France's Le Garrec inspires La Rochelle to Toulon rout / Photo: © AFP
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France's Le Garrec inspires La Rochelle to Toulon rout
Antoine Dupont's France understudy Nolann Le Garrec scored 24 points as La Rochelle hammered a much-changed Toulon 66-0 to move up to seventh in the French Top 14 table.
Scrum-half Le Garrec scored twice and slotted seven conversions, missing just two, in an influential display almost a month from the start of the Six Nations when holders Les Bleus welcome Ireland.
Australia hooker Tolu Latu also claimed a double for Ronan O'Gara's hosts who are now two points from the play-off spots before heading to Leinster in the Champions Cup next weekend.
Toulon are fifth in the table having failed to score a point in a game for the first time since December 2018.
Latu's compatriot in giant Wallabies lock Will Skelton started on the bench for just his fourth game of the season before next Saturday's daunting trip to Dublin, a re-run of the 2022 and 2023 finals.
Toulon named 10 academy players in their 23-man squad, resting first-choice players ahead of hosting Munster next Sunday, but ex-All Black Ma'a Nonu was among the substitutes aged 43.
La Rochelle were celebrating a decade of sold-out Top 14 games at their Stade Marcel Deflandre home, a run of 112 matches.
The 18,000 crowd on the Atlantic coast were more than pleased with the first half as their side led 35-0 at the break.
O'Gara's side steamrolled their inexperienced visitors with Latu's double and Le Garrec scoring 15 points.
Latu was replaced at the break by Nika Sutidze and Skelton entered the fray as the rout continued with five tries as Le Garrec added a second and 33-year-old Skelton claimed his first touchdown since November 2024.
On Saturday, league leaders Toulouse lost 30-27 at struggling Perpignan with scrum-half Antoine Dupont rested before facing Saracens in the Champions Cup next weekend.
Bayonne suffered their heaviest defeat since 2021, losing 62-22 at Montpellier with president Philippe Tayeb putting pressure on head coach Gregory Patat.
"I've been sounding the alarm on a variety of subjects for a while now," Tayeb told Canal+.
"Maybe I wasn't heard, but now, if I'm not heard, I'll have to make some decisions," he added.
I.Stoeckli--VB