Stade Rochelais

For the basketball club, see Stade Rochelais Basket.

Stade Rochelais (French pronunciation: [stad ʁɔʃlɛ]), commonly called La Rochelle, is a French professional rugby union club based in La Rochelle, France that competes in the Top 14. Founded in 1898 and wearing yellow and black, the club's first-team plays its home matches at Stade Marcel-Deflandre.

Stade Rochelais

Full name	Stade Rochelais
Nickname(s)	Les Maritimes (The Seaborn Men) Les Jaune et Noir (The Yellow and Blacks) Les Bagnards (The Convicts)
Founded	1898; 127 years ago (1898)
Location	La Rochelle, France
Ground(s)	Stade Marcel-Deflandre (Capacity: 16,700)
Chairman	Vincent Merling
Coach(es)	Ronan O'Gara
Captain(s)	Grégory Alldritt Uini Atonio
League(s)	Top 14
2024–25	7th
1st kit 2nd kit 3rd kit
Official website
www.staderochelais.com

Alongside other French club Brive, La Rochelle is one of only two clubs that won the European Rugby Champions Cup (twice in its case; beating Leinster in both 2022 and 2023 finals) without succeeding in winning its domestic championship losing on both occasions against Toulouse in the final: the first time in 2021 and the second in 2023. Owned by several shareholders, including club president and coffee magnate Vincent Merling, the club is renowned for the fervour of its supporters and its continual sold-out home matches.

History

Originally formed in 1898, Stade Rochelais won three regional Atlantic championships in the early part of the 20th century, qualifying them for the French Championship, where they reached the quarter-finals twice and the semi-finals once.^[1] The popularity of rugby league in the area lessened the number of available players, and in 1935 Stade Rochelais merged with neighbours Union Sportive Rochelaise.^[1]

Occupation of La Rochelle by troops from Nazi Germany, accompanied by a banning of rugby league by the Vichy Government, forced the city's rugby league club La Rochelle-Etudiants XIII to also be merged into Stade Rochelais in 1941.^[1] This was overseen by club President Marcel Deflandre, who was later executed for his role as part of the French Resistance - the club's stadium is named Stade Marcel-Deflandre in his honour.^[1]

The club formed a school for training players and coaches in the 1950s, resulting in them reaching the French Championship quarter-finals three times in the 1960s.^[1] They were relegated in 1985, returning in 1997.^[1] They were again relegated in 2002, though they won the Challenge Yves du Manoir that same year.^[1] They retained the Challenge title the following year but were not promoted again until 2010.^[1] They spent one season in Top 16 before being relegated again.^[1]

Les Maritimes came third in the 2013–14 Rugby Pro D2 season and were promoting after beating Agen in the play-off final.

In May 2022, they won both their first ever trophy and first ever Champions Cup defeating Leinster 24–21 at the Stade Vélodrome.^[2]

In May 2023, they retained the Champions Cup again defeating Leinster this time 27–26 at the Aviva Stadium.^[3]

Honours

• European Rugby Champions Cup
  • Champions (2): 2022, 2023
  • Runners-up (1): 2021
• French championship Top 14
  • Runners-up (2): 2021, 2023
• European Rugby Challenge Cup
  • Runners-up (1): 2019
• League Cup
  • Champions (2): 2002, 2003

Finals results

French Championship

Date	Winners	Score	Runners-up	Venue	Spectators
25 June 2021	Stade Toulousain	18–8	Stade Rochelais	Stade de France, Saint-Denis	14,000
17 June 2023	Stade Toulousain	29-26	Stade Rochelais	Stade de France, Saint-Denis	79,804

European Rugby Champions Cup

Date	Winners	Score	Runners-up	Venue	Spectators
22 May 2021	Stade Toulousain	22–17	Stade Rochelais	Twickenham Stadium, London	10,000
28 May 2022	Stade Rochelais	24–21	Leinster	Orange Vélodrome, Marseille	59,682
20 May 2023	Stade Rochelais	27–26	Leinster	Aviva Stadium, Dublin	51,711

European Rugby Challenge Cup

Date	Winners	Score	Runners-up	Venue	Spectators
10 May 2019	ASM Clermont	36–16	Stade Rochelais	St James' Park, Newcastle	28,438

Current standings

2024–25 Top 14 Table

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	TF	TA	TB	LB	Pts	Qualification
1	Toulouse (C)	26	18	1	7	891	462	+429	118	52	11	5	90	Qualification for playoff semi-finals and European Rugby Champions Cup
2	Bordeaux Bègles	26	17	0	9	762	609	+153	98	72	5	5	78
3	Toulon	26	15	0	11	680	595	+85	79	68	7	5	72	Qualification for playoff semi-final qualifiers and European Rugby Champions Cup
4	Bayonne	26	15	1	10	632	650	−18	72	76	2	4	68
5	Clermont	26	13	0	13	674	627	+47	85	67	6	5	63
6	Castres	26	13	2	11	626	658	−32	69	71	3	4	63
7	La Rochelle	26	13	1	12	617	635	−18	75	65	5	3	62	Qualification for European Rugby Champions Cup
8	Pau	26	13	0	13	682	719	−37	73	92	4	5	61
9	Montpellier	26	12	0	14	623	609	+14	66	64	3	5	56	Qualification for European Rugby Challenge Cup
10	Racing 92	26	11	2	13	710	720	−10	81	83	1	7	56
11	Lyon	26	10	2	14	675	722	−47	77	84	2	4	50
12	Stade Français	26	10	0	16	597	755	−158	64	92	2	3	45
13	Perpignan	26	9	2	15	469	647	−178	40	72	2	2	44	Qualification for relegation play-off
14	Vannes (R)	26	7	1	18	661	891	−230	76	115	1	5	36	Relegation to Pro D2 [fr]

Updated to match(es) played on 9 June 2025. Source: Top 14
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated

Current squad

For player movements before or during the 2025–26 season, see List of 2025–26 Top 14 transfers § La Rochelle.

The La Rochelle squad for the 2025–26 season is:^[4][5]

Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.

Player Position Union Pierre Bourgarit Hooker France Tolu Latu Hooker Australia Quentin Lespiaucq Hooker France Nika Sutidze Hooker Georgia Uini Atonio Prop France Alexandre Kaddouri Prop France Alexsandre Kuntelia Prop Georgia Louis Penverne Prop France Joel Sclavi Prop Argentina Reda Wardi Prop France Ultan Dillane Lock Ireland Kane Douglas Lock Australia Thomas Lavault Lock France Will Skelton Lock Australia Greg Alldritt Back row France Paul Boudehent Back row France Levani Botia Back row Fiji Judicaël Cancoriet Back row France Matthias Haddad Back row France Oscar Jégou Back row France

Player Position Union Thomas Berjon Scrum-half France Nolann Le Garrec Scrum-half France Antoine Hastoy Fly-half France Ihaia West Fly-half New Zealand Jonathan Danty Centre France Jules Favre Centre France Semi Lagivala Centre Fiji UJ Seuteni Centre Samoa Hoani Bosmorin Wing France Dillyn Leyds Wing South Africa Jack Nowell Wing England Davit Niniashvili Fullback Georgia Ugo Pacôme Fullback France

Espoirs squad

Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.

Player Position Union Romain Albinet Hooker France Gabin Garault Hooker France Mathis Clavier Prop France Upalato Feao Prop France Gael Galvan Prop Argentina Maxence Ligeron-Borg Prop France Christian Luaki Prop France Toine Obang Nguema Prop Netherlands Robin Gardiner Lock France Simon Huchet Lock France Charles Kante-Samba Lock France Ybann Padouou Lock France Lucas Andjisseramatchi Back row France Oscar Boutez Back row France Hugo Marchois Back row New Zealand Edouard Richer Back row France Kelyan Takosi Back row New Zealand

Player Position Union Temanatua Boichot Scrum-half France Nolhann Couillard Fly-half France Diego Jurd Fly-half France Simeli Daunivucu Centre France Pierre Berthelot Wing France Nathan Bollengier Wing France Jurgen Kamoto Wing Tonga Maxime Thomas Wing France Peni Torau Vuetimaiwai Wing Fiji Martin Betsen Fullback France Hugo Bizotto Fullback France

Notable former players

See also: Category:Stade Rochelais players

• Facundo Bosch
• Ramiro Herrera
• Germán Llanes
• Federico Todeschini
• Zack Holmes
• Brock James
• Ryan Lamb
• Lopeti Timani
• Julien Berger
• Jason Marshall
• Lesley Vainikolo
• Sireli Bobo
• Eneriko Buliruarua
• Norman Ligairi
• Kini Murimurivalu
• Jone Qovu
• Seru Rabeni
• Alipate Ratini
• Savenaca Rawaca
• Albert Vulivuli
• Marc Andreu
• Julien Audy
• Alexi Balès
• Jean-Pascal Barraque
• Steeve Barry
• Pierre Bérard
• Mohamed Boughanmi
• Benoît Bourrust
• Damien Cler
• Thomas Combezou
• Manoël Dall'igna
• Benjamin Dambielle
• Vincent Debaty
• Yacine Dekkiche
• William Demotte
• Geoffrey Doumayrou
• Luc Ducalcon
• Arnaud Élissalde
• Jean-Baptiste Élissalde
• Jean-Pierre Élissalde
• Sébastien Fauqué
• Lionel Faure
• Romain Frou
• Loann Goujon
• Jean-Philippe Grandclaude
• Gabriel Lacroix
• Damien Lagrange
• Grégory Lamboley
• Benjamin Lapeyre
• Benoit Lecouls
• Henri Magois
• Gérald Merceron
• Jean Pambrun
• Vincent Pelo
• Julien Pierre
• Jules Plisson
• Dany Priso
• Vincent Rattez
• Arthur Retière
• David Roumieu
• Christophe Samson
• Laurent Simutoga
• Jérémy Sinzelle
• Rémi Talès
• Jean-Teiva Jacquelain
• Gagi Bazadze
• Guram Papidze
• Robert Mohr
• Gonzalo Canale
• Pietro Ceccarelli
• Leandro Cedaro
• Jason Eaton
• Hamish Gard
• Romana Graham
• David Raikuna
• Rene Ranger
• Victor Vito
• Ihaia West
• Petrișor Toderașc
• Alofa Alofa
• Piula Faʻasalele
• Tamato Leupolu
• Ricky Januarie
• Paul Jordaan

Arnaud, then his son Jean-Pierre and his grandson Jean-Baptiste all played for La Rochelle as scrum-halves.

Coaches

Well known former coaches include

• Arnaud Élissalde
• Jean-Pierre Élissalde
• Patrice Collazo
• Xavier Garbajosa
• Ronan O'Gara

The club only had five head coaches from 1992 to 2025 including Ronan O'Gara since 2019.^[6][7]

Leadership and management

Vincent Merling, president as of 2017, had guided the club for 25 years. He was the driving force behind the "Grow Together" campaign launched in 2015 that persuaded 500 local businesses to support/sponsor the club.^[6]

See also

• List of rugby union clubs in France
• Rugby union in France