It's game night.
Bristol Bears travel to France this weekend to face two-time winners La Rochelle in their second pool stage game of the 2024/25 Investec Champions Cup.
The Bears come into the daunting tie having lost 35-12 at home to four-time winners Leinster on Sunday after the Irish giants flexed their muscles in the second half at Ashton Gate to run away with the game. La Rochelle were also in the West Country last weekend as they secured a 24-20 victory over Gallagher Premiership leaders Bath at the Recreation Ground.
The game kicks off at 8pm UK time on Saturday night.
Follow all the build-up, team news, live play-by-play match updates, re action, stats, analysis and highlights from the Stade Marcel-Deflandre with regular updates below...
Key Events
Match action
FULL TIME - La Rochelle 35 Bristol Bears 7
In the end that was a comfortable win for the French side who had too much power and strength in depth.
The Bears now have their backs against the wall in a bid to make the knockout stages of the competition.
35-7
TRY - La Rochelle - 35-7
Bristol are under so much pressure in the scrum.
The ball comes out and replacement scrum half Thomas Berjon reacts fastest to pick up and dart over the line.
Ihaia West converts to bring the game to a close.
35-7
NO TRY - La Rochelle - 28-7
Georges-Henri Colombe picks up in a ruck from close range and powers over, but he is part of the ruck and no so not allowed to use his hands so the try is scrubbed off.
We come back for a penalty in the scrum though.
La Rochelle call for another 5m scrum.
28-7
Short of the line
Gabriel Ibitoye gets caught trying to run out from behind his own tryline.
La Rochelle knock the ball down as the Bears try and work it through the hands, the ball goes backwards and the hosts snap it up and flanker Oscar Jegou burst for the Bristol tryline but is tackled just short, he reached out for the line but comes up just short.
We come back for an earlier penalty for offside.
La Rochelle opt for a 5m scrum.
28-7
Crossing save the day
Grégory Alldritt cuts off the wing to break through the Bears defence, but only because replacement Jules Favre blocked a Bears tackler to allow the break.
28-7
A big moment for Halliwell
Jimmy Halliwell, on his Champions Cup debut for the Bears, wins a penalty at the scrum.
That is a nice moment for the 20-year-old, and allows Bristol to exit.
28-7
Bristol's adventure being punished
The Bears look to run out from deep after a couple of clever kicks in behind puts them in trouble.
The English side release Jack Bates down the right wing but he gets isolated and replacement tighthead Georges-Henri Colombe gets his hands on the ball and there is no moving the prop.
28-7
TRY - La Rochelle - 28-7
That is the bonus point secured by La Rochelle.
Attacking from a 5m lineout, Will Skelton explodes into the 10 channel, with Gabriel Ibitoye cutting him down with a brave low chop.
But the ball is recycled quickly and UJ Seuteni explodes onto the ball, pumping his legs to power through the tackle of opposite number Kalaveti Ravouvou.
Ihaia West adds the easy extras.
28-7
Bristol starting to shell penalties
Steven Luatua is thrown across the lineout as he goes up in the air to try and compete.
The result is he concedes a penalty to allow La Rochelle to kick to the corner again.
21-7
Bristol's scrum increasingly under the pump
La Rochelle's size and power is beginning to show in the scrum, but after a reset the Bears win a penalty at the setpiece battle.
Ellis Genge and Max Lahiff are both on and still fighting at the coalface, but they are missing the size of Bill Mata and Santi Grondona.
21-7
Botia the ace of Ronan O'Gara's sleeve
Levani Botia has had a stunning impact since coming on, having scored a try, he wins his second jackal penalty to allow the hosts to kick to the corner.
21-7
Beautiful offloading rugby
Both sides are moving the ball with real skill tonight and La Rochelle cause real damange with an attack that sees three offloads go to hand, but the fourth is knocked on to hand the Bears a scrum.
21-7
Key man limps off
Bill Mata comes off looking beaten up.
Benjamin Grondona is on at number eight.
21-7
Interception
La Rochelle look likely to score again but Gabriel Oghre picks off a pass in his 22 and takes off.
The Bears work the ball through the hands to Harry Randall who gets to within 5m of the line.
La Rochelle then blast through the ruck close to their tryline - it looks illegal - but the referee lets play continue and the hosts turn the ball over.
That was breathless play.
21-7
TRY - La Rochelle - 21-7
What power from La Rochelle.
The French side's big men come to the party with Will Skelton and Uini Atonio both running over Bristol defenders to get the hosts on the front foot.
The Bears bravely scramble back but replacement flanker Levani Botia picks and powers over from a couple of metres out.
Ihaia West converts.
21-7
Oghre with the dancing feet
Bristol have a high pressure lineout on their 5m line and opt to throw to the front man who doesn't get lifted and the visitors release Gabriel Oghre who darts 30m, dancing around three or four defenders.
Joue!
14-7
NO TRY - La Rochelle - 14-7
This one is so tight.
La Rochelle manage to get three offloads away in quick succession to stress the Bears defence and put Jack Nowell away down the right wing.
Benhard Janse van Rensburg and Joe Owen come across to try and force the sliding winger into touch and look to have just pulled off a brilliant try-saving tackle.
That was a matter of inches.
14-7
A masterclass in maul defence
Steven Luatua is the invisible man tonight as he comes through the middle of a La Rochelle maul again to wrap up the ball carrier and win his side a turnover when the setpiece goes to ground.
14-7
C-bomb on Premier Sports
I am not sure which team it came from, but the ref mic just picked up the c-bomb swear word after coming together between the players on the pitch.
Whoops.
14-7
SECOND HALF KICKS OFF
Sam Worsely gets the second half underway.
There has been a chance at half time for the Bears who have lost Santi Grondona to an injury.
Jamie Hodgson is on for his debut.
14-7
Trylights - Jack Nowell finishes a worldie
Jack Nowell comes up with a moment of magic for La Rochelle pic.twitter.com/ws3ZQWtatG
— John Evely (@JohnEvely_BPost) December 14, 2024
Trylights - Jack Bates takes his chance to shine
Sublime rugby from Brsitol Bears to get back into the contest against La Rochelle pic.twitter.com/PNXe9Z1MLg
— John Evely (@JohnEvely_BPost) December 14, 2024
Match action
HALF TIME - La Rochelle 14 Bristol Bears 7
You could make a very decent argument that the Bears should be level at the break having butchered a try midway through the half.
A late score from Jack Bates means they are alive in the contest at the Stade Marcel-Deflandre.
TRY - Bristol Bears - 14-7
That is a stunner!
Bristol take a quick lineout around midfiield.
It is messy, with the ball bouncing off the tuft, but the Bears work the ball wide for Benjamin Elizalde who dinks a cross-field kick for Jack Bates to take above Dillyn Leyds and then he steps back inside two La Rochelle tacklers to finish brilliantly.
Sam Worsley adds the conversion from 10m to the right of the uprights.
Game on.
14-7
Ouch
Bill Mata flattens Matthias Haddad to force a knock on from the La Rochelle flanker inside his 22.
That hands the Bears a scrum in a great position.
14-0
50/22
Benhard Janse van Rensburg makes a rare mistake with a poor loose kick.
Jonathan Danty takes over his shoulder and has time to turn and launch brilliant 50/22 kick.
But La Rochelle lose the ball at the lineout deep in the opposition 22.
14-0
