Can we just appreciate the fact that both European Cup Winners, La Rochelle and Le Lou, were both in the second division for years (La Rochelle until 2014 and Lou until the 2016-2017 season) and both won this year. How incredible

Aldritt is such a charismatic player

Went to Marcel-Deflandre stadium once, best atmosphere ever. Great public.

This game was played on Saturday and he managed to get a video out by Tuesday crazy work ethic fom Squidge...

Don't forget the fact La Rochelle use a huge part of their money for the rugby school!! La Rochelle was and will stay a club who prefer to make players in its school than buying them... But anyway, Leinster did an awesome competition and fought well against us (yes I'm from La Rochelle) but we have to be honest and admit La Rochelle plaid the best rugby during this game. We are so proud of them, and proud as well to play this final against our Irish brothers!!

I think Leinster's mistake may have been trusting their consistent performance too much. They trusted that they could continue to just chip away at the scoreboard and keep the lead over a team that was losing the territory and possession game. That's why they continued to choose to go for the consistent three point kick instead of taking a stab at the jugular by kicking one of those kicks into the corner and driving in the maul. In particular, the last kick (when La Rochelle was down a lock to a yellow card) was the moment to go for the try and knock out La Rochelle. Had they scored and converted, they would be up by a nearly unsurpassable 8 points. If they missed, they'd still have the lead. That was the moment to bring a little desperation into their game. They missed that moment and let La Rochelle dictate the final ten minutes of the match and the final score.

I was at this game, the crowd was absolutely crazy! I'm english and loved the french crowds!

A bit of an oversight in an otherwise excellent video, but Castres are still the smallest town with a club who's a regular in the TOP14 (Biarritz don't count since they do the yo-yo). Better, Castres are an excellent case study in how a small club in a small town (only 40,000 people) with a smaller budget than most of the competition (22.8M€ budget while Stade Français has a 40M€ budget) can perform excellently in the league on a very consistent basis.

At last!, my town gets some publicity 🙂 By the way, La Rochelle is a beautiful town, so I hope one day that you will check by yourself, you are welcomed.

The only comfort I can take from this really great LR win , is that Leinster (and Ireland by default) are not peaking too early for the RWC?

Hit the notification like Jonathan Danty hitting Sexton

my favourite part of any squidgerugby video is seeing how many different ways you can say Johnny Sexton and still understand it, nice to see Ronan O Gara has been added to the mix

La Rochelle at 75000 is not near the smallest city in the top 14, how did you figure the opposite squidge ? You have plenty smaller towns. (Castres, Brive, Biarritz, Bayonne & Agen who used to be in top 14)

I always have massive chills listening to you, your analyses makes any achievement bigger. thank you very much for that !

Thanks Squidge for everything you've done in the past 4 years. Your content is great, we love u

Broke my heart but well deserved

What a crazy ride eh , your video in 2018 about La Rochelle made me fall in love with them thank you Robbie 💙💛

Short version: La Rochelle wanted it more.

Hey Squidge ! I am impatiently waiting for your next video of debrief for La Rochelle second European win against Leinster in Dublin, that was a hell of a match, and one of the best rugby come back ever ! 😅

This is head and shoulders the best rugby channel on KZfaq

Summary of 2022 in European rugby : France vs Ireland. Cheers to our Irish friends who offered a great opposition all along. 🇫🇷🤝🇮🇪 Ps. Can't wait to see South Africa coming in next year. It's like a whole new dimension for us. Curious to see new guys and how they play. 🇿🇦

What a game. Squidge, you don't miss much mate. Great stuff.

i was able to attend both finals for the first time. The champions cup final especially was so good their were 40,000 la rochelle/neutral fans at the stadium apparently and when they cameback to score it was wild.

Incredible narrative 🔥🔥🔥 Bravo from LA Rochelle! Merci...

Dillyn Leyds is criminally underrated. Perhaps our best back up to Willie.

Insightful analysis. Thank you.

Next video on what Wales can expect from South Africa. I hope that the URC shows Nienaber his players are alot more offensively capable than he gives them credit for.

Thanks for the vid Squidge. As a Leinster supporter I was gutted with the performance and the result. However with some perspective after a few days I take away a few positives: 1. La Rochelle were coached by an Irishman who will possibly coach Ireland one day 2. This was an away match for Leinster and a home from home match for La R and was v close. Next year’s Champions Cup final will be played in the Aviva. Can’t wait already to see how that turns out. 3. Leinster (and Ireland) are beginning to play like NZ. Relentless attack and defence, highly skilled, multiple playmakers, all round game. So Leinster are expected to win every game. But they’re human too and occasionally get outsmarted and outplayed (just like NZ). That’s what happened last weekend. They will learn from it and get better. 4. Leinster are far from perfect and know they have weaknesses. Better to have these exposed in 2022 rather than in a World Cup year. I expect they will be better next year. Roll on 2023!

Lovely video squidge. Would love for you to do a video on the Wild Knights in Japan. Just won their 5th title with Robbie Deans at the helm.

Brilliant work, as usual !

Great win for Rog

Really good as always.

This is one of the most deflating losses for a team I’ve seen in a while. Neutrals might not realize but Leinster quite literally put everything into winning a fifth star this year. Not sending any first 23 players to South Africa and risk 1st spot in the URC to train for Leicester and Toulouse is just an example. But they bottled it and crumbled under the pressure. It’s no coincidence the last time Leinster didn’t score a try in Europe was the 2018 final when they also went into their shells with 3 pointers and got extremely lucky. La Rochelle played the rugby unlike Leinster and hence deserved the win.

Amazing analysis.

Brilliant Squidge

As a Stormers and Springbok supporter I never knew much comps/clubs outside of currie cup & super rugby till subbing to Squidge 4+ yrs ago. Now I'm a huge fan and follow the Euro leagues (also URC = best league)! But please could you cover th Japanes League, USA and some more tier 2/3. Spain just played the classic all blacks which was really cool

You should do an MLR match. Just to see how it does because I think it will be quite interesting and humorous

love this! please do a video on Lyon please my favorite team in France on winning against Toulon.

Would love a video on Gloucester and the turnaround under Skivington

I watch these videos primarily for the hilarious and clever adverts. Your sponsors should be thankful. The rugby analysis is also the best out there, by a long shot. Keep up the good work!

Too soon Squidge, it's still too soon 😂. Congratulations to LAR and ROG

You got damn right!

Love La Rochelle

Not hating on the Boks, but im gonna miss it being Europe only, it's gonna lose it's identity and no-one's gonna travel down there

When Sexton eventually retires I hope he takes over coaching of a club in the competition so the O'Gara vs Sexton rivalry can continue

The Danty/Lawes difference One destroys the fly half with ball in hand, the other waits until he releases the ball.

They were also happy to play slow at the end to wind down the yellow card.

The Tommy Bowe watermark at 7:16 😂

Incredibly good job (frome France)

Please make a video on the SA teams joining the URC and your thoughts on it🙏🏽

Will you be doing any URC reviews? I'm an ulster fan but having the south africans in is a breath of fresh air.

I miss using toys to explain formations............. otherwise excellent video as always Squidge!!!

They gave Leinster a good ROGering...

Didn’t watch the game but a few of them passes look forward

La Rochelle is one of the best defences in France and has been for years! And in terms of attack, not far from the top too, Leinster did not fall on the "small" team that all the specialists, especially in France, saw losing in front of Leinster because it had "atomized" Stade Toulousain ! But well, that day, any team would have fallen in front of this Rochelaise team, because they are very physical and fast !

pls do a vid on worcester winning the cup

New drinking game: one shot for every version of Sexton’s name 😂

Hey squidge I know this isn’t really you style but rugby is really under represented on KZfaq I’d like to make some suggestions Top ten players at each position All time mens 15 All time womens 15 All time wales 15 and other tier 1 nations

Wow squidge 😘😘

I do hope today's first Sexton joke was a beans on toast reference

La Rochelle has been of the best team in france (easily top 3) last few years , all was missing to cap all their success (considerate the small budget comparate to other french club} was a trophy not surprise they beat Leinster, they are on of few well managed club around hope one day my team join them in the top14, Like La Rochelle (we are even smaller town)) we have a very small budget but well managed and a legendery coach , playing the play off in Pro D2 this season ...allez US carcasssonne

Greg aldritt should be france's captain instead of dupont

Nice

They,um,played um,what Rugby is all about um, Scoring Tries...um,yeah that's it.

Irish rugby is doin alright, considering its the 4th most participated sport on our small island...And the 4th most popular behind Gaelic Football, soccer and hurling..Our most treasured sporting heroes are plumbers, Doctors and cab drivers who don the colours of their county and never waver or trade their allegiance.They are amateur members of the Gaelic Athletic Association. Kinda like how club rugby used to be ..

Small margins. Leinster could would should have won, but didn’t, that’s finals rugby. Again, our teams are not tested until it’s too late. Why have the SA teams in URC if we don’t play our best players against them? It’s the equivalent of driving a pedal boat in a lesson and a cruise ship for your test, no preparation. Leinster will win the 5th star soon, but I don’t think sugar coating this loss is beneficial to Leinster or Ireland. It was tough. Huge respect to Rog and LA, counted out too early, and proved everyone wrong

Having watched the Quarterfinal and Final, I'm not convinced around the Leinster hype. They're definitely good, one of the top European teams, but not as good as they're made out to be. They massively profited off refereeing decisions and opposition penalties to get any kind of territory against Leicester and La Rochelle. Struggled to make any real dents in the Leicester or La Rochelle defences with ball in hand or with their kicking game. La Rochelle were deserved winners on Saturday.

keep an eye in the Blues👀👀

Hey Squidge, can you make a video of how the bulls beat leinster?

Guys it just happened again

Leinster feels sort of like the club equivalent of the All Blacks, they're just so damned good that they've started believing they'll win on reputation and raw talent

Leinster should've lost be way more points

Can you please do a video abt the bulls beating leinster

i don't think any french team would say or even consider the Hcup as the biggest trophy in club rugby

I don't agreee with one of your first statements: I think La Rochelle proved they were the best team in Europe. They don't owe their victory to luck or to the referee, but to the fact they overpowered Leinster tactically and technically. And they showed they could do it again. At a certain moment, Leinster was not threatening anymore. Who can quiet them like that? Only a better team. I have to admit I didnot think much of La Rochelle before the game, but what I saw is a team able to rise itself to the level of Leinster, and that's what our specialists said of La Rochelle _ and what made me watch the game. They rised to the level of Leinster and overcame them at playing rugby. They were the real better team that day _ they managed to do that to Leinster and I think they can do it to whoever they face. But you're a much better critics at rugby that I could ever be so I think your opinion is very likely grounded and objective.

Physicality won the day

Next 4 years?

Leinster could of scored a try, but stupidly chose not to use their options, in finals, they only attempt to get points if its 85-100% guaranteed

Please do the Bulls vs lienster

As cynical a first half as I have seen in a long time but you have to admire the game plan. Quoting ROG ‘ statistically Leinster score most of their points in the first 20 minutes and La Rochelle score theirs in the last 20. Leinster mistake was not continuing to kick to corners from penalties taking the points. Yellow cards would have come earlier if they kept the pressure on.

8:56 forward pass

I’m still depressed 😭😭😭😭

And yet Gregory Alldritt didnt get eurpoean player of the year. After winning a grand slam, Six nations and Champions cup, it wasnt enough.

Barbarians vs England please

You make it sound as though LaRoche don't have several of the World's best in their highly-paid ranks!? Antonio, Skelton, Aldritt, Danty...are World leaders. Priso, Bougarit, Haddad, Leyds, Dulin....are international class. They were bigger, stronger, faster and more skillful. There win wasn't a shock to people who have been watching analyzing them. They defend in your face, have a mighty scrum, attack from close in, using great footwork, and are monsters at the breakdown.

Ja I agree, if you let the Rhules to play their part you have much better luck than letting the Lawes of the RWC 2019 Final play their part. Rhules are better than Lawes, in my opinion. Particularly since Raymond played for the Stormers a while back as did Dillyn Leyds.

SQQUUUUUIIIDDDGGGEEE

La Rogchelle

The scoreline actually flattered Leinster. La Rochelle were comfortably the better team. Gibson-Park, Sexton, Keenan, Lowe, Ringrose, Ryan, Porter, all over rated and yet again shown up when put under pressure by a physical opponent who can play at pace. May well have happened against TLS in the semifinal had they not been so physically exhausted by their efforts the week before. As it was, other than the first ten minutes La Rochelle dominated all over the park. Too much skill, strength, invention, and rugby game management. Leinster were in no way physically strong enough to compete. It was men against boys for long periods, and that should ring alarm bells for Ireland too given this was essentially a test match outfit playing against a club team. Happy to see La Rochelle win for other reasons too. While Leinster may not spend all of their money on imported players, they still enjoy a massive financial advantage over other clubs in Europe. It allows them to condition school children to fill their league numbers, and pay their starting 23 to stay at home and rest too. Some of those La Rochelle players had played almost three times as many minutes this season as their Leinster opponents - yet they were still fitter, stronger, and faster. Deserved champions.

With the amount of South Africans in these European teams, it's just natural they add South African teams next year. Especially after Leinster got BULLied at home.

Hey, Irish, i'm not gonna lie, it's bad to lose like this but listen: England's defeat at the WC final was far more cruel, you know, because they might just not have the opportunity again, ever. Leinster will come back next year. If that makes you feel any better. ;-)

No views Comments 4 **opens comments section** No comments on site 😐

Its weird that european rugby does not even exist in the New Zealand media

Wow, bunch of imports won against an Irish team with less than 5 imports

i would say another 2-3 french teams could have beaten leinster on "their" day, the fact leinster lost to bulls etc shows this, the only other team you can point to is toulouse with so many national players in one team! the fact they lost with no tries means "no sexton no try" lol lets not even mention how more games french based players play vs urc!

ugly aggression with the elbow on the head of the Irish 18 on Retière when he scores his try. Certainly the match is over but it is a violent and useless gesture. But of course he's not French so that doesn't count much.

The first proper test of the season and Leinster fold. They believed all the waffle and got found out.

8:51 how does the ref and linesman see that forward pass?

sorry, good game

I get why people considered La Rochelle underdogs (small player pool, support), but isn't their annual budget over twice that of Leinster's?