Receiving a pass backward on the opponents’ 22-meter line during the ninth round of the Top 14, young utility back Sacha Elissalde launched into an impressive slalom through the defense, eliminating five defenders to set up Jules Favre for the winning try against Bayonne, rugbyrama.fr reported.
The match marked only the second start in the Top 14 for Elissalde, whose family carries a renowned rugby legacy. Present in the stands at Marcel-Deflandre, his father watched in amazement while his grandfather, Jean-Pierre Elissalde, appeared visibly moved by the decisive play.
“It was five or six seconds that were out of time,” Jean-Pierre Elissalde said, according to rugbyrama.fr. “They will mark my memory, even if I tend to lose it (laughs).”
LES LARMES DE JEAN-PIERRE ÉLISSALDE DEVANT L'EXPLOIT DE SACHA ÉLISSALDE 🥺 Les crochets dévastateurs de l’arrière rochelais qui offrent l’essai à Jules Favre 🤩@staderochelais 🙌#SRAB pic.twitter.com/tnBBCsnzMK
“I had my eyes a little red it’s true, I must have had a speck of dust in my eye (laughs),” he added, as reported by rugbyrama.fr.
Reflecting on the breakthrough moment for his grandson, Jean-Pierre Elissalde compared the milestone to early childhood steps. “We must marvel at our grandchild, whether he rides a bike without training wheels, dives into the pool or recites the alphabet,” he told rugbyrama.fr.
“There, he took off the training wheels and I said: ‘Hats off to the artist'”, he added.
| Metric / Detail | Match Context |
|---|---|
| Opposing Team | Bayonne |
| Stade Rochelais Player | Sacha Elissalde |
| Defenders Beaten | Five |
| Decisive Action | Assist for Jules Favre’s try |
Despite his long-standing ties to Bayonne, Jean-Pierre Elissalde expressed satisfaction with the outcome as a supporter of Stade Rochelais. “The team was in a difficult position, but I am a little Bayonnais too,” he stated to rugbyrama.fr, noting that Bayonne secured a defensive bonus point from the encounter.
