La Rochelle secured a dramatic 30-27 victory against defending champions Toulouse in the opening round of the Top 14 season on September 6, 2026, overcoming a 14-point half-time deficit with the last kick of the match. According to AFP reporting, half-backs Antoine Hastoy and Nolann Le Garrec combined for 16 second-half points to anchor the comeback after Toulouse seized early control with a 12-minute scoring burst.
Toulouse First-Half Surge
Toulouse capitalized on a shortened pre-season following their playoff final victory on June 27, according to lock Thibaud Flament cited by AFP. The champions built a 24-10 lead before the break through three quick tries. Summer signing Tommaso Menoncello opened the scoring in the 17th minute by slicing through three defenders from his own half. Lock Emmanuel Meafou followed with a short-range drive, and fly-half Romain Ntamack added a third try. Fullback Thomas Ramos converted all three tries and kicked a penalty, while Le Garrec converted La Rochelle’s opening score.
La Rochelle Second-Half Fightback
La Rochelle shifted the momentum after the interval through persistent forward pressure. According to Canal Plus, hooker Pierre Bourgarit noted that his squad displayed notable character to overcome early mistakes. Le Garrec scored a close-range try, converted it, and added a penalty to reduce the deficit to four points by the 55th minute. Following a yellow card shown to Toulouse prop Georges-Henri Colombe for a defensive infraction, La Rochelle selected a scrum against the depleted pack. That tactical choice created the opening for Hastoy to score and convert, tying the match.
Late Red Card and Winning Kick
La Rochelle played the final eight minutes a man down after hooker Tolu Latu received a red card for shoulder contact to the face of crouching opponent Matthis Lebel, as reported by AFP. Although Ramos missed the subsequent go-ahead penalty for Toulouse, La Rochelle advanced upfield as time expired. Hastoy waited for the final hooter to sound before slotting the winning penalty.
“A rather difficult opening day but we found answers and it was good to win like that,” Hastoy told AFP after the match. Flament acknowledged that Toulouse lost their initiative after the break, stating that his side “became spectators” as La Rochelle applied sustained pressure.
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