On Friday evening, LOU Rugby won the first European trophy in its history at the Stade Vélodrome in Marseille by winning the Challenge Cup final against Rugby Club Toulonnais. And if the people of La Rochelle celebrated their first Champions Cup with dignity, among other things during an incredible parade in the Old Port of La Rochelle (before, on Monday, celebrating it again at the home of the president of the maritime club, Vincent Merling), the Lyonnais were much more measured.
“We did not celebrate it that much, assured the center Pierre-Louis Barassi in the columns of the Midi Olympique. We obviously spent a very nice evening all together after the final, after which everyone returned to the hotel at their own pace. The club had then planned a small brunch for us on Saturday at the beginning of the afternoon before returning to Lyon. We were supposed to arrive to watch the Champions Cup final but as we were a little late, we managed as best we could on the bus, on the phones, on the tablets…”
A measure which is explained by the capital appointment of Sunday evening. The LOU receives La Rochelle on the 26th and last day of the Top 14 regular season and must win with the offensive bonus to qualify for the final phase. “When we arrived in Lyon, some people continued the party a bit, but we didn’t go to excess either. Basically, everyone knows that the story is not over and that there is still at least one important match to play”, justified the future player of Stade Toulousain.
