Back for Clermont: Gerhard Vosloo
Top 14 leaders Clermont travel to Castres on Friday searching for their first win at Stade Pierre Antoine in 36 years.
Clermont might have the most impressive record at home in all of Europe but in 18 attempts have not tasted success in Castres, where they lost 30-19 last season.
Indeed CO, who are unbeaten at home this season and have scored over 30 points in each home game this term, will relish a chance to return to their fortress having suffered two consecutive defeats on the road.
A week ahead of the start of the Heineken Cup season, Clermont have made no less than 12 changes to their starting XV. South African loose forward Gerhard Vosloo returns from a six-month injury layoff.
In-form Brock James starts at fly-half while Elvis Vermeulen will captain the side.
For the hosts, Antonie Claassen returns from suspension to start from the bench while sharp-shooting Rory Kockott will lead the attack at scrum-half.
Castres: 15 Brice Dulin, 14 Romain Martial, 13 Romain Cabannes, 12 Daniel Kirkpatrick, 11 Marc Andreu, 10 Remi Tales, 9 Rory Kockott, 8 Iosefa Tekori, 7 Yannick Caballero, 6 Jan de bruin Bornman, 5 Rodrigo Capo ortega, 4 Christophe Samson, 3 Michael Coetzee, 2 Brice Mach, 1 Yannick Forestier.
Replacements: 16 Mathieu Bonello, 17 Mihaita Lazar, 18 Matthias Rolland, 19 Antonie Claassen, 20 Romain Teulet, 21 Seremaia Bai, 22 Max Evans, 23 Anton Peikrishvili.
Clermont: 15 Jean Marcellin Buttin, 14 Noa seru Nakaitaci, 13 Regan King, 12 Benson Stanley, 11 Naipolioni Nalaga, 10 Brock James, 9 Ludovic Radosavljevic, 8 Elvis Vermeulen, 7 Julien Bardy, 6 Gerhard Vosloo, 5 Nathan Hines, 4 Loic Jacquet, 3 Davit Zirakashvili, 2 Benjamin Kayser, 1 Raphael Chaume,
Replacements: 16 Ti'i Paulo, 17 Thomas Domingo, 18 Julien Pierre, 19 Alexandre Lapandry , 20 Kevin Senio, 21 Wesley Fofana, 22 Anthony Floch, 23 Daniel Kotze.
Date: Friday, October 5
Venue: Stade Pierre Antoine
Kick-off: 20.50 (18.50 GMT)
Referee: John Paul Doyle
Comments
Be the first to comment on this story..