Courtney Lawes returns for Champions Cup opener

Adam Kyriacou
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The Champions Cup pool stage kicks off with Northampton Saints against Bordeaux Begles in Pool A before Ulster host Toulouse in Pool B.

Northampton Saints v Bordeaux-Begles

Northampton Saints welcome a trio of internationals back into their starting XV for Friday’s visit of Bordeaux-Bègles in the Champions Cup.

Wales fly-half Dan Biggar, Fiji hooker Sam Matavesi and England flanker Courtney Lawes all return to director of rugby Chris Boyd’s line-up for the first time this season, as the men in Black, Green and Gold look to kick-off their European campaign with a win in front of 2,000 supporters at Franklin’s Gardens.

This will be only the third meeting between Northampton and Bordeaux – the sides clashed twice in the 1997/98 Challenge Cup, each winning their home matches – while Saints have won nine of their last 11 home games against Top 14 opposition in the Champions Cup.

Tom Wood will lead out the hosts from flanker, with Lawes (making his first appearance since sustaining an ankle injury in September) on the other side of the scrum, and Shaun Adendorff completes the back-row in the number eight jersey.

Hooker Matavesi, who started Fiji’s only Autumn Nations Cup clash against Georgia last weekend, comes straight into the starting line-up while Nick Auterac and Owen Franks pack down either side of him in the front-row.

David Ribbans and Nick Isiekwe are selected in the engine room for Saints, with Biggar returning at fly-half after five weeks with Wales and partnering number nine Alex Mitchell in the half-back berths.

Rory Hutchinson and Matt Proctor are selected together in Northampton’s midfield for the first time this term, while wing Taqele Naiyaravoro gets his first start of the season and Ahsee Tuala and full-back George Furbank round off the back three.

Meanwhile, Argentina’s outstanding lock Guido Petti returns from Tri Nations duty to start for Bordeaux against the Saints.

Petti is alongside Cyril Cazeaux in the second-row, with star of the Autumn Nations Cup, Cameron Woki, taking his place at flanker.

In a powerful back-row, captain Mahamadou Diaby and former Australian international Scott Higginbotham join Woki as they look to put pressure on the hosts’ forward eight.

Behind the scrum, Remi Lamerat and Ben Lam are retained, despite their recent defeat to Racing 92 in the Top 14, while Ben Botica and Maxime Lucu continue at half-back, but Santiago Cordero starts after returning from Australia.

The selection of Botica at number 10 means that Matthieu Jalibert, who came off injured against England last weekend, will look to make an impact from the bench.

He is joined the among the replacements by the powerful Ben Tameifuna and Marco Tauleigne.

The teams:

Northampton Saints: 15 George Furbank, 14 Ahsee Tuala, 13 Matt Proctor, 12 Rory Hutchinson, 11 Taqele Naiyaravoro, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Alex Mitchell, 8 Shaun Adendorff, 7 Tom Wood (c), 6 Courtney Lawes, 5 Nick Isiekwe, 4 David Ribbans, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Sam Matavesi, 1 Nick Auterac
Replacements: 16 James Fish, 17 Francois van Wyk, 18 Paul Hill, 19 Api Ratuniyarawa, 20 JJ Tonks, 21 Henry Taylor, 22 Fraser Dingwall, 23 Ryan Olowofela

Bordeaux-Begles: 15 Romain Buros, 14 Santiago Cordero, 13 Yoram Moefana, 12 Rémi Lamerat, 11 Ben Lam, 10 Ben Botica, 9 Maxime Lucu, 8 Scott Higginbotham, 7 Mahamadou Diaby (c), 6 Cameron Woki, 5 Cyril Cazeaux, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Vadim Cobilas, 2 Maxime Lamothe, 1 Thierry Paiva
Replacements: 16 Clement Maynadier, 17 Lekso Kaulashvili, 18 Ben Tameifuna, 19 Jandré Marais, 20 Marco Tauleigne, 21 Jules Gimbert, 22 Matthieu Jalibert, 23 Pablo Uberti

Venue: Franklin’s Gardens
Kick-off: 17:30 GMT
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Ian Tempest (England), Rob Warburton (England)
TMO: David Grashoff (England)

Ulster v Toulouse

Ulster are boosted by the return from international duty of Jacob Stockdale, who lines up on the left wing for their Champions Cup opener with Toulouse.

Stockdale joins full-back Michael Lowry and Matt Faddes on the right wing to complete the back three for the match at Kingspan Stadium this Friday.

In midfield, Stuart McCloskey also returns from the Ireland squad to partner with James Hume. Ian Madigan has been named at fly-half alongside John Cooney at scrum-half.

Having made his international debut against Scotland last week, Eric O’Sullivan comes in to take the starting berth at loosehead prop. Rob Herring also returns from Ireland duties and is named at hooker, with Marty Moore retaining his position at tighthead.

Alan O’Connor will partner with Sam Carter, who will lead the side from the second-row. Sean Reidy and Jordi Murphy are named at blindside and openside, with Marcell Coetzee completing the pack at number eight.

John Andrew, Andrew Warwick, Tom O’Toole, David O’Connor, and Matty Rea provide the forward options on the bench, with Alby Mathewson, Stewart Moore and Craig Gilroy offering backline cover.

Meanwhile, Toulouse have named a star-studded line-up that includes France scrum-half Antoine Dupont, who joins Thomas Ramos as the half-back pairing.

Romain Ntamack and Sofiane Guitoune form a slick midfield partnership, with Cheslin Kolbe, Matthis Lebel and Maxime Médard linking up in the back three.

Up front they are led by hooker Julien Marchand, who has Cyril Baille and Charlie Faumuina either side of him, with Rory Arnold and Joe Tekori the locks.

Completing the Toulouse side in the back-row will be Rynhardt Elstadt, Alban Placines and recent new France cap Selevasio Tolofua in at number eight.

The teams:

Ulster: 15 Michael Lowry, 14 Matt Faddes, 13 James Hume, 12 Stuart McCloskey, 11 Jacob Stockdale, 10 Ian Madigan, 9 John Cooney, 8 Marcell Coetzee, 7 Jordi Murphy, 6 Sean Reidy, 5 Sam Carter (c), 4 Alan O’Connor, 3 Marty Moore, 2 Rob Herring, 1 Eric O’Sullivan
Replacements: 16 John Andrew, 17 Andrew Warwick, 18 Tom O’Toole, 19 David O’Connor, 20 Matty Rea, 21 Alby Mathewson, 22 Stewart Moore, 23 Craig Gilroy

Toulouse: 15 Maxime Médard, 14 Matthis Lebel, 13 Sofiane Guitoune, 12 Romain Ntamack, 11 Cheslin Kolbe, 10 Thomas Ramos, 9 Antoine Dupont, 8 Selevasio Tolofua, 7 Alban Placines, 6 Rynhardt Elstadt, 5 Joe Tekori, 4 Rory Arnold, 3 Charlie Faumuina, 2 Julien Marchand (c), 1 Cyril Baille
Replacements: 16 Guillaume Marchand, 17 Rodrigue Neti, 18 David Ainu’u, 19 Emmanuel Meafou, 20 Louis Madaule, 21 Yannick Youyoutte, 22 Pita Ahki, 23 Alexi Bales

Venue: Kingspan Stadium
Kick-off: 20:00 GMT
Referee: Matthew Carley (England)
Assistant Referees: Sean Gallagher (Ireland), Robert O’Sullivan (Ireland)
TMO: Joy Neville (Ireland)

 

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