Newcastle knocked out by much-changed La Rochelle

ECPR Challenge Cup

Newcastle Red Bulls (8) 18

Tries: E. Obatoyinbo, McCallum Con: Connon Pens: Connon 2

La Rochelle (15) 26

Tries: West, Favre, Garault, Couillaud Pens: Jurd 2

Newcastle Red Bulls were knocked out of the Challenge Cup by a late burst from much-changed La Rochelle.

The French giants, Champions Cup winners in 2022 and 2023, came through some awful weather conditions at Kingston Park to book a quarter-final trip to Ulster next weekend.

Three tries in 13 minutes in the first half through Ihaia West, Jules Favre and Gabin Garault put La Rochelle 12 points up.

But with Newcastle a man extra, scores from Elliott Obatoyinbo and Murray McCallum brought the game level at 15-15.

A Brett Connon penalty put the Red Bulls ahead before Diego Jurd kicked two of his own and then Nolhann Couillaud's try in the final minute ended a disappointing evening for the home side.

Despite their European pedigree, La Rochelle were disappointing in the Champions Cup this season, culminating in a surprise home loss to Harlequins, which knocked them down into this competition.

The French giants are currently ninth in the Top 14 and head coach, former Ireland fly-half, Ronan O'Gara showed where the priorities are by making 13 changes from the side that lost to Bayonne seven days ago, with absentees including France scrum-half Nolann Le Garrec, Australia lock Will Skelton and ex-England winger Jack Nowell.

Newcastle have only won once in the Prem to sit bottom, but they have really targeted the Challenge Cup, winning three of their four pool matches to earn this home tie as they chased a first quarter-final for five years.

Connon's early penalty put the Red Bulls on the board, but three tries in 13 minutes put the French side in control.

West superbly touched down Adrien Seguret's delicate grubber kick, winger Favre finished well in the corner and then hooker Garault scored on the blindside after Newcastle were caught cold at a line-out.

But New Zealand full-back West was sin-binned for a tackle off the ball and with a man extra, the home side brought themselves level either side of the break.

Obatoyinbo went over after a big pass from Connon to reduce it to a seven-point game and then just after half-time replacement prop McCallum provided the highlight of the night, as he showed a rare turn of pace and side-step to cut through the French defence to score, with Connon then levelling it up.

As the rain and wind worsened at Kingston Park, a Connon penalty put his team back in front, although Fergus Lee-Warner was then yellow carded for a head-on-head tackle.

With the Australian off the field, a Jurd penalty brought La Rochelle level, but by this stage, they had beefed up their pack with three internationals summoned from their bench and it paid dividends with Newcastle unable to match that physicality.

Jurd had hit the bar with one penalty but slotted another through the posts and when the Red Bulls lost the ball one metre from their line, Couillaud dived down to put the seal on it.

'First-half really hurt us' - reaction

Newcastle Red Bulls interim head coach Stephen Jones told BBC Radio Newcastle:

"First-half we gave ourselves a bit of a mountain to climb as we conceded on pretty much every entry they had into our 22.

"We tidied that up second-half and started playing our game and I was really happy with how we were going.

"But the last 20 minutes was kicks to the corner from them and trying to wear us down.

"It was an incredibly difficult evening with the weather, so tough for the players. We played into that strong breeze second-half and did a lot of things well, but that first-half really hurt us.

"But what an effort from the guys. We were winning 18-15 with 20 minutes to go, we were right in that until the end."

Newcastle Red Bulls: E Obatoyinbo; Wade, Hearle, Beeckmans, Spencer; Connon, Benitez Cruz; Brocklebank, McGuigan, Palframan, Hodgson, Clarke, Gordon, Christie, Leathebarrow.

Replacements: Adejimi, Rewcastle, McCallum, Lee-Warner, Parsons, Elliott, Healy, Cardall.

Sin-bin: Lee-Warner (57)

La Rochelle: West; Favre, Seuteni, Seguiret, Bosmorin; Jurd, Berjon; Penverne, Garault, Sorin, Lavault, Huchet, Richer, Andjisseramatchi, Waqanisarawi.

Replacements: Latu, Luaki, Sclavi, Kuntelia, Cancoriet, Kaddouri, Elissalde, Couillaud.

Sin-bin: West (38)

Referee: Eoghan Cross