The maiden European finalists played over 50 minutes with 14 men after centre Levani Botia was shown a red card by referee Luke Pearce.

But La Rochelle showed outstanding resilience to stay in the contest, taking the lead at 12-9 before eventually falling to a 22-17 defeat.

That resilience was something that departing director of rugby Gibbes praised, adding that his side pride themselves on their battling qualities.

“It’s pretty raw,” said Gibbes, who joins ASM Clermont Auvergne at the end of the season. “It’s pretty hard to start processing things straight away, but I think it’s important. We pride ourselves on our resilience as a group.

“But I think the fact that we’re so disappointed to lose that final and to do that with 14 men shows the great character, the fight in the group and the resilience, but that resilience is going to be tested Monday morning, absolutely.

“When we have to face up to that video session, go through that stuff, and quickly turn the attention to preparing for Pau and Clermont the week after that. That’s what it’s about. That’s the real test.

“And for me, I think this group has shown every time there’s a test of its character, that it fronts up.

“So, for me, the next 48 hours are going to be pretty hard for the players and their families and, indeed, for all our supporters, absolutely, but I guess my message for the supporters is: I know what character is in this group.

“As hard as it will be, they’ll come into work on Monday, look through that tape, be honest about it and then put their head in the right place to go back to work.

“We have to be honest, we have to take it on the chin, and we need to move forward, and I’m confident we can do that.”

La Rochelle director of rugby Jono Gibbes has praised his side’s character after being reduced to 14 men in yesterday’s Heineken Champions Cup final against Toulouse.