La Rochelle withstand Bath fightback at a soggy Rec
Bath (6) 20
Try: Dunn, Roux Pen: Russell 2 Con: Russell 2
La Rochelle (21) 24
Tries: Jegou, Wardi, Kerr-Barlow Pen: West Con: West 3
Bath fell short of completing a thrilling comeback in torrential conditions at the Rec as La Rochelle held on to claim an opening-game victory in the Champions Cup.
Two-time winners La Rochelle showed their class despite the pouring rain and swirling winds of Storm Darragh to lead 21-6 at the interval after scoring three tries through Oscar Jegou, Reda Wardi and Tawera Kerr-Barlow.
Bath hit back after the break and Tom Dunn's finish from the back of the rolling maul was followed by some deserved fortune as Quinn Roux capitalised on the greasy surface to score the hosts' second try and reduce the deficit to one point.
The Premiership side, backed by their vociferous support, sensed a famous European win but Ihaia West's penalty nudged the visitors four clear.
With the clock ticking down, and Bath pouring forward, turnover king Levani Botia stole possession at the breakdown and ended Bath's resistance.
Bath travel to Italian side Benetton in round two on Sunday 15 December, while La Rochelle host Bath's west country rivals Bristol Bears the night before.
Visitors edge a game of two halves
Bath lost captain Ben Spencer to injury before kick-off but, even in the face of the brewing storm, their sprit was not to be undone and Finn Russell knocked over an early penalty to open the scoring.
La Rochelle struggled for fluency in the initial exchanges and Brice Dulin's knock-on in the first minute illustrated the difficult conditions, but they began to grow into the contest and Jegou powered over from close range.
Next came the slick combination of brawn and brain as the visitors executed a rolling maul from just inside the Bath 22 which drove towards the line at a canter for Wardi to dot down for their second try.
Russell knocked over a second penalty but La Rochelle responded with another line-out move and, with Bath expecting another pack-heavy maul, the ball was moved off the top for Kerr-Barlow to pick up off his toes and glide through a hole in the defence.
Bath were much improved after the break and Dunn handed La Rochelle some of their own medicine with a well-drilled rolling maul for their opening try, which resulted in some fiery exchanges between both sets of players as the temperature notched up a level.
West had a penalty to extend La Rochelle's lead but the ball came back off the upright and the visiting fly-half was later punished by his opposite number Russell, who found some space to prod the ball behind the black shirts.
A retreating Kerr-Barlow was unable to ground the ball with sufficient energy and opened the door for the onrushing Roux to charge through and claim Bath's second try.
With the game in the balance, La Rochelle won another penalty inside Bath territory, and West would make amends for his earlier miss to ultimately move the Top 14 side out of reach.
'It felt like a Test match' - what they said
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, stand-in Bath captain Charlie Ewels said: "It's disappointing but I'm proud of the fact we got back into the game. I am not being optimistic in saying we gave ourselves opportunities to win it. We had enough opportunities in points-scoring areas to win the game.
"At 21-6 on the scoreboard, other teams or this team previously may have played differently to chase the score. We just played our game.
"You are proud of where you are and where you come from but next time - as you don't get many - you want to make it count. The next step is making those moments stick.
"It was one of the toughest breakdown games I've played in and the score doesn't count until you've exited. That is something we need to improve.
"The physical side of it felt like a Test match and the focus required for every play."
Line-ups
Bath: De Glanville; Cokanasiga, Redpath, Butt, Muir; Russell, Schreuder; Du Toit, Dunn, Stuart, Roux, Ewels (capt), Hill, Pepper, Reid.
Replacements: Annett, Van Wyk, Griffin, Molony, Bayliss, Carr-Smith, Ojomoh, Coetzee.
La Rochelle: Dulin; Nowell, Seuteni, Danty, Leyds; West, Kerr-Barlow; Wardi, Latu, Atonio, Lavault, Skelton, Jegou, Haddad, Alldritt (capt).
Replacements: Lespiaucq, Penverne, Colombe Reazel, Douglas, Botia, Berjon, Reus, Thomas.
