Summary

  • La Rochelle beat Premiership leaders Bath in torrential rain as the European Champions Cup got under way at the Rec

  • La Rochelle, champions in 2022 and 2023, score three tries to lead 21-6 at half-time

  • Bath fight back to cut gap to four points in second half but French side hold on to win

  • Louis Schreuder replaced England's Ben Spencer at scrum-half in late change to Bath team

  • Teams play four group matches with top four from each pool going through to the last 16

Live Reporting

Alastair Telfer

  1. Penalty - Bath 20-24 La Rochelle

    Ihaia West

    Another restart is messed up after scoring and La Rochelle this time punish Bath.

  2. 'Try a reward for Bath adventure'

    Bath 20-21 La Rochelle

    Paul Grayson
    Former England fly-half on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    Bath rolled the dice and looked for something extra rather than just kick to the corner. They put the kick through and two Bath players followed up to score the try.

    That's reward for adventure and justification for the Jack Nowell offence earlier on.

  3. try

    Converted try - Bath 20-21 La Rochelle

    Quinn Roux (con Finn Russell)

    Finn Russell kicks the ball through and it causes chaos. Guy Pepper hacks it through, Tawera Kerr-Barlow makes a mess of touching it down, and Quinn Roux is first to react.

    A gift.

  4. Try review - Bath

    Bath 13-21 La Rochelle

    Is the game turning....

  5. 'Clear shoulder-barge'

    Bath 13-21 La Rochelle

    Paul Grayson
    Former England fly-half on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    There was no need for Jack Nowell to make contact with the player at all. It's a clear shoulder-barge.

    Nowell on MuirGetty Images

  6. Bath 13-21 La Rochelle

    The crowd raise the volume after Jack Nowell looks to have taken out Will Muir. Nowell grins as he gets away with it. He did say he would get some stick from the Bath fans.

  7. Bath 13-21 La Rochelle

    Another penalty for La Rochelle as Bath go off their feet. No going for the posts this time.

  8. Missed penalty - La Rochelle

    Bath 13-21 La Rochelle

    From the resulting restart, Bath hooker Tom Dunn gives away a penalty for a croc roll. The penalty then smashes off the post from Ihaia West. Bath off the hook.

  9. 'Exactly what Bath needed'

    Bath 13-21 La Rochelle

    Paul Grayson
    Former England fly-half on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    What a drive from Bath. It looked like it had stopped but three backs got involved to drive it on.

    That was exactly what they needed.

  10. try

    Converted try - Bath 13-21 La Rochelle

    Tom Dunn (con Finn Russell)

    The maul does the business and over goes Tom Dunn. Finn Russell bends the extras in, with the help of the wind. I think he meant that one!

  11. Bath 6-21 La Rochelle

    Finn Russell fires the ball into the sky and Brice Dulin takes it brilliantly. However, in come La Rochelle off their feet.

    Into the corner Bath go...

  12. Bath 6-21 La Rochelle

    You wonder where the Bath scores will come from? They are three scores behind and the conditions mean tries are going to be very difficult.

    The next score is huge.

  13. Bath 6-21 La Rochelle

    Tom de Glanville calls a mark but moves forward before kicking it and is caught. So smart from Ihaia West as the rules state you can move once one step is made forward. La Rochelle are nailed into their detail.

  14. Bath 6-21 La Rochelle

    Will Muir bursts his way through a couple of tackles as Bath go deep into the La Rochelle half. Hooker Tom Dunn then drops the ball and the chance is gone. That is the first break I can think of...

  15. Kick-off

    Bath 6-21 La Rochelle

    And the weather only looks to be getting worse...

  16. ROG masterclass

    HT: Bath 6-21 La Rochelle

    This performance has Ronan O'Gara written all over it. The former Ireland fly-half, now head coach of La Rochelle, knows like no one else how to play on cold and wet night.

    Grinding out wins, playing for Munster down in Limerick, has now translated to his coaching it seems. Got to win ugly sometimes and the two-time champs are showing why they went back-to-back in the competition across 2022 and 2023.

    Ronan O'GaraGetty Images

  17. HT: Bath 6-21 La Rochelle

    Happy to be at the Rec? The other option was watch it in front of a warm fire....

    Fans in the rainReuters

  18. 'Bath will be gutted'

    HT: Bath 6-21 La Rochelle

    Paul Grayson
    Former England fly-half on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    La Rochelle showed a very impressive change in pace once they got into the attacking area. It's uncomplicated but every chance they've had they taken ruthlessly.

    Bath will be gutted. Every time La Rochelle got into Bath's 22 it was because of a Bath mistake, something that should be easily avoidable.

  19. Half-time - Bath 6-21 La Rochelle

    Not a pretty half of rugby.

  20. Bath 6-21 La Rochelle

    A brave call as Finn Russell nails his kick to the corner. That massive chance blows up, however, as Bath give away a free-kick.

    Criminal really.