This weekend kicks off the round of 16 of the Challenge Cup, it will be a chance to find four French teams involved. Who from Toulon, Castres, Lyon or Biarritz will be able to succeed last year’s winners Montpellier. Discover the likely formations of the French clubs that will play in the round of 16.
London Irish – Castres
The starting XV of the London Irish: 15. Parton; 14. Rowe, 13. Rona, 12. Rensburg, 11. Hassell-Collins; 10. Jackson, 9. Phipps (cap.); 7. Gonzalez, 8. O’Brien, 6. Pearson; 5. Simmons, 4. Coleman; 3. van der Merwe, 2. Creevy, 1. Goodrick-Clarke.
deputies : 16. Cornish, 17. Gigena, 18. Hoskins, 19. Nott, 20. Rogerson, 21. White, 22. Joseph, 23. Arundell.
One thing is certain, the Castres will cross paths with some of the big names in world rugby this Friday night. First, Agustin Creevy’s. The 37-year-old Argentine whore is the captain of this London Irish team (eighth in the Premiership) and should lead them again against CO. Behind him are also two Australian internationals, Adam Coleman and Rob Simmons. As you have understood, it will not be an easy task for Castres against this team that qualified with two wins on the clock, a draw and a defeat. Note that the Tarnais will cross paths with a familiar face, that of Steve Mafi, champion of France in 2018 with the Blue and White.
The starting XV of Castres: 15. Getting Bigger; 14. Laveau, 13. Aguillon, 12. Botitu, 11. Chabouni; 10. Botica, 9. Kockott (cap.); 7. Raisuqe, 8. Ben-Nicholas, 6. Kafatolu; 5. Whetton, 4. Pieterse; 3. Tierney, 2. N’Gauamo, 1. Nostadt.
deputies† 16. Humbert, 17. Tichit, 18. Guillamon, 19. Jacquet, 20. Kornath, 21. Tukino, 22. Arata, 23. Le Brun.
infirmary : the CO rotates for this meeting. Still, the Castres staff is recovering Martin Laveau for this round of 16. The winger was absent for nearly two months. In the middle of the field, Vilimoni Botitu also returns after his three-week suspension. with the professionals of Théo Chabouni and Feibyan Tukino The first city starts on the wing, while the former Grenoble resident starts on the substitutes bench, made up of six attackers for two and three quarters. Touched by an inch against Brive, Benjamin Urdapilleta is still too short to apply against the England team. The same goes for Canadian Tyler Ardron, absent since early 2022 and who could return in the coming weeks.
Biarritz-Wasps
Biarritz’s starting XV: 15.Lucu; 14. Speight, 13. Kuridrani, 12. Saili, 11. Barry; 10. Bosch, 9. Couilloud; 7. Hirigoyen, 8. Armitage, 6. Dixon; 5. Olmstead, 4. O’Callaghan; 3. Azarashvili, 2. Peyresblanques (cap.), 1. Erdocio.
deputies† 16. Soury, 17. Tcheishvili, 18. El Fakir, 19. Gimeno, 20. Aliouat, 21. Aurrekoetxea, 22. Herron, 23. Domvo.
infirmary : second row Andrew Cramond (concussion), hooker Romain Ruffenach (anterior cruciate ligament) and prop Yvan Watremez (shoulder) are the long-term injured. The pillar Guy Millar (hernia) is expected at the end of April. Opener Ilian Perraux (third concussion) will be off the field for three months. Fullback Romain Lonca (concussion), scrum half Tomas Cubelli (calf tear) and winger Yohann Artru (fractured fibula head) concluded their season. Scrum half Clément Darbo (pubalgie), fullback Joe Jonas (ankle), third row Tornike Jalagonia (adductors), center François Vergnaud (toe), young whore Clément Renaud (knee), props Quentin Samaran (shoulder), James Cronin and Giorgi Nutsubidze (cervical hernia) and winger Gavin Stark are in the infirmary.
Wasps from XV: 15.Umaga; 14. Odogwu, 13. Fekitoa, 12. Gopperth, 11. Kibirige; 10. Atkinson, 9. Robson; 7. J. Willis, 8. Barbeary, 6. Shields; 5. Stoke, 4. Launchbury (cap.); 3. Alo, 2. Oghre, 1. West.
deputies : 16. Frost, 17. Harris, 18. Millar-Mills, 19. Cardall, 20. T. Willis, 21. Porter, 22. Spink, 23. Bassett.
Tenth in Group 2 of the Champions Cup, the Wasps returned to the “small” European Cup, despite a 30-22 success against defending champions Stade Toulousain in mid-January. “It’s a shame we’ve been eliminated from the Champions Cup, but the ChallengeCup is a prestigious tournament and we have our eyes set on the final in Marseille,” England fly-half Charlie Atkinson said this week. It’s like a second chance. “Apart from the continental scene, the Wasps remain on four successes (two in the league, two in the FA Cup). Yellow and Black haven’t lost in a month, so it’s definitely a big piece arriving in Aguilera this Friday night .
Lyon – Worcester
Lyon’s starting XV: 15.Laporte; 14. Tuisova, 13. Barassi, 12. Ngatai, 11. Dumortier; 10. Sopoaga, 9. Couilloud, 7. Taufua (cap.), 8. Fainga’a, 6. Cretin; 5. R. Taofifenua, 4. Lambey; 3. Bamba, 2. Koopman, 1. Rey.
deputies† 16. Charcosset, 17. Devisme, 18. Gomez Kodela, 19. Mayanavanua, 20. Sobela, 21. Pelissié, 22. Veredamu, 23. Berdeu.
infirmary : most of the injured Lyon have their wounds treated. If the international second line Kilian Géraci and the third line center Mathieu Bastareaud, affected in the knees, are not available, the New Zealand center Charlie Ngatai (knee) and the third line wing Patrick Sobela will be reinstated and count against the Warriors. Victim of a broken orbital floor, second line Loann Goujon has returned to the field but is still training without contact. In qualifying, the Lou will face the Newcastle-Glasgow winner in the quarter-finals, still on his lawn at the Matmut Stadium Gerland.
The starting XV of Worcester: 15. Purpose; 14. Howe, 13. O. Morris, 12. Beck, 11. Healr; 10. Smith, 9. Simpson; 7. Hill (cap.), 8. Vailanu, 6. Batley; 5. G. Kitchener, 4. Clegg; 3. Judge, 2. Annett, 1. Sutherland.
deputies : 16. Miller, 17. Waller, 18. McCallum, 19. Lewis, 20. Forsythe, 21. Chudley, 22. Searle, 23. Atkinson.
Worcester has two points in common with the Lou: he was exempted on the final day of the Challenge Cup and remains at home after a major defeat in the English league, against Newcastle (10-45). That’s where the similarities end. Only one winner on European grass pitches, in January in Parma, the English, twelfth in the Premiership, qualified in extremis and took the ticket for the best fourth place in the group. Hit by covid in March, culminating in a canceled match in Gloucester, they appear to have struggled to get going again. Center Francois Venter, fly-half Owen Williams and third-line Sam Lewis are still expected to miss, while young center Ollie Lawrence looks set to be close to a return to the field.
Toulon – Treviso
Toulon’s probable starting XV: 15. Luke; 14. Kolbe, 13. Smaïli, 12. Paia’aua, 11. Villière; 10. Carbonel, 9. White; 7. Ollivon (cap.), 8. Parisse, 6. Isa; 5.Alainu’uese or Rebbadj, 4. Etzebeth; 3. Gigashvili, 2.Tolofua, 1. Large.
deputies† 16. Etrillard, 17. Freesia, 18. Brookes, 19. Alainu’uese or Rebbadj, 20. Lakafia, 21. Isa, 22. Danglot, 23. Wainiqolo.
infirmary : good news for the Var staff with hooker Anthony Étrillard (ribs) and third row Raphaël Lakafia (back) operational. Scrum half Baptiste Serin and Julien Hériteau (knee) were not in training on Thursday. The mainstay Bruce Devaux, the flankers Julien Ory (elbow) and Cornell DuPreez and the three-quarter center Théo Dachary (knee) are not available for this round of 16 taking the RCT, released number 2 of the group stage, in the skin of the favorite on his Mayol lawn. A field that the Rouge et Noir will find in the semi-finals when qualifying in the quarter-finals.
Treviso: The Benetton, without complex!
Dropped into United Rugby Championship (13th), Benetton Treviso now prioritizes the Challenge Cup. The Italian team should be similar to the team that defeated Perpignan (17-7) last Saturday for the final day of the group stage. A success that ended a run of seven games without a win and enabled the Italians to finish in the best third groups. This Saturday night, internationals Monty Ioane (winger), Michele Lamaro (third line) or Federico Ruzza (second or third line) should be scrubbing the Mayol lawn against the Paris band. The latter already encountered a transalpine team in the group stage. De Varois had won difficult against the Zebre (28-14). Much more robust and organized than its neighbours, the Benetton arouses the distrust of the Toulonnais.
