Check out a preview of the likely lineups of the French clubs for their Champions Cup round of 16 return!
Harlequins-Montpellier
The Quins firmly believe in it
Authors of four attempts in the second half of last week, the Harlequins are sure to redo the 14-point difference they count on the MHR, who led 34-0 at halftime! at the time of writing, they had no major injuries and should line up a squad that is roughly the same as last week.
Montpellier’s likely starting XV : 15. Weaver; 14. Ngandebe, 13. Reilhac, 12. Pollard, 11. Lucas; 10. Foursans, 9. Aprasidze or Eymeri; 7. Camara (cap.), 8. Becognée, 6. Ouedraogo; 5. Willemse, 4. Verhaeghe; 3. Thomas, 2. Girado, 1. Nariashvili.
deputies: 16. Maourouard, 17. Rodgers, 18. Lamositele, 19. Chalureau, 20. Mercer, 21. Eymeri or Doan, 22. Doumayrou, 23. Bouthier.
infirmary South African scrum half Cobus Reinach was let go during halftime in the first leg, suffered a shoulder and will not be present in the first leg. Small warning also to the other Georgian scrum half Gela Aprasidze, who had muscle discomfort during the week. In his absence, he is replaced by the young Aubin Eymeri and Martin Doan takes his place on the bench as Benoît Paillaugue, finally recovered from an operation on the cruciate ligament in his knee, is to return to competition next week. Several returns are worth noting, such as that of Yacouba Camara, who recovered from finger surgery. Substitutes or absent last week, the Nariashvili, Thomas, Verhaeghe, Ouedraogo, Bécognée, Reilhac, Tisseron and Lucas will all start, as will South African World Champion opener Handré Pollard, who will start centrally.
La Rochelle – Bordeaux-Bègles
La Rochelle’s likely starting XV : 15. Dulin; 14. Alonso Muñoz, 13. Sinzelle, 12. Botia, 11. Rhule of Favre; 10. West, 9. Kerr-Barlow; 7. Bourdeau, 8. Alldritt (cap.), 6. Haddad; 5. Picquette, 4. Sazy; 3. Atonio, 2. Bourgarit, 1. Priso.
deputies: 16. Bosch, 17. Papidze, 18. Sclavi, 19. Skelton, 20. Vito or Liebenberg, 21. Berjon, 22. Plisson, 23. Danty.
Infirmary: affected in an ankle and in the adductors respectively on Saturday, the second line Lavault (sprain) and the opener Popelin (relapse) are forfeited for this return leg, but their season is not over yet. Pillar Aouf has resumed training but is not applicable. The pillar Wardi (chest) and the winger Retière (ankle) aim for a return against Perpignan, in a week. Scrum half Le Bail (adductors) has to wait a little longer. The staff announced six changes from the first leg, including Piquette, Haddad and Alonso Munoz.
The suspected starting XV of Bordeaux-Bègles : 15. Ducuum; 14. Mori, 13. Mufana, 12. Masse, 11. Lam; 10. Garcia, 9. Lesgourgues of Lucu; 7. Diaby (cap.), 8. Vaipulu, 6. Bochaton or Roumat; 5. Roussel or Jolmes, 4. Douglas; 3. Kaulashvil, 2. Maynadier, 1. Paiva.
deputies: 16. Lamothe, 17. Tameifuna, 18. Tabidze, 19. Jolmes or Roussel, 20. Roumat or Bochaton, 21. Lucu or Lesgourgues, 22. Dubié, 23. Cros.
Infirmary: Pablo Uberti (knee ligaments) has a long-term injury. Romain Buros (shoulder) resumed training but without contact. Matthieu Jalibert and Yoram Moefana are operational. We saw Thomas Jolmès train, as did Alban Roussel. Jefferson Poirot has a torn calf, Bastien Vergnes-Taillefer has a knee and Louis Bielle-Biarrey has adductor pain. Guido Petti is recovering from his meniscus problem and Cyril Cazeaux from his wrist surgery.
Leicester – Clermont
Moroni replaces Porter, suspended
Victorious in the first leg at Clermont, the Leicester Tigers would have to present a virtually unchanged squad composition to negotiate this return leg. The only absence (of magnitude) will, of course, be that of the center Guy Porter, suspended after receiving the red card on the Michelin lawn for an impact, without a ball, off the head of Fritz Lee, which gave him a fifteen stab. . Porter should logically be replaced in the starting XV by the Argentinian Matias Moroni while an old acquaintance from the Top 14 has to make an appearance on the bench. It has yet to be determined whether it will be former Montpellier resident Nemani Nadolo, or the former Rochelais (and Clermontois) Kini Murimurivalu.
Clermont’s likely starting XV : 15. Tiberghian; 14. Raka, 13. Moala, 12. Fofana, 11. O’Connor; 10. Hanrahan or Lopez, 9. Parra; 7. Fischer, 8. Lee, 6. Van Tonder; 5. Vahaamahina (cap.), 4. Th. Lanes of Amatosero; 3.Ojovan, 2.Beheregaray, 1.Falgoux.
deputies: 16. Fourcade, 17. Beria or Bibi Biziwu, 18. Slimani, 19. Amatosero or Th. Lanes, 20. Cancoriet, 21. Viallard, 22. Hanrahan, 23. Barraque.
Sick Bay: After Damian Penaud (ankle), Kotaro Matsushima (shoulder) was in Sick Bay for weeks. A tile partially offset by Barraque’s return to competition (plantar aponeurosis). As for the pack, it is still relieved of executives such as Arthur Iturria (plantar aponeurosis), Tomas Lavanini (cervicales) or Peni Ravai (cervicales). Only the flanker Jacobus Van Tonder should return to competition this week while Sébastien Vahaamahina, Fritz Lee and Judicaël Cancoriet should be able to keep their place after being spared at the start of the week.
Ulster – Toulouse
Moxham package, expected continuity for Ulster
Striker Ben Moxham, who was released on a concussion following Mallia’s red card tackle last week, is now following protocols for returning to the game. He will not be available during training. With a hamstring injury, he is also out of shape and joining several of his teammates in the club’s infirmary: Will Addison (leg), Jacob Stockdale (ankle), Jack McGrath (hip) and Greg Jones (thumb). winger Ethan McIlroy, who also recently suffered a concussion against the Bulls, will be able to keep his place. For the rest, the composition should closely resemble that of the Stadium.
The starting XV of Toulouse : 15. Ramos; 14. Delibes, 13. Nanai-Williams of Holmes, 12. Ahki, 11. Lebel; 10. Ntamack, 9. Dupont (cap.) or Germain; 7. Cros of Flament, 8. Jelonch, 6. Elstadt; 5. Ri. Arnold, 4. Ro. Arnold; 3. Faumuina, 2. Mauvaka, 1. Yawn or Neti.
deputies: 16. Cramont, 17. Neti or Baille, 18. Aldegheri, 19. Meafou, 20. Flament of Brennan, 21. Tolofua, 22. Germain or Page-Relo, 23. Holmes or Nanai-Williams.
infirmary : Argentina winger Juan Cruz Mallia, who was shown a red card last Saturday, has been suspended. Alban Placines (sprained ankle) and Sofiane Guitoune (fracture of the fibula) are out for a few weeks. Santiago Chocobares (knee), Yannick Youyoutte (biceps) and Arthur Bonneval (orbital bottom) are not available. Julien Marchand (calf) must also be confiscated. Pita Ahki (knee), Antoine Dupont (abdominal pain), Matthis Lebel (crutch) and Cyril Baille (fatigue) were rescued at the start of the week. François Cros (hip alarm) stopped his session on Tuesday, but should apply.
Racing 92 – French Stadium
The starting XV of Racing 92 : 15.Spring; 14. Thomas, 13. Vakatawa of Chavancy, 12. Fickou (cap.), 11. Imhoff; 10. Russell, 9. LeGarrec; 7. Lauret, 8. Tanga-Mangene, 6. Diallo; 5. Palu, 4. Chouzenoux; 3. Gomes Sa, 2. Chat or Baubigny, 1. Gogichashvili or Ben Arous.
deputies: 16. Baubigny of Chat, 17. Ben Arous of Kolingar, 18. Nyakane, 19. Bresler, 20. L. Jones, 21. Gibert, 22. Klemenczak, 23. Dupichot.
Infirmary: Le Roux, Machenaud, Sanconnie, Iribaren, Le Guen, Pesenti are all not available. Vakatawa, long handicapped by a rib injury, should be able to keep his place alongside former Pink Soldier Fickou. Ben Arous, absent from the first match, returns to the dance, while Cjouzenoux should be kept in a second-line position where he shone last week. Beale, injured in a femur, leaves Max Spring to continue in the back of the field.
The probable starting XV of Stade Français: 15. Hamdaoui or Veainu; 14. Naivalu, 13. Glover, 12. Arrate, 11. Veainu of Lapègue; 10. Sanchez, 9. Lobby; 7. Francoz or Godener of Macalou, 8. Gray, 6. Briatte; 5. Van der Mescht; 4. Gabriellagues or Maestri; 3. Roelofse, 2. Da Silva, 1. Castets.
deputies: 16. Panis, 17. Kakovin, 18. Melikidze, 19. Maestri or Gabrillagues, 20. Macalou or Godener or Fancoz, 21. Percillier, 22. Segonds, 23. Hamdaoui or Lapègue or Barré.
Infirmary: Paul Alo-Emile had surgery this week for pubalgia. He joins the list of “long-term” injured: Delbouis, Béthune, Waisea. Latu has been banned for 11 weeks. Azagoh got a big crutch last weekend. Laumape and Etien are also absent. As far as Macalou is concerned, there is uncertainty. Again he hardly trained all week.
