rochelle in France. The team represents the city in the Top 14, which is France’s top rugby union competition. Most rugby fans simply refer to Stade Rochelais as La Rochelle.
The history of the La Rochelle Rugby team can be traced all the way back to 1896, when Stade Rochelais was created in the form of an athletic sports company. However, it took until 1898 for La Rochelle Rugby Club to be officially recognised.
Truly, this is a golden era for La Rochelle Rugby. On this page, you’ll be able to keep up with all the latest news about Stade Rochelais. You’ll also find the side’s upcoming fixtures and latest results.
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Stade Rochelais are the pride of La Rochelle in France. The team represents the city in the Top 14, which is France’s top rugby union competition. Most rugby fans simply refer to Stade Rochelais as La Rochelle.
The history of the La Rochelle Rugby team can be traced all the way back to 1896, when Stade Rochelais was created in the form of an athletic sports company. However, it took until 1898 for La Rochelle Rugby Club to be officially recognised.
Truly, this is a golden era for La Rochelle Rugby. On this page, you’ll be able to keep up with all the latest news about Stade Rochelais. You’ll also find the side’s upcoming fixtures and latest results.
Fixtures & Results
Tournaments
Stade Rochelais Rugby History
Over the following years, the club’s rugby team was developed by George Henry Jackson (who would be a future president of the club) and the United States Consul in La Rochelle. Progress was swift. By 1906, Stade Rochelais won their first ever title after being crowned as the Atlantic champions. In addition, the La Rochelle Rugby side also reached the quarter-final stage of the French championship. By the time of the First World War, the club had won three Atlantic championships.
The inter-war years were much leaner for La Rochelle and German occupation in World War Two meant the team was unable to play. However, the team managed to form properly once more in 1948 and the side quickly ascended to the Federal, which was the highest level of rugby at the time. Quickly following this, between 1949 and 1954, the team went 28 games without a defeat at home!
Players
Forwards
Alexandre Kuntelia Loose Head Prop 
Archer Holz Tighthead Prop 
Billy Pollard Hooker 
Edouard Richer Blindside Flanker 
Enzo Jean Lock 4 
Georges-Henri Colombe Prop 
Gregory Alldritt Flanker 7 
Judicael Cancoriet Flanker 6 Louis Keziah Penverne Loose Head Prop 
Matthias Haddad Openside flanker 
Maxime Tetlow Blindside Flanker Mikaea Wynyard Lock 4 
Nika Sutidze Hooker Noe Della Schiava Blindside Flanker 
Oscar Jegou Blindside Flanker 
Paul Boudehent Openside Flanker 
Pierre Bourgarit Hooker 
Quentin Lespiaucq Hooker 
Reda Wardi Prop 
Remi Picquette Lock 5 Sacha Idoumi Hooker 
Silatolu Latu Hooker 
Thierry Paiva Prop 
Thomas Lavault Lock Thomas Ployet Lock 4 
Tyreese Leupolu Blindside Flanker 
Uini Atonio Prop 
Ultan Dillane Lock 
Will Skelton Lock 
Yoan Tanga Number 8 Backs
Alexandre Kaddouri Fullback 
Antoine Hastoy Fly Half 
Brice Dulin Fullback 
Charles Kante-Samba Fullback 
Dillyn Leyds Fullback 
Elouan Troadec Fullback 
Hoani Bosmorin Right Wing Hugo Reus Fly Half 
Ihaia West Fly half 
Jack Nowell Wing 
Joel Sclavi 
Jonathan Danty Centre 
Jules Favre Centre 12 
Karl Sorin Fullback 
Levani Botia Centre Lucas Zamora Scrum half Morrison Mabope Left Wing 
Nathan Bollengier Scrum Half 
Raymond Rhule Fullback 
Romain Lamit Inside Centre 
Simeli Daunivucu Inside Centre 
Simon Huchet Scrum Half 
Tawera Kerr-Barlow Scrum half 
Teddy Iribaren Scrum half 
Teddy Thomas Wing 
Thomas Berjon Scrum half 
Tomasi Seru Inside Centre 
Ulupano Seuteni Fly half 
Upaleto Feao Fullback Stade Rochelais Rugby History
When the professional era of rugby arrived, La Rochelle established themselves at the elite level. Since 2014-15, La Rochelle Rugby have competed at the top level of French rugby every season. In the 2016-17 season, the side even topped the Top 14 table at the end of the round-robin stage, although they were sadly beaten by Toulon at the semi-final stage. They also fell at the same stage of the tournament in the 2018-19 season, when they finished fifth in the league.
During this successful period, the La Rochelle Rugby team have also represented France in the European Rugby Champions Cup and the European Rugby Challenge Cup. In 2018-19, the team reached the final of the European Rugby Challenge Cup, but they were unfortunately beaten by Clermont in the final. The side has never progressed beyond the quarter-finals stage of the Champions Cup.
