The Champions Cup resumes its rights after the end-of-year celebrations stamped Top 14. It’s time, therefore, to find the probable team compositions of the French teams involved in this cup.
Glasgow – Racing 92
Glasgow starting XV: McKay ; 14. Cancelliere, 13. Jones, 12. S. Tuipulotu, 11. Steyn (cap.) ; 10. Jordan, 9. G. Horne ; 7. Darge, 8. Mann, 6. M. Fagerson ; 5. Cummings, 4. Brown ; 3. Z. Fagerson, 2. Matthews, 1. Sutherland.
Substitutes : 16. Hiddleston, 17. Bhatti, 18. Talakai, 19. Samuel, 20. Miller, 21. Ferrie, 22. Dobie, 23. Weir.
The starting XV of Racing 92 : 15. Spring ; 14. Habosh, 13. Tedder, 12. Chavancy (cap.), 11. Arundell ; 10. Gibert, 9. The Bail ; 7. Diallo (cap.), 8. Baudonne, 6. Zinzen; 5. Horse, 4. Palu ; 3. Sordonius, 2. Kaitu’u, 1. Julien.
Substitutes: 16. Escobar, 17. Ben Arous, 18. Mazibuko, 19. Taofifenua, 20. Diamond, 21. Labarbe, 22. Lancaster, 23. Naituvi.
Exeter – Bordeaux-Bègles
Exeter : Only one victory and injuries
The Chiefs had to wait until December 29 to celebrate their first victory of the season after ten consecutive defeats in the league and Champions Cup. Currently penultimate in the premiership, Rob Baxter’s men have not yet opened their points counter in Champions Cup but they can still believe in a miracle and qualify for this competition. However, the bad news has continued recently, notably with the injury of winger Immanuel Feyi-Waboso. The England international is expected to undergo surgery to repair a shoulder. Winger Olly Woodburn and right prop Ehren Painter are also out for the rest of the season as they also have to undergo surgery (cruciate ligaments of a knee).
The probable starting XV for Bordeaux-Bègles: 15. Buros ; 14. Penaud, 13.Moefana, 12. Janse Van Rensburg, 11.Bielle-Biarrey ; 10. Jalibert, 9.Funny (cap.) ; 7. Matthew, 8. Tatafu, 6. Swinton or Gazzotti ; 5.Cazeaux, 4. Petty ; 3.Sadie, 2.Lamothe, 1.Boniface.
Substitutes: 16. Latterrade, 17. Poirot, 18. Taufa, 19. Ricard, 20. Gazzotti ou Swinton, 21. Vergnes-Taillefer, 22. Uberti ou Bielle-Biarrey, 23. Lesgourgues.
Sharks – Toulouse
Sharks : Esterhuizen and Fassi, two major absences
If the Sharks have a host of South African internationals in their ranks, they will certainly be without two Springboks on Saturday. This is already the three-quarter center Andre Esterhuizen (19 caps), considered one of the leaders of the back line of the Durban province. Strong and powerful, he is extremely valuable in fixing opposing defenses. Also, full-back Aphelele Fassi (11 caps) will not be there, he who has established himself for a year as the starting number 15 in the national team. Obviously, his attacking qualities will be greatly missed in a match of such importance. Finally, the second Emile van Heerden, who was in the starting XV during the first two days of the Champions Cup, is also out. All three players have knee injuries. “These are not one to two week injuries, but six to eight weeks,” their coach John Plumtree said ten days ago regarding them.
The probable starting XV for Toulouse: 15. Ramos ; 14. Mallia ou Kinghorn, 13.Chocobares ou Barassi, 12.Ahki, 11.Capuozzo ; 10.R.Ntamack, 9.Dupont (ch.) ; 7.Willis, 8.Jelonch, 6.Cros ; 5.Meafou, 4.Flament ; 3.Aldegheri, 2.Mauvaka ou Marchand, 1.Neti.
Substitutes: 16. Marchand or Mauvaka, 17.Baille, 18. Merkler, 19.Brennan, 20. Banos or Vergé, 21.Graou, 22.Barassi or Chocobares, 23.Kinghorn or Mallia or Lebel.
French Stadium – Northampton
The probable starting XV for Stade français: 15. Jonas ; 14.Dakuwaqa, 13.Delbouis, 12.Ezeala, 11.Etienne ; 10.Henry, 9.Weber or Foursans ; 7.Briatte, 8. Tanga, 6.Halaifonua ; 5.Van der Mescht, 4.Gabrillagues (head) ; 3.Gomez-Codela, 2.Nicotera, 1.M.Alo-Emile
Substitutes: 16. Meïté or Alvaro Garcia, 17.Koffi, 18. N’Diaye, 19.Pesenti, 20.Macalou, 21.Foursans or Weber, 22.Marchant, 23.Costa-Storti or Carbonel or Huguet
Northampton : An ambitious ogre in the capital
It’s an ogre who travels this Saturday to the Jean-Bouin stadium. The Northampton Saints, reigning English champions, have had a perfect run so far in the Champions Cup. Two matches, two victories and two offensive bonuses. During the first, they scored no less than six tries at Castres Olympique (38-8) and won in South Africa on the Bulls pitch (21-30). Results: the English club counts ten points out of ten possible and is in the lead in this group 3. Last weekend, in an offensive match, the players of Phil Dowson, former emblematic third row of the club, beat the leader of the championship English Bath (35-34) thanks to a penalty in the last minute from opener Fin Smith. With this precious success, the Saints are in 8th place in the Gallagher Premiership, a competition where they are currently struggling a little.
-Castres – Bulls
The probable starting XV for Castres: 15. Dumora; 14. Palis, 13. Botitu, 12. Goodhue, 11. Baget; 10. Popelin, 9. Fernandez; 7. Ardron, 8. Papali’i, 6. Babillot (cap.) ; 5.Vanverberghe, 4.Ducat ; 3. Chilachava, 2. Barlot, 1. Tichit.
Substitutes: 16. Colonna, 17. Guérois-Galisson, 18. Corato, 19.Nakarawa, 20. Meka, 21. Arata, 22. Séguret, 23. Chabouni.
Bulls : Goosen and chef d’orchestre
Castres supporters will find a well-known face from the Top 14 this Saturday evening. Indeed, Johan Goosen should be the conductor of the Bulls against the CO with the number 10 on his back. The former Racing 92 and Montpellier player left his mark on French rugby, particularly during the 2015-2016 season. With the Racing 92 jersey on his shoulders, he lifted the Brennus Shield then was voted player of the season. It remains to be seen whether the other stars of the Pretoria club will set foot on the Pierre-Fabre pitch. What is certain is that the South Africans will arrive in Tarn with ambition. “We don’t come to France sending a ‘B’ team or anything like that… we want to win games”admitted manager Jack White during the week. As a reminder, Springboks Canan Moodie, Willie Le Roux and Kurt-Lee Arendse are available to challenge the CO. If all these beautiful people put on their crampons this weekend, it promises…
Toulon – Harlequins
Toulon’s probable starting XV: 15. Domon ; 14. Dréan ou Villière, 13. Frisch, 12. Sinzelle, 11.Wainiqolo ; 10. Garbisi, 9. Serin; 7. E.Abadie, 8. Isa,
6. Ludlam ; 5.Ribbans (cap.), 4. Halagahu ; 3. Sinckler, 2. Lucchesi, 1. Priso.
Substitutes: 16. Ivaldi, 17. Brennan or Gros, 18. Setiano or Brennan, 19. Alainu’uese or S.Rebbadj, 20. Coulon, 21. Villière or Dréan, 22.White, 23. Biggar.
Harlequins : Lewies absent, uncertainty over Lamb
After ten days of the Premiership, Harlequins are only in seventh place. We remind you that the English championship only has ten clubs. This season, Marcus Smith’s gang has only won four matches in the professional elite. In the Champions Cup, the record is also not great with a setback to Racing 92 (23-12) and an improved victory against the Stormers (53-16). The last semi-finalist of the Champions Cup absolutely needs a success to get a glimpse of a round of 16 in the queen of competitions. For this trip to Var, the Londoners will not be able to count on their second South African international line Stephan Lewis. Fullback Tyrone Green is also affected. Doubts remain over Argentina international winger Rodrigo Isgro and Italian international second row Dino Lamb. The two players were forced to leave the pitch in a hurry last weekend, during the Quins’ success at Newcastle (14-38).
La Rochelle – Leinster
The probable starting XV of La Rochelle: 15. Children; 14.Nowell, 13.South, 12.Favre, 11.Leyds; 10.Hastoy ou West, 9.Kerr-Barlow ; Botia, 8.Alldritt (cap.), 6.Jegou or Boudehent ; 5. Skelton, 4.Dillane ; 3. Atonio, 2.Lespiaucq-Brettes, 1.Ward.
Substitutes: 16. Sutidze, 17.Penverne, 18.Colombe, 19.Lavault, 20.Douglas, 21.Boudehent ou Jegou, 22.Bosmorin, 23. West ouHastoy.
Leinster : Keenan back, Furlong uncertain
Number 8 Jack Conan, versatile three-quarterback Ciaràn Frawley and fullback Hugo Keenan are back in action. With the returns to competition of centers Jamie Osborne and Tommy O’Brien as well as fullback Jordan Larmour, the Dublin Province backlines are finding depth and fresh blood. However, there was uncertainty in the middle of the week over the participation or not of right pillar Tadhg Furlong, which could propel Rabah Slimani into the starting XV. Hooker Dan Sheehan has returned to training, having been absent for many months due to a ruptured cruciate ligament. Among the other notable absentees, international winger James Lowe is still missing.
Bath – Clermont
Clermont’s probable starting XV: 15. Newsome ; 14. Tauzin ou Delguy, 13. Fouyssac, 12. Simone, 11. Raka; 10. White, 9. Yellow (cap.) ; 7. Kremer, 8. Lee or Yato, 6. Tixeront ; 5. Clown, 4. Simmons ; 3. Mountain, 2. Mass or Difficulty, 1. Falgoux.
Substitutes: 16. Fourcade, 17. Lotrian, 18. Ala’alatoa, 19. Lanen, 20. Yato or Fischer, 21. Bézy, 22. Giral, 23. Tauzin or Delguy.
Bath : Among the bosses of the Kingdom
Everything was so perfect until last weekend for Bath. With just one defeat in the league, Scottish international Finn Russell’s teammates were proudly at the top of the Premiership before moving to Northampton, eighth in this ten-team championship. But it took a penalty at the siren to allow the Saints to beat the leader at the end of a difficult encounter (35-34). A slight hitch before starting the last two battles of the group stage which should not undermine Johann van Graan’s men. Despite two defeats in the Champions Cup, including a surprising defeat against Treviso, Bath notably crushed Saracens between the holidays (68-10) and advances against Clermont with several brilliant individuals. Behind maestro Russell, Ben Spencer, Ollie Lawrence or Sam Underhill should wear the blue tunic this Sunday. Five years after their last victory at the Rec, the Clermontois know where they are going…
