Pool 4: Sale 24-37 La RochelleResult confirms Leicester’s place in last 16 of competition
The eagerly anticipated shootout for qualification from Pool D of the Champions Cup turned out to be straightforward for the back-to-back reigning champions. Defeats to Leinster and the Stormers in the opening two rounds left some wondering whether La Rochelle could even qualify for the last 16, let alone threaten to match Toulon’s historic three in a row.
But Ronan O’Gara’s men have returned to form just in time. They dismantled Leicester last week and here were once again superior against English opposition to qualify and, in the process, consign Sale to the Challenge Cup. The Sharks knew victory here would see them qualify regardless and even Leicester would have watched this with some tension, given how a Sale win and two losing bonus points for La Rochelle would have meant the Tigers had to settle for the Challenge Cup.