Paris (AFP)
Welsh referee Nigel Owens has withdrawn from the European rugby match on Saturday between Clermont and Ulster and will be replaced by England's Matthew Carley, the competition organizer said on Friday.
On the Clermont side, the disappointed on the list of the XV of France will have the opportunity to show the new coach Fabien Galthié that he is wrong: the pillars Etienne Falgoux and Rabah Slimani, the second line Paul Jedrasiak, the third line Arthur Iturria and Alexandre Lapandry and winger Alivereti Raka will start the match around the hinge composed of scrum half Morgan Parra and opener Camille Lopez.
Only two Clermontois were called among 42 players to prepare the Six Nations Tournament: the winger Damian Penaud will be titular and the flanker Alexandre Fischer substitute.
ASM will be guaranteed a place in the quarterfinals in the event of a victory.
Clermont - Ulster, Saturday (2 p.m.) in Clermont-Ferrand (Marcel-Michelin)
The starting XV
Clermont: Abendanon - Penaud, Toeava, Moala, Raka (o) Lopez, (m) Parra (cap.) - Lapandry, F. Lee, Iturria - Vahaamahina, Jedrasiak - Slimani, Ulugia, Falgoux
Ulster: Addison - Baloucoune, L. Marshall, McCloskey, Stockdale - (o) Burns, (m) Cooney - J. Murphy, M. Coetzee, Reidy - Henderson (cap.), A. O'Connor - M. Moore, Herring, J. McGrath
replacements
Clermont: Beheregaray, Uhila, Falatea, S. Timani, Fischer, Laidlaw, McIntyre, Naqalevu,
Ulster: McBurney, O'Sullivan, O'Toole, Treadwell, Rea, Shanahan, B. Johnston, Faddes
Referee: Matthew Carley (ENG)
© 2020 AFP