News
Preview: Challenge Cup Pool 5
October 10 2008
Pool Five of the Challenge Cup should be Saracens' for the taking, but Bayonne will fancy they can challenge for the honour of group winners.
With Viadana and Mont-de-Marsan also in the mix last year's Heineken Cup semi-finalists will be confident of a few big wins.
Bayonne v Viadana
Despite being favourites on paper Bayonne will face a stern test of their credentials in their opening game of the tournament.
Whilst Viadana are not known for being a great team they do boast several players with international experience.
Wallaby Lloyd Johansson lays claim to the fly-half berth, and will have Italy's Pablo Canavosio inside him at scrum-half.
Josh Sole packs down at number six, with fellow Test player Jaco Erasmus in the number eight shirt. Gavin Quinnell, brother of Scott and Craig, wears the number four jersey, having signed from Worcester in the off-season.
Bayonne are not without their fair share of capped players, with the man they simply call 'Rodzilla' - Wallaby Rodney Blake - starting in the front row. Blake will add power at the scrum and a useful option in and around the ruck.
French international Pepito Elhorga slots in at full-back, with two former Guinness Premiership players starting at half-back - Daniel Larrechea (Sale) and Johnny Howard (Northampton).
Bayonne: 15 Pepito Elhorga, 14 Benjamin Fall, 13 Sam Gerber, 12 Vincent Inigo, 11 Benjamin Lhande, 10 Daniel Larrechea, 9 Johnny Howard, 8 Marc Baget, 7 Louis Massabeau, 6 Dwayne Haare, 5 Nicolas Laffite, 4 Andrew Springgay, 3 Rodney Blake, 2 Arnaud Heguy, 1 Pierre Philippe Lafond.
Replacements:16 Matias Cortese, 17 Aretz Iguiniz, 18 Jacques Deen, 19 Guillaume Bernad, 20 Jean-Jo Marmouyet, 21 Mathieu Maillard, 22 Craig Gower.
Viadana: 15 Steven Bortolussi, 14 Andrea Accorsi, 13 Garry Law, 12 Sam Cox, 11 Isy Coalala, 10 Lloyd Johansson, 9 Pablo Canavosio, 8 Jaco Erasmus, 7 Aldo Birchall, 6 Joshua Sole, 5 Quintin Geldenhuys, 4 Gavin Quinnell, 3 Miguel Alonso, 2 Juan Battilana, 1 Luigi Milani.
Replacements: 16 Roberto Santamaria, 17 Ignacio Rouyet, 18 Sean Hohneck, 19 Lance Persico, 20 Ross Curle, 21 Samuele Pace, 22 Kaine Robertson.
Date: Friday 10 October, 2008
Kick-off: 19:30 BST (18:30 GMT)
Venue: Stade Jean Dauger
Referee: Colin Stanley (Ireland)
Touch judges: Leo Colgan (Ireland), Peter Roche (Ireland)
Saracens v Mont-de-Marsan
Andy Farrell and Chris Jack return to the starting line-up as Saracens begin their European Challenge Cup campaign.
Farrell is back in the starting line-up after missing the first six weeks of the campaign with a fracture-dislocation of the thumb while Jack has shaken off a shoulder injury he picked up against Northampton Saints two weeks ago.
"I'm delighted to be back," explained Farrell. "It was tough to go through all the hard work of pre-season and then get injured just as the games were about to start.
"But I've been able to turn that time off into a positive in terms of extra conditioning work and I am ready to go. It was particularly hard to be on the sidelines last week having seen my son Owen make his full debut for Saracens and not be out on the pitch to share that with him, but I can't wait to get out there this weekend."
After an impressive performance on the wing in the EDF Energy Cup last week, Noah Cato keeps his place in the side and there is also a full debut for USA international full back Chris Wyles.
Director of Rugby Eddie Jones has also recalled the likes of Steve Borthwick, Michael Owen, Glen Jackson and Cencus Johnston for the clash against the French side.
Trevor Leota lines up at hooker for Mont-de-Marsan, and former Saracens prop Ben Coutts will be holding him up in the scrums against his former team-mates.
Saracens: 15 Chris Wyles, 14 Noah Cato, 13 Kevin Sorrell, 12 Andy Farrell (Co-captain), 11 Kameli Ratuvou, 10 Glen Jackson, 9 Neil de Kock, 8 Michael Owen, 7 Andy Saull, 6 Chris Jack, 5 Hugh Vyvyan, 4 Steve Borthwick (Co-captain), 3 Cencus Johnston, 2 Fabio Ongaro, 1 Matias Aguero.
Replacements: 16 Matt Cairns, 17 Cobus Visagie, 18 Kris Chesney, 19 Ben Skirving, 20 Moses Rauluni, 21 Gordon Ross, 22 Francisco Leonelli.
Mont-de-Marsan: 15 Karim Abbad, 14 Jean Baptiste Dubié, 13 Simon Ternisien, 12 Murphy Taele, 11 Baptiste Chedal-Bornu, 9 Francois Tandonnet (c), 8 Jerome Carre, 7 Philip van Schalkwyk, 6 Franck Marechal, 5 Rudolph Berek, 4 Jeandré Mynhardt, 3 Ben Coutts, 2 Trevor Leota, 1 Patrick Blanco.
Replacements: 16 Cyriel Blanchard, 17 Nicolas Etcheverry, 18 Guillaume Leleu, 19 Frédéric Rawls, 20 Roland Bernard, 21 Yann Brethous, 22 Frederic Urruty.
Date: Sunday 12 October, 2008
Kick-off: 15:00 BST (14:00 GMT)
Venue: Vicarage Road
Referee: Tim Hayes (Wales)
Touch judges: Phil Fear (Wales), Wayne Davies (Wales)
Assessor: Roger Baileff (England)
Television match official: Roy Marfleet (England)