the triumphant return of the players from La Rochelle after winning the European Cup

A yellow and black human tide on the port of La Rochelle (Charente-Maritime), Sunday 21 May, to applaud the kings of European rugby. The afternoon was a holiday for the rugby players of the Stade Rochelais and for the 40,000 crazy fans. A city, in communion with its champions, who insisted on sharing the hard-earned trophy against Irish side Leinster on Saturday. Crazy match, started badly for the Rochelais at the start.

A victory in extremis

“We thought it wasn’t possible at the beginning of the match and in fact everything turned around, they had a crazy mind. It was fantastic”, rolls a supporter. Because at the beginning of the meeting the scenario was not in favor of the Rochelais. Leinster players dominated their opponents, after 12 minutes of play and three tries, the Irish were leading 17 – 0. But with eight minutes to go, Georges-Henri Colombe saved his side with a last-gasp try. They then brandish the cup for the second consecutive year. It took the players more than two hours to cross the port, time to savor their second star.