Stade Rochelais beat Clermont 38-13 in the Top 14 on 3 October 2026. The hosts dominated from the start and did not travel to make up the numbers. It was a straightforward affair for the side sitting 6th in the table.
The margin tells you everything about the performance on the day. Rochelais paid for a sloppy opening from their visitors and never let them back into the contest. They controlled the tempo throughout the second half.
We had called for a home victory before kickoff, with confidence sitting at 69%, and the result confirms that assessment without needing any hindsight as Clermont simply did not have the answers when things came to a head. The visitors struggled to find space in the final third. By then, the gap was unbridgeable.
The win moves Rochelais to 12 points from 5 games played, while Clermont remain on 10 points after 2 defeats in their last 3 outings. To be fair, both sides have shown vulnerability in attack recently. Rochelais have won 2 of their 5 matches against higher-placed opposition, beating Toulon 21-20 and Toulouse 30-27 before losing to Paloise and Racing. And here's the thing, Clermont’s record is less stable, having lost 4 of their 5 games away from home. They failed to score in 2 of those defeats.
The two clubs are now separated by just 2 points in the standings. Rochelais will look to extend their run while Clermont dig in for their next fixture. It is a tight race above and below the top 6.
