O'Gara's La Rochelle thwarted by Ntamack moment of magic

In a thrilling French Top 14 final in the Stade de France, Toulouse emerged as champions with a dramatic 29-26 victory over European champions La Rochelle.

The decisive moment came three minutes from time when Romain Ntamack, Toulouse’s talented playmaker, produced a moment of individual brilliance. Breaking through several tackles, Ntamack raced an impressive 65 metres to score the winning try in the dying moments of the game and dashing La Rochelle’s dream of the double.

???#Top14pic.twitter.com/Zv7kuzSiAB

— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) June 17, 2023

With this victory, Toulouse extended their record number of Top 14 wins to 22, solidifying their status as one of the most successful teams in French rugby history.

Meanwhile Ronan O’Gara’s La Rochelle will have to wait for their first Bouclier de Brennus and will have to make do with their second Heineken Champions Cup victory on the bounce in terms of this season’s efforts.

The teams entered the halftime break deadlocked at 13-13. La Rochelle fought back through tries from scrumhalf Tawera Kerr-Barlow and prop Uini Atonio, overcoming a 10-point deficit in the early stages of the match to take the lead in the closing stages. Unfortunately for them, they were unable to maintain their advantage until the final whistle, with Ntamack’s brilliance sealing the deal for the red and blacks.

What do we think Ronan O'Gara is saying here? #Top14 #TOUvLAR #FranceRugby pic.twitter.com/f4T4UwP5VE

— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) June 17, 2023

The boot of Toulouse’s fullback, Thomas Ramos, played a crucial role in their victory. Ramos kicked an impressive 19 points. Toulouse managed to match La Rochelle’s renowned physicality throughout the game, denying their opponents a maiden domestic title to accompany their recent European success.

The result also carried significance for Leinster, as it effectively determined the Irish side’s second-tier seeding for the upcoming pool stages of the 2023/24 Heineken Champions Cup.