Nanterre (AFP)
Racing 92 opener Finn Russell, injured at the end of October with Scotland, recovered earlier than expected to start the European Rugby Cup on Sunday against Connacht, the Hauts-de- club said. Seine Friday.
Hit in the groin during the match won in Wales (14-10) at the end of the Six Nations Tournament, Russell had to wait "about two months" to resume competition, according to the Scottish Federation in early November.
His recovery finally lasted a month.
The opener will reconstitute with Teddy Iribaren the failing hinge of the final of the previous European Cup lost in mid-October against Exeter (31-27).
The opportunity for the Sky and White to show that they have turned the page on Bristol's disillusionment.
For this first round against its weaker opponent, Racing will have something to impress with the trifle of ten French internationals (Teddy Thomas, Virimi Vakatawa, Henry Chavancy, Fabien Sanconnie, Wenceslas Lauret, Bernard le Roux, Camille Chat, Eddy Ben Arous in the starting XV, plus Cedate Gomes Sa and Maxime Machenaud on the bench) and six foreign internationals (Kurtley Beale, Russell, Dominic Bird holders, Guram Gogichashvili, Donnacha Ryan and Simon Zebo substitutes).
In Montpellier against Leinster, manager Xavier Garbajosa chose to give a chance to Alex Lozowski, the opener loaned by the Saracens and remained on a key not found which offered the victory to Bordeaux-Bègles (23-22) in the 'Hérault.
His young (18 years) competitor Louis Foursans-Bourdette, hero of the following success in Clermont (21-15), will replace, like his opposite Johnny Sexton.
The Irish bench will be impressive with the other regulars of the XV of Clover, forwards Cian Healy, Andrew Porter and James Ryan.
The teams of the 1st day of the European Cup
SATURDAY
(2:00 p.m.) Bristol (ENG) - Clermont (FRA)
Referee: Andrew Brace (IRL)
Starting XV
Bristol: Malins - Leiua, P. O'Conor, Piutau (cap.), Purdy - (o) Sheedy, (m) Randall - D. Thomas, Hughes, B. Earl - Joyce, E. Holmes - Afoa, B. Byrne, Woolmore
Clermont: Matsushima - Penaud, Naqalevu, Moala, Raka - (o) Lopez (cap.), (M) Parra - Yato, F. Lee, Cancoriet - Vahaamahina, S. Timani - Slimani, A. Pélissié, Falgoux
Substitutes
Bristol: Capon, Y. Thomas, Sinckler, Attwood, J. Heenan, Uren, Lloyd, Adeolokun
Clermont: Fourcade, Ravai, S. Falatea, Jedrasiak, Veredamu, S. Bézy, Tiberghien, Vili
(4:15 p.m.) Toulon (FRA) - Sale (ENG)
Referee: Frank Murphy (IRL)
Starting XV
Toulon: Paia'aua - Moyano, Toeava, Nonu, Villière - (o) Carbonel, (m) Serin - R. Lakafia, Parisse (cap.), S. Rebbadj - Alainu'uese, Etzebeth - Setiano, Etrillard, Gros
Sale: L. James - Yarde, R. du Preez, S. Hill, Hammersley - (o) MacGinty, (m) Cliff - Ross (cap.), J.-L. du Preez, Wiese - J. Phillips, Postlethwaite , John - A. van der Merwe, Rodd, Cliff
Substitutes
Toulon: Ch. Tolofua, Devaux, Tchelidze, R. Toafifenua, Isa, Moretti, Meric, Dakuwaqa
Sale: Langdon, Harrison, Cooper-Woolley, Dugdale, Ashman, F. de Klerk, S. James, Solomona
(6.30 p.m.) Montpellier (FRA) - Leinster (IRL)
Referee: Karl Dickson (ENG)
Starting XV
Montpellier: Rattez - Ngandebe, Reilhac, Vincent (cap.), Martin - (o) Lozowski, (m) Paillaugue - Y. Camara, Jac.
Du Plessis, NJ Van Rensburg - P. Willemse, Chalureau - Haouas, Guirado, Fichten
Leinster: O'Brien - Keenan, Henshaw, Frawley, Kearney - (o) R. Byrne, (m) L. McGrath - Van der Flier, Doris, Ruddock (cap.) - Fardy, Toner - Bent, Tracy, Dooley
Substitutes
Montpellier: B. Du Plessis, Forletta, Lamositele, Picamoles, Timu, Foursans-Bourdette, Vallée, Bévia
Leinster: Kelleher, C. Healy, Porter, J. Ryan, Baird, Gibson-Park, Sexton, Leavy
(9 p.m.) Edinburgh (SCO) - La Rochelle (FRA)
Referee: Luke Pearce (ENG)
Starting XV
Edinburgh: Kinghorn - D. Graham, Bennett, Dean, D. van der Merwe - (o) J. van der Walt, (m) Pyrgos - H. Watson, Mata, Ritchie - Davidson, Toolis - Nel, McInally (cap. ), Schoeman
La Rochelle: Sinzelle - Leyds, Doumayrou, Botia, Rhule - (o) Plisson, (m) Kerr Barlow - Gourdon, Alldritt (cap.), W. Liebenberg - Skelton, Lavault - Atonio, Bourgarit, Wardi
Substitutes
Edinburgh: Mr. Willemse, Sutherland, Berghan, Ferreira, Bradbury, Groom, Chamberlain, Johnstone
La Rochelle: F. Bosch, Aouf, Joly, Tanguy, Bourdeau, Berjon, West, Alonso
SUNDAY
(2:00 p.m.) Lyon (FRA) - Gloucester (ENG)
Referee: Mike Adamson (SCO)
Starting XV
Lyon: T. Arnold - X. Mignot, Barassi, Ngatai, Nakaitaci - (o) Wisniewski, (m) Couilloud (cap.) - Cretin, Bastareaud, Goujon - Rodda, Lambey - Ric, Ivaldi, Chiocci
Gloucester: Moyle - Morris, Trinder, Seabrook, Morgan - (o) Barton, (m) Varney - Ludlow (cap.), Nagle-Taylor, J. Clement - Gibson, Atkins - Knight, Hanson, Ford-Robinson
Substitutes
Lyon: Maurouard, Chaume, Devisme, Geraci, Fainga'a, Doussain, Berdeu, Regard
(4:15 p.m.) Racing 92 (FRA) - Connacht (IRL)
Referee: Wayne Barnes (ENG)
Starting XV
Racing 92: Beale - T. Thomas, Vakatawa, Chavancy (cap.), D. Taofifenua - (o) Russell, (m) Iribaren - Chouzenoux, Sanconnie, Lauret - Bird, B. le Roux - Colombe, Chat, Ben Arous
Connacht: Porch - Wootton, S. Arnold, T. Daly, M. Healy - (o) Carty, (m) Marmion - Butler (cap.), Boyle, S. Masterson - Dillane, E. Masterson - Bealham, Heffernan, Buckley
Substitutes
Racing 92: Le Guen, Gogichashvili, Gomes Sa, Do.
Ryan, Diallo, Machenaud, Gibert, Zebo
Connacht: Delahunt, Duggan, Aungier, Prendergast, Oliver, C. Blade, Aki, O'Halloran
© 2020 AFP