O'Gara's La Rochelle clinically dispatch Saracens

La Rochelle will face Exeter in the Heineken Champions Cup semi-finals in Bordeaux after they clinically dispatched three-time winners Saracens 24-10.

Ronan O'Gara’s men made it 14 wins in a row on the pitch this season and last as they picked up a third Gallagher Premiership scalp of the campaign, having twice beaten Northampton in the pool stages and Gloucester in the round of 16.

Saracens did not get to grips with the refereeing interpretations of Ireland’s Andrew Brace, conceding 18 penalties and missing 26 tackles. They also lost replacement hooker Tom Wolstencroft to a yellow card at the end.

The champions fired the first shots with their early pressure earning them two penalties which Antoine Hastoy kicked in the first and fourth minutes. The home outside-half then missed with a third shot a few minutes later.

All three kicks were down to their tigerish attitude at the breakdown, with Ben Earl, Billy Vunipola and Alex Goode all being punished in that phase. Fijian Levani Botia, who switches between centre and openside flanker, was brilliant in the back and went on to win a stream of turnovers.

Saracens got their first chance to build pressure in the home 22 after Owen Farrell kicked a penalty to within 10 metres. They could not turn that raid into points, but picked up three from their next entry after 22 minutes when Farrell kicked a penalty from in front of the posts after former Saracens man Will Skelton had infringed.

That attack came at a high cost as Saracens lost number eight Billy Vunipola to what looked like a serious injury to his right knee. The England back row man tried to limp off, but was eventually taken to the dressing room by stretcher and watched the second half on crutches.

Jackson Wray came on to