For this Top 14 clash, Stade Rochelais comes with a few strong men but will be weakened, at the Chaban-Delmas stadium, this Saturday evening (9:05 p.m.) against UBB. Ronan O’Gara trusts Antoine Hastoy at the opening, who will play his 50th match in the La Rochelle jersey, in place of Hugo Reus, not in the 23. Just like Paul Boudehent, replaced by Cancoriet in the third line position .
Pierre Bourgarit and Reda Wardi returned to training this week, but will also be sidelined for this meeting. Georges-Henri Colombes and Thierry Paiva, back after his injury in the first leg in November, take their places on the bench. Note the first match sheet of Mathis Brunet, a 20-year-old scrum half, called up to fill the combined absences of Iribaren, Kerr-Barlow and Zamora.
Starting XV: Alexandre Kaddouri, Quentin Lespiaucq, Uini Atonio, Thomas Lavault, Will Skelton, Judicael Cancoriet, Levani Botia, Greg Alldritt (cap), Thomas Berjon, Antoine Hastoy, Jules Favre, Jonathan Danty, Ihaia West, Teddy Thomas, Dillyn Leyds.
Bench: Tolu Latu, Thierry Paiva, Matthias Haddad, Oscar Jegou, Yoan Tanga, Mathis Brunet, Jack Nowell and Georges-Henri Colombe.
