News
Preview: Challenge Cup Pool Two
October 16 2008
The Challenge Cup is in full swing again this weekend, and the action in Pool Two will see Bristol host Toulon and Northampton take on Montpellier.
With both Saints and Montpellier getting winning starts the pressure is now on Toulon and Bristol to get their first wins of the campaign.
Bristol v Toulon
Both sides are desperate for a win, and in Toulon's case not just in terms of the Challenge Cup, but in order to afford their coach, Tana Umaga, some breathing space.
With pressure mounting to deliver results, a cause hardly helped by a fifty-point drubbing last week, time is fast running out for the former All Black.
And, in a bid to turn things around, he has recalled another All Black, Jerry Collins, and handed him the captain's armband for Friday's clash.
Umaga resisted, for unknown reasons, naming a full strength side, a decision that may not only cost him the match but also his job.
Bristol, with clear ambitions to emerge from this frightfully tricky pool, have turned to several old heads to restore a winning mentality to the side.
Back come the likes of Mark Regan, Roy Winters and Nathan Budgett in the pack, complimented by exciting backs, including Tom Arscott and Ed Barnes.
Bristol: 15 Vunga Lilo, 14 Lee Robinson, 13 Neil Brew, 12 Ed Barnes, 11 Tom Arscott, 10 Adrian Jarvis, 9 Graeme Beveridge, 8 Iain Grieve, 7 Joe El Abd (c), 6 Alfie To'oala, 5 Nathan Budgett, 4 Roy Winters, 3 Jason Hobson, 2 Mark Regan, 1 Alex Clarke.
Replacements: 16 David Blaney, 17 Darren Crompton, 18 Robert Sidoli, 19 Dan Ward-Smith, 20 Haydn Thomas, 21 Chris Ashwin, 22 Luke Eves.
Toulon: 15 Orene Ai'i, 14 Marc Andreu, 13 Olivier Grimaud, 12 Sébastien Fauque, 11 Luke Rooney, 10 Ramiro Pez, 9 Norman Jordaan, 8 Sisaro Koyamaibole, 7 Olivier Missoup, 6 Jerry Collins (c), 5 Esteban Lozada, 4 Jocelino Suta, 3 Alessio Galasso, 2 Anthony Muleta, 1 Nicolas Agnesi.
Replacements: 16 Phillip Fitzgerald, 17 Jérome Filitoga, 18 Yoann Maestri, 19 Thomas Sourice, 20 Damien Vidal, 21 Sonny Falconetti, 22 Anthony Giacobazzi.
Date: Friday 17 October, 2008
Kick-off: 19:45 BST (18:45 GMT)
Venue: Memorial Ground
Referee: George Clancy (Ireland)
Touch judges: John Lacey (Ireland), Johan Carvill (Ireland)
Northampton v Montpellier
Northampton Saints director of rugby Jim Mallinder has called on his team to improve their performance levels ahead of Saturday's match against Montpellier.
Saints received many plaudits for their win in Toulon last week, but Mallinder says that all of that work will be undone if Montpellier leave Franklin's Gardens with the points.
"Our Challenge Cup pool is of an extremely high standard," he said today.
"With quality teams like Montpellier in the group we cannot afford to slip up at all. I was happy that we came away from France with the win last week but we now have to back that up with another good performance at home against a very good Montpellier team.
"Montpellier are an ambitious club who have started the Top 14 season well. They also got off to a great start in the Challenge Cup by beating Bristol last week. They played some excellent rugby and will be disappointed that they didn't score more points. Some of France's best young players play for Montpellier and they, as well as coach Didier Nourault, are hungry for success. It will be an exciting and challenging match."
Mallinder has made just one change to the 22-man squad that beat Toulon, with Christian Day replacing Matt Lord on the replacements' bench.
Captained by scrum-half Julien Tomas, the Montpellier team includes nine internationals including Tomas and his half-back partner Federico Todeschini (Argentina).
In sharp contrast to most French teams taking part in this competition, this looks to be - with the exception of the missing Francois Trinh-Duc - about as strong a team as Montpellier could put out.
Northampton: 15 Bruce Reihana (c), 14 Chris Ashton, 13 Joe Ansbro, 12 James Downey, 11 Sean Lamont, 10 Stephen Myler, 9 Ben Foden, 8 Roger Wilson, 7 Scott Gray, 6 Mark Hopley, 5 Courtney Lawes , 4 Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe, 3 Euan Murray, 2 Dylan Hartley, 1 Tom Smith.
Replacements: 16 Paul Shields, 17 Soane Tonga'uiha, 18 Christian Day, 19 Ben Lewitt, 20 Lee Dickson, 21 Barry Everitt, 22 Paul Diggin.
Montpellier: 15 Olivier Sarramea, 14 Thierry Brana, 13 Oliver Smith, 12 Endrikus Lubbe, 11 Jean-Matthieu Alcalde, 10 Federico Todeschini, 9 Julien Tomas (capt), 8 Louis Picamoles, 7 Vassili Bost, 6 Warren Britz, 5 Michel Macurdy, 4 Gancalo Uva, 3 Bruce Douglas, 2 Fabien Rofes, 1 Sebastien Petit.
Replacements: 16 Joan Caudullo, 17 Philemon Toleafoa, 18 Eugene Van Staden, 19 Benjamin Goze, 20 Jerome Vallee, 21 Adrien Tomas, 22 Sylvain Mirande.
Date: Saturday 18 October, 2008
Kick-off: 19:45 BST (18:45 GMT)
Venue: Franklin's Gardens
Referee: James Jones (Wales)