42 mins: Penalty scored by Munster! After the restart, Nash turns the ball over and Crowley scores the penalty nicely. Great start to the half. La Rochelle 10 Munster 10 40 mins: Nearly a brilliant interception by Beirne but he couldn’t keep a hold of it. Beirne then nearly stole it again from La Rochelle, but O’Mahony had conceded a penalty. West kicks for touch rather than the posts. Good lineout by La Rochelle, then Jegou comes crashing at the defence at speed. They reach five metres, several advantages, West tries to find the wing but back for the advantage for offside. Munster barely hanging on, but look like they’ll concede here. Penalty scored by La Rochelle. West kicks over in front of the posts. Half-time: La Rochelle 10 Munster 7 Intense half of rugby, Munster were up against it until West’s yellow card, then they had a great 10-minute spell before La Rochelle eventually edged back control. Still all to play for. 38 mins: Atonio shows his power to win a scrum penalty, but Skelton knocks it on and a scrum for Munster. Slower few minutes before half-time. La Rochelle 7 Munster 7 32 mins: Nash found another gap and looked threatening but Alldritt rescues it for La Rochelle. From that attack, Nash ended up with a blood injury for his troubles. The French side are really struggling since the yellow card. La Rochelle have escaped the worst of it though with good defence, Skelton turning the ball over, with West ready to come back on. La Rochelle 7 Munster 7 30 mins: Munster pushing forward with the extra man, good sidestep by O’Brien gets Munster to five metres, O’Mahony carries near the line. Casey recycles but Kleyn knocks it on after strong defending by La Rochelle’s Lavault. Opportunity missed. La Rochelle 7 Munster 7 28 mins: Momentum with Munster! They turn the ball over on Leyds then Crowley kicks a superb kick to the five-metre line from the penalty. Munster crowd are alive. Unfortunately the ball is knocked forward from the lineout by Munster. La Rochelle 7 Munster 7 25 mins: TRY FOR MUNSTER! A moment of magic from Thaakir Abrahams! He finds a gap in the defence and accelerates into space through everyone, lays it off to Craig Casey who does well himself to finish. Crowley converts. Electric rugby from Munster! La Rochelle 7 Munster 7 TMO check for a high tackle by West on O’Brien. Yellow card for La Rochelle! West gets a yellow card as the two clash heads, poor tackling technique. La Rochelle 7 Munster 0 22 mins: La Rochelle go again but they knock it on as Smith comes back on, Beirne back up too. Up to 15 again. La Rochelle 7 Munster 0 19 mins: Again Munster knock the ball ahead with some sloppy play, not playing too badly overall but just letting themselves down with mistakes. La Rochelle look to punish. They accelerate to the other 22 in 10-15 seconds with rapid passing, Thomas heavily involved, then makes several metres towards the 5-metre line but Munster turn it over and escape. Beirne is down injured too. La Rochelle 7 Munster 0 15 mins: Several phases for Munster outside the 22 as they build up possession. Then O’Brien overhits the pass to Nash out of play. La Rochelle 7 Munster 0 12 mins: Try for La Rochelle! It was coming, The captain Alldritt with a big impact and Levani Botia is the one who gets it down, Seuteni offloads to him. Easy conversion for Ihaia West. La Rochelle 7 Munster 0 10 mins: Munster knock the ball on and from the scrum, La Rochelle fly up the pitch and Munster give away a penalty. Yellow card for Andrew Smith! Munster down to 14 and under pressure. La Rochelle 0 Munster 0 7 mins: Great little quick kick from Casey into a great position. Safe lineout though by La Rochelle and out of play. La Rochelle 0 Munster 0 5 mins: Misplaced kick by Crowley after the defensive lineout, out of play. La Rochelle power forward to the 22, but Hodnett gets a great turnover for Munster, Crowley clears out of play. La Rochelle 0 Munster 0 Looked like a try for La Rochelle! After 47 seconds, Kerr-Barlow scores! Sumptuous rugby by La Rochelle, Atonio with a good lay-off, ends up with Thomas on the wing who accelerates and then passes to Kerr-Barlow who touches down. But it’s being checked for a foot in touch... TMO is having a close look, looks like the foot is in touch. No try given! Munster get away with it. Amazing atmosphere at the Stade Marcel Deflandre, both sets of fans giving it socks. Off we go! Here are the teams again: La Rochelle: Dillyn Leyds; Jack Nowell, Teddy Thomas, Ulupano Seuteni, Hoani Bosmorin; Ihaia West, Tawera Kerr-Barlow; Reda Wardi, Pierre Bourgarit, Uini Atonio; Thomas Lavault, Will Skelton,; Levani Botia, Oscar Jegou, Gregory Alldritt (capt). Replacements: Quentin Lespiaucq, Alexandre Kaddouri, Aleksandre Kuntelia, Ultan Dillane, Judicael Cancoriet, Matthias Haddad, Antoine Hastoy, Jules Favre. Munster: Thaakir Abrahams; Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Seán O’Brien, Andrew Smith; Jack Crowley, Craig Casey; Jeremy Loughman, Diarmuid Barron, Oli Jager; Jean Kleyn, Tadhg Beirne (capt); Peter O’Mahony, John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes. Replacements: Niall Scannell, Josh Wycherley, Stephen Archer, Fineen Wycherley, Tom Ahern, Conor Murray, Rory Scannell, Alex Kendellen. Leinster have won 62-0 over Harlequins at Croke Park, impressive stuff. Read the reaction from John O’Sullivan: [ A 10-try salvo sees Leinster put Harlequins to the sword denying the visitors a single point in a 62-0 winOpens in new window ] Here is the Munster preview from Gerry Thornley: “Munster have a real chance, not least because of their DNA in this competition and by hook or by crook the Red Army will probably astonish us once more by the thousands inside a warm sunny day in the Deflandre. But the absence of Nankivell’s physicality, and the memory of La Rochelle’s performance against Leinster demonstrates why they have to be favourites.” [ La Rochelle v Munster: Ronan O’Gara’s side lie in wait at Stade Marcel DeflandreOpens in new window ] In the earlier match, Leinster are demolishing Harlequins at Croke Park, they’re 31-0 up nearly midway through the second half. Follow the updates with John O’Sullivan there: [ Leinster v Harlequins live score updatesOpens in new window ] A deep look at La Rochelle, using stats by Nathan Johns. He writes that Munster can take hope from the fact that Ronan O’Gara’s men have struggled to hit the heights this season both in defence and attack. “In all their years of success since O’Gara joined in 2019, statistically speaking, this is the best time to play La Rochelle. The prospect of busting the numbers, leaning on experience in a bid to rescue their season, makes Saturday’s contest all the more intriguing.” [ Rugby analysis: The stats say La Rochelle are no longer the sum of their partsOpens in new window ] A nice day out for the Munster fans, a sunny 19 degrees in La Rochelle. Pretty sunny in Ireland though too, to be fair. Hello and welcome to live coverage of Munster’s clash against La Rochelle in the Champions Cup last 16. Two teams of great European pedigree, with Ronan O’Gara playing a big role in some of Munster’s greatest days and managing some of La Rochelle’s greatest ones. It’s an enticing contest. Munster have not been pitch perfect all season themselves, but they will be encouraged by La Rochelle’s indifferent form in the Top 14 and Champions Cup so far. One look though at the La Rochelle starting XV and Ian Costello’s men will know they’re in for a tough game. Kick-off at the Stade Marcel Deflandre is at 5.30pm. Here are the teams: La Rochelle: Dillyn Leyds; Jack Nowell, Teddy Thomas, Ulupano Seuteni, Hoani Bosmorin; Ihaia West, Tawera Kerr-Barlow; Reda Wardi, Pierre Bourgarit, Uini Atonio; Thomas Lavault, Will Skelton,; Levani Botia, Oscar Jegou, Gregory Alldritt (capt). Replacements: Quentin Lespiaucq, Alexandre Kaddouri, Aleksandre Kuntelia, Ultan Dillane, Judicael Cancoriet, Matthias Haddad, Antoine Hastoy, Jules Favre. Munster: Thaakir Abrahams; Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Seán O’Brien, Andrew Smith; Jack Crowley, Craig Casey; Jeremy Loughman, Diarmuid Barron, Oli Jager; Jean Kleyn, Tadhg Beirne (capt); Peter O’Mahony, John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes. Replacements: Niall Scannell, Josh Wycherley, Stephen Archer, Fineen Wycherley, Tom Ahern, Conor Murray, Rory Scannell, Alex Kendellen.