Paris (AFP)
Japanese full-back Kotaro Matsushima makes his return as a starter with Clermont, while opener and captain Camille Lopez will be on the bench at Bordeaux-Bègles on Saturday, in a late match for the 4th day of the Top 14.
Left to rest last weekend in Pau (victory 42-31), Matsushima had been replaced by Jean-Pascal Barraque who found a starting place in the center.
Fijian third line Peceli Yato inherits the captaincy and Samoan international Tim Nanai-Williams, established at the opening, forms the hinge in Auvergne with scrum half Morgan Parra.
On the side of Bordeaux-Bègles, the third line French international Cameron Woki, victim of a sprained ankle, is replaced by the Argentinian Guido Petti.
Already victim of a shortage of players in its back lines (Cordero, Moefana ...), the UBB will also have to do without Rémi Lamerat, replaced by Pablo Uberti.
The left pillar Jefferson Poirot, affected in the cervical, is still too fair to appear in the group.
Note that the Pierre Mignot center, arrived at the club on Monday as a medical joker, is on the bench.
On the Bayonne side, the Spanish third row Asier Usarraga, injured in the hamstrings since the summer preparation last summer, will make his debut in the Basque jersey against Pau.
No longer appeared on the field since April 2019, Australian international back Jesse Mogg is back in the Pau group after having undergone three operations on a tibia.
Team compositions for late Saturday matches counting for the 4th and 13th match days of Top 14:
(3.15 p.m., 4th day)
Bordeaux-Bègles: Buros - Delguy, Dubié, Uberti, Lam - (o) Jalibert, (m) Lucu - Diaby (cap.), Higginbotham, Petti - Marais, Cazeaux - Cobilas, Lamothe, Paiva
Clermont: Matsushima - Penaud, Barraque, Moala, Raka - (o) Nanai-Williams, (m) Parra - Cancoriet, Yato (cap.), Fischer - Timani, Thi.
Lanen - Falatea, Pélissié, Ravai
Substitutes
Bordeaux-Bègles: Dweba, Kaulashvili, Douglas, Tauleigne, Lesgourgues, Botica, Mignot, Tameifuna
Clermont: Fourcade, Beria, Jedrasiak, Lee, Bézy, Lopez, Vili, Ojovan
Referee: Alexandre Ruiz
(9:00 p.m., 13th day)
Bayonne: Germain - Ravouvou, Muscarditz (cap.), Lestrade, Luc - (o) Lafage, (m) Rouet - Usarraga, F. Taofifenua, Monribot - Ducat, Galarza - Nixon, Ulugia, Boniface
Pau: Malié - Pinto, Roudil, Manu, Fumat - (o) Hastoy, (m) Le Bail - Habel-Kuffner, Whitelock, Tagitagivalu - Philip, Metz - Adriaanse, Rey (cap.), Calles
Substitutes
Bayonne: Delonca, Cormenier, Mikautatdze, Luamanu, Ruru, Costossèque, Duputs, Mousset
Pau: Lespiaucq, Fisi'ihoi, Ramsay, Erbani, Daubagna, Mogg, Votu, Corato
Referee: Pierre Brousset
© 2021 AFP