Preview: Treviso v Stade Français

Editor

Treviso have made four changes, including a positional switch, to their run-on side for Saturday's Champions Cup clash with Stade Français.

There is just one tweak in the backline with Enrico Bacchin replacing Tommaso Iannone at outside centre. Bacchin lines up in midfield alongside Sam Christie while Jayden Hayward and Chris Smylie are the starting half-backs.

Full-back Luke McLean is joined in the back-three by wings Andrea Pratichetti and Edoardo Gori.

Up front, Alessandro Zanni moves to number eight from openside flank, where he replaces Dean Budd. Joining Zanni in the back-row are Francesco Minto, who starts on the openside, and Andrea De Marchi.

Rudolph Naude replaces Jeff Montauriol in the second-row and packs down alongside Filo Paulo. And in the final change, Alberto de Marchi takes over from Filippo Filippetto at tighthead prop. 

Meanwhile, Stade Français have made eight changes to their starting XV. Amongst the backs, Djibril Camara switches from left wing to full-back where he replaces Hugo Bonneval.

The other changes out wide see Julien Arias coming in on the right wing at the expense of Jeremy Sinzelle and Paul Williams and Meyer Bosman take over in midfield from Waisale Nayacalevu and Jonathan Danty.

In the pack, captain and number eight Sergio Parisse is joined in the back-row by flankers Sylvain Nicolas and Willem Alberts who are preferred to Raphael Lakafia and Jono Ross.

The final change sees Heinke van der Merwe taking over from Zak Taulafo at loosehead prop.

Form: Treviso are on a dreadful run in the Champions Cup, having won only one of their last 14 matches in the tournament and they have conceded more than 30 points in 10 of those fixtures. They have won just two of their last 22 fixtures againstFrench sides with both two triumphs coming by one and four-point margins respectively. Stade Français have played against Italian opponents in the competition on six occasions, winning each by an average margin of 52 points. The Parisian-based outfit have convincingly won both of the two Champions Cup clashes between these teams, outscoring the Italian side 101-15.

The teams:

Treviso: 15 Luke McLean, 14 Andrea Pratichetti, 13 Enrico Bacchin, 12 Samuel Christie, 11 Edoardo Gori, 10 Jayden Hayward, 9 Chris Smylie, 8 Alessandro Zanni, 7 Francesco Minto, 6 Andrea De Marchi, 5 Filo Paulo, 4 Rudolph Naude, 3 Alberto de Marchi, 2 Ornel Gega, 1 Matteo Zanusso.
Replacements: 16 Roberto Santamaria, 17 Cherif Traore, 18 Rupert Harden, 19 Tom Palmer, 20 Marco Lazzaroni, 21 Alberto Sgarbi, 22 James Ambrosini, 23 Simone Ragusi.

Stade Français: 15 Djibril Camara, 14 Julien Arias, 13 Paul Williams, 12 Meyer Bosman, 11 Waisea Vuidarvuwalu, 10 Jules Plisson, 9 Will Genia, 8 Sergio Parisse, 7 Sylvain Nicolas, 6 Willem Alberts, 5 Pascal Papé, 4 Hugh Pyle, 3 Paul Alo Emile, 2 Laurent Sempéré, 1 Heinke van der Merwe.
Replacements: 16 Laurent Panis, 17 Zurabi Zhvania, 18 Zak Taulafo, 19 Paul Gabrillagues, 20 Raphael Lakafia, 21 Clement Daguin, 22 Jonathan Danty, 23 Hugo Bonneval.

Date: Saturday, December 12
Venue: Stadio Comunale di Monigo
Kick-off: 16:15 local (15:15 GMT)
Referee: Matthew Carley (England)
Assistant Referees: Luke Pearce (England), Peter Allan (England)
TMO: Rowan Kitt (England)