Challenge Cup teams: Saturday

Editor

Five games take place in the Challenge Cup on Saturday, with Pau versus Bath the pick of the matches at Stade du Hameau.

Timisoara Saracens v Edinburgh

Form: Timisoara Saracens of Romania are making their first appearance in the Challenge Cup. Edinburgh are competing in the Challenge Cup for the third season in a row. They just failed to make it out of the pool stage last season, but reached the final in 2014/15. Edinburgh will be facing Romanian opposition for the first time in the competition, and this will be the first meeting of a Romanian club and a Scottish club in Europe. Edinburgh need 34 points to reach 500 in the Challenge Cup. Edinburgh boasted the best tackle success in last season's competition, successfully completing 90 per cent.

The teams:

Timisoara Saracens: 15 Catalin Fercu, 14 Fonovai Tangimana, 13 Brian Sefanaia, 12 Jack Umaga, 11 Stephen Shennan, 10 Jody Rose, 9 Valentin Calafeteanu, 8 Sandu Stelian Burcea, 7 Vasile Rus, 6 Daniel Ianus, 5 Marian Drenceanu, 4 Valentin Poparlan, 3 Horatiu Pungea, 2 Eugen Capatina, 1 Gigi Militaru
Replacements: 16 Andrei Radoi, 17 Edmund Aholelei, 18 Samuel Maris, 19 Ionut Muresan, 20 Randall Morrison, 21 Gabriel Conache, 22 Tevita Manumua, 23 Daniel Vladut Zaharia

Edinburgh: 15 Rory Scholes, 14 Alexander Northam, 13 Sasa Tofilau, 12 Junior Rasolea, 11 Michael Allen, 10 Jason Tovey, 9 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, 8 Nasi Manu, 7 John Hardie, 6 Viliame Mata, 5 Ben Toolis, 4 Fraser McKenzie, 3 Murray McCallum, 2 Stuart McInally1 Allan Dell
Replacements: 16 Neil Cochrane, 17 Rory Sutherland, 18 Jack Cosgrove, 19 Lewis Carmichael, 20 Vili Fihaki, 21 Nathan Fowles, 22 Blair Kinghorn, 23 Glenn Bryce

Date: Saturday, October 15
Venue: Dan Paltinisanu Stadium, Timisoara
Kick-off: 14:00 local (13:00 GMT)
Referee: Ian Tempest (England)


RC Enisei v Worcester Warriors

Form: This will be the first meeting between the clubs in Europe. Enisei-STM made their debut in the competition last season, winning two of their six matches. Enisei faced Premiership opposition in their previous campaign, losing away to Newcastle before winning the return fixture 24-7 in Sochi. Worcester are winless in their last six away games in the Challenge Cup, losing five and drawing once. Enisei won two of their three home games in last season's competition, conceding just seven points each time. Enisei stole 17 lineouts on their opposition throw last season, more than any other side in the competition.

The teams:

Enisei-STM: 15 Thomas Halse, 14 Igor Kurashov, 13 David Kacharava, 12 Dmitrii Gerasimov, 11 Denis Simplikevich, 10 Iurii Kushnarev, 9 Alexey Shcherban, 8 Anton Rudoi, 7 Vitalii Orlov, 6 Mikheil Gachechiladze, 5 Maxim Gargalic, 4 Uldis Saulite, 3 Innokentiy Zykov, 2 Stanislav Selskii, 1 Alexey Volkov
Replacements: 16 Shamil Magomedov, 17 Valery Morozov, 18 Evgenii Pronenko, 19 Andrey Temnov, 20 Ramil Gaisin, 21 Konstantin Uzunov, 22 Aleksei Mikhaltsov, 23 Viacheslav Krasylnyk

Worcester Warriors: 15 Josh Adams, 14 Andy Short, 13 Max Stelling, 12 Will Butler, 11 Dean Hammond, 10 Jamie Shillcock, 9 Luke Baldwin, 8 Matt Cox, 7 Sam Betty, 6 Huw Taylor, 5 Christian Scotland-Williamson, 4 Charlie Hewitt, 3 Mike Daniels, 2 Matti Williams, 1 Ryan Bower
Replacements: 16 Jack Singleton, 17 Derrick Appiah, 18 Bi Alo, 19 Andrew Kitchener, 20 Zac Xiourouppa, 21 George DeCothi, 22 Tiff Eden, 23 Ryan Lamb

Date: Saturday, October 15
Venue: Slava Stadium, Moscow
Kick-off: 15:00 local (12:00 GMT)
Referee: Marius Mitrea (Italy)


Benetton Treviso v La Rochelle

Form: This will be the first meeting between the clubs in European competition. Treviso will be competing in the Challenge Cup this season for the first time since the 2002/03 season. They've won eight of their 10 games in the competition including all five at home. La Rochelle have lost their last six away games in the Challenge Cup, however, they've won three of their four games away to Italian clubs in the competition. La Rochelle averaged the fewest tackles per game last season (73) however they also missed the fewest tackles on average (11.3). No side conceded more turnovers on average than La Rochelle in last season's competition.

The teams: 

Benetton Treviso: 15 Luke McLean, 14 Michael Tagicakibau, 13 Tommaso Benvenuti, 12 Alberto Sgarbi, 11 David Odiete, 10 Ian Mc Kinley, 9 Tito Tebaldi, 8 Braam Steyn, 7 Marco Lazzaroni, 6 Francesco Minto, 5 Marco Fuser, 4 Filippo Gerosa, 3 Simone Ferrari, 2 Ornel Gega1 Alberto de Marchi
Replacements: 16 Davide Giazzon, 17 Matteo Zanusso, 18 Tiziano Pasquali, 19 Roberto Santamaria, 20 Dean Budd, 21 Giorgio Bronzini, 22 Tommy Allan, 23 Andrea Pratichetti

La Rochelle: 15 Kini Murimurivalu, 14 David Raikuna, 13 Elliot Roudil, 12 Zack Holmes, 11 Romaric Camou, 10 Brock James, 9 Arthur Retiere, 8 Victor Vito, 7 Afa Amosa, 6 Kevin Gourdon, 5 Damien Lagrange, 4 Jason Eaton, 3 Uini Atonio, 2 Jeremie Maurouard, 1 Dany Priso
Replacements: 16 Hikairo Forbes, 17 Vincent Pelo, 18 Luc Mousset, 19 Mathieu Tanguy, 20 Leo Cedaro, 21 Anthony Fuertes, 22 Botia Veivuke, 23 Charles Bouldoire

Date: Saturday, October 15
Venue: Stadio Comunale di Monigo, Treviso
Kick-off: 15:00 Local (13:00 GMT)
Referee: Greg Garner (England)


Bayonne v Gloucester

Form: This will be the third meeting between the clubs in the Challenge Cup, with Gloucester winning both previous encounters by margins of more than 13 points. Bayonne have lost just one of their last five home games against Premiership opposition. Gloucester have won their last 20 pool matches in the Challenge Cup and have won their last 11 pool games away from home. Bayonne have won their opening Challenge Cup match in each of their last six campaigns, including two wins against Premiership opponents in that run. Gloucester conceded just 1.4 tries per game last season, the joint best rate in the competition (level with Sale Sharks).

The teams:

Bayonne: 15 Julien Jane, 14 Martin Laveau, 13 Adam Whitelock, 12 Thibault Lacroix, 11 Bastien Fuster, 10 Lucas Meret, 9 Bastien Duhalde, 8 Jean-Blaise Lespinasse, 7 Dion Evrard Oulai, 6 Tanerau Latimer, 5 Adam Jaulhac, 4 Guillaume Ducat, 3 Richard Choirat, 2 Simon Labouyrie, 1 Aretz Iguiniz
Replacements: 16 Manu Leiataua, 17 Adrien Bordenave, 18 Toma Taufa, 19 Pablo Huete, 20 Manu Saubusse, 21 Arnaud Duputs, 22 Simon Maillard, 23 Maile Mamao

Gloucester: 15 James Hook, 14 David Halaifonua, 13 Matt Scott, 12 Mark Atkinson, 11 Jonny May, 10 Billy Twelvetrees, 9 Willi Heinz, 8 Ben Morgan, 7 Jacob Rowan, 6 Lewis Ludlow, 5 Joe Latta, 4 Tom Savage, 3 Paul Doran-Jones, 2 Richard Hibbard, 1 Yann Thomas
Replacements: 16 Motu Matu'u, 17 Cameron Orr, 18 John Afoa, 19 Mariano Galarza, 20 Matt Kvesic, 21 Callum Braley, 22 Ollie Thorley, 23 Charlie Sharples

Date: Saturday, October 15
Venue: Stade Jean Dauger, Bayonne
Kick-off: 17:00 Local (15:00 GMT)
Referee: Referee: Gary Conway (Ireland)


Pau v Bath

Form: This will be the first meeting between the clubs in the Challenge Cup, however, they have met in the European Cup previously. Bath beat the Top 14 side in the semi-finals on their way to winning the competition in 1997/98. Bath's last appearance in the Challenge Cup came in the 2013/14 season when they lost in the final to Northampton Saints having won all eight games on the run in. Bath have won all 24 of their pool games in the Challenge Cup. The only time they have lost a match before the quarter-final stage was in 2002/03 when they lost the first leg of a Round two fixture against Bridgend. Pau won just 23 turnovers in last season's competition, fewer than any other side. Pau are three tries away from scoring their 250th in European competition, 156 of their previous 247 have come in the Challenge Cup.

The teams:

Pau: 15 Romain Buros, 14 Marvin Lestremeau, 13 Santiago Fernandez, 12 Watisoni Votu, 11 Mosese Ratuvou, 10 Brandon Fajardo, 9 Thibault Daubagna, 8 Ben Mowen, 7 Sean Dougall, 6 Pierrick Gunther, 5 Daniel Ramsay, 4 Abdellatif Boutaty, 3 Matthew Tierney, 2 Quentin Lespiaucq Brettes, 1 Jérémy Hurou
Replacements: 16 Lucas Rey, 17 Geoffrey Moise, 18 Malik Hamadache, 19 Masalosalo Tutaia, 20 Giovanni Habel Kuffner, 21 Thierry Lacrampe, 22 Pierre Dupouy, 23 Bastien Pourailly

Bath: 15 Tom Homer, 14 Semesa Rokoduguni, 13 Jonathan Joseph, 12 Matt Banahan, 11 Aled Brew, 10 Rhys Priestland, 9 Kahn Fotuali'i, 8 Leroy Houston, 7 Guy Mercer, 6 Tom Ellis, 5 Elliott Stooke, 4 Luke Charteris, 3 Kane Palma Newport, 2 Tom Dunn, 1 Nick Auterac
Replacements: 16 Michael Van Vuuren, 17 Max Lahiff, 18 Shaun Knight, 19 Charlie Ewels, 20 Matt Garvey, 21 Chris Cook, 22 Dan Bowden, 23 Jeff Williams

Date: Saturday, October 15
Venue: Stade du Hameau, Pau
Kick-off: 20:45 Local (18:45)
Referee: Ian Davies (Wales)