Exeter Chiefs’ dreams of another Heineken Champions Cup final were ruthlessly crushed by Stade Rochelais on Sunday as the French side marched to a statement 47-28 win in Bordeaux. Reigning champions La Rochelle made it three finals in three years and set up a rematch with Leinster Rugby, who they defeated last year, as Raymond Rhule (2), Tawera Kerr Barlow (2), UJ Seuteni, Grégory Alldritt and Pierre Bourgarit crossed at the Matmut ATLANTIQUE, with Antoine Hastoy adding six conversions. It is the most points and most tries (seven) scored by a team in a Heineken Champions Cup semi-final. Exeter, who bid farewell to a number of players who helped them lift the trophy in 2020, were soundly beaten but managed scores through Sam Simmonds, Josh Iosefa-Scott, Olly Woodburn and Jack Yeandle. Chiefs got off to a dream start as they piled early pressure on La Rochelle before No.8 Simmonds eventually powered over in a trademark finish on five minutes. https://twitter.com/ChampionsCup/status/1652677969771655171 But the hosts would find a response three minutes later as wing Rhule controlled fly-half Hastoy’s chip with a deft piece of footwork before gathering and dotting down. La Rochelle began to wrestle control of the contest and notched their second try 22 minutes as No.8 Alldritt linked with centre Seuteni, the latter ghosting through the Chiefs defence to cross unchallenged. When Exeter hooker Dan Frost was sin-binned on half an hour, La Rochelle further seized the initiative, captain Alldritt darting over after scooping up at the back of a dominant scrum. And the TOP 14 side would score their best try of the half shortly before the break as a delightful, flowing team move ended with scrum-half Kerr Barlow cruising in. Another stunning score came moments after the restart as La Rochelle ran the ball from deep, ripping through the Exeter defence before Hastoy landed a pinpoint cross-field kick in the arms of Rhule, who stepped inside to finish for his second try of the afternoon. https://twitter.com/ChampionsCup/status/1652700379950493696 Hooker Bourgarit added a sixth on 52 minutes as he profited from a rumbling maul, but Chiefs would grab second score shortly before the hour mark courtesy of replacement prop Iosefa-Scott's close-range finish. La Rochelle would respond with a seventh try on 67 minutes as Kerr Barlow spotted a gap and finished cleverly for his second, but Exeter hit back again as wing Woodburn completed a cracking move after combining with full-back Stuart Hogg and centre Henry Slade. Replacement hooker Yeandle squirmed over for the visitors’ fourth on 74 minutes but La Rochelle were never under any serious threat. The home fans seemed to have one more try to celebrate at the death as their replacement hooker Quentin Lespiaucq Brettes crossed, but the TMO chalked that score off for an illegal maul bind. But the La Rochelle fans were in full voice as the final whistle blew and confirmed their place in the Heineken Champions Cup showpiece game once again, with Leinster awaiting after their thrashing of Stade Toulousain yesterday. The Heineken Champions Cup final takes place at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on May 20. Click HERE for more details on EPCR’s 2023 finals.