Challenge Cup, Round One - teams and predictions

SATURDAY AND SUNDAY PREVIEWS: The Cheetahs may be eyeing Super Rugby for more international exposure. but for now, they are determined to make their mark in Europe.

Having been invited to participate in the Challenge Cup since 2022, the Cheetahs reached the Round of 16 in both 2022/23 and 2023/24.

However, just making the play-offs is no longer good enough.

The Bloemfontein-based franchise is determined to go much further in their third appearance.

As one of the top five teams in South Africa, the Cheetahs do have a strong ambition to participate in more international games.

“I want to emphasize that I greatly respect the EPCR [European Professional Club Rugby],” Cheetahs Director of Rugby Frans Steyn said.

“I have had the privilege of playing in Europe for seven years and hold the competition and its participants in the highest regard.

“We are grateful to be part of a quality competition like the Challenge Cup.

“It is an honour to play against some of the best clubs in Europe, and we are committed to doing our best in the competition.”

Having not played competitively since September, the Cheetahs had a practice match against a Bulls second-string selection last week.

The Cheetahs ‘host’ French outfit Perpignan in Amsterdam on Sunday, as they start their charge towards the play-offs.

The Cheetahs’ boss, Steyn, a man intimately familiar with the French game after 200-odd outings with Racing 92 and Montpellier, said Perpignan is far more dangerous than their lowly (11th) place in the Top 14 table.

“They have a big set of forwards,” Steyn said, adding: “We haven’t played in a while, but had a ‘hit-out’ against the Bulls [reserve selection] to clear the cobwebs.”

“We have spoken about it [going beyond the Round of 16] in pre-season,” Steyn said.

“We will be disappointed if we don’t get there.

“It [Challenge Cup] is a massive opportunity for us.

“Previous year, when we reached the Round of 16, we were just happy to be there.

“It is certainly not the case this season.

“Most of the players have played abroad and they have matured.

“There is no reason why we can’t progress further this year.”

Steyn believes the pack of forwards has enough experience to deliver a favourable result.

Coach Izak van der Westhuizen admitted going from the summer heat of Bloemfontein to the European winter – cloudy and breezy, with a real feel temperature of 3°C at the NRCA – will be a real challenge.

“The biggest concern we had last year was frost,” Van der Westhuizen said, adding: “It is not something we are used to.

“With the cold and the artificial surface [a synthetic grass pitch] we have to ensure we have the right studs and equipment.

“The playing surface a lot different of what we are used to,” he said of a pitch designed specifically for rugby.

The Amsterdam surface is very different to other synthetic surfaces, especially what they would have experienced playing in Cardiff.

“It is not that easy if you don’t train on artificial surfaces, but hopefully we will adapt quickly.”

He added that from having played in Amsterdam last year, they have a good idea of what is coming, so they have made tactical adjustments – especially to their kicking game.

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* Meanwhile the Lions are determined to bounce back from their back-to-back defeats in the URC – against Irish provinces Leinster and Munster.

They will be looking to get their Challenge Cup campaign off to a strong start when they take on the Ospreys – moved to Parc y Scarlets, in Llanelli.

With four wins in six matches in the URC, the Johannesburg-based franchise is in fifth place on the URC table.

They will fancy their chances against an Ospreys side that has only won two of their seven matches for a disappointing 14th place on the standings.

The visitors, however, will be wary of Ospreys as both of their victories were at home, while the teams are also not far apart in terms of points scored with the Lions holding only an 11-point advantage in that area.

The Lions have been far more effective on defence, conceding 58 points fewer than their rivals in the URC – a department they will place a heavy emphasis on this week to return to the winning ways that saw them start the URC with four victories in a row.

Coach Ivan van Rooyen has tweaked his matchday squad.

Nico Steyn leads the side from the scrumhalf position.

Talented flyhalf Sam Francis makes his debut for the franchise on the European stage, after impressive performances in junior and senior domestic competitions in recent months.

Another Junior Springbok, loosehead prop SJ Kotze, is also in line to make his franchise debut from the bench.

Lions scrum coach Julian Redelinghuys said they are familiar with the challenge awaiting them on Sunday – with the Welsh outfit having beaten them in their last two encounters.

“Unfortunately, we haven’t had favourable experiences with the Ospreys,” he said, adding: “More often than not they are unfavourable experiences.

“We are expecting it to be a physical game, with difficult conditions in Swansea and Europe and something for us to work on is making sure our handling in the conditions is better.

“They are a physical and tough team, and we expect a difficult kicking game.

“The one aspect of our game that needs improving is playing in these European conditions.”

Speaking about the poor decision-making, fullback Tapiwa Mafura said it is an ‘easy fix’.

“We need to communicate better [with each other] and ensure we execute when we create opportunities,” he said.

“It is a massive opportunity for us to rectify the mistakes we made.”

Turning to Swansea’s SIS Grass hybrid pitch, Redelinghuys admitted your approach and tactics differ from game to game as a result of the variety of surfaces.

“There is some measure of adapting, but after three years in Europe the players are used to it,” he added.

All the Saturday & Sunday teams and predictions follow below …

Saturday, December 7

Aviron Bayonnais v Scarlets
(Stade Jean Dauger, Bayonne – Kick-off: 14.00; 13.00 UK time & GMT)

Prediction

@rugby365com: Bayonne by eight points

Teams

Aviron Bayonnais: 15 Cheikh Tiberghien, 14 Nadir Megdoud, 13 Guillaume Martocq, 12 Manu Tuilagi, 11 Mateo Carreras, 10 Camille Lopez (captain), 9 Guillaume Rouet, 8 Uzair Cassiem, 7 Baptiste Heguy, 6 Rodrigo Bruni, 5 Veikoso Poloniati, 4 Denis Marchois, 3 Pieter Scholtz, 2 Lucas Martin, 1 Martin Villar.
Replacements: 16 Torsten van Jaarsveld, 17 Andy Bordelai, 18 Pascal Cotet, 19 Baptiste Chouzenoux, 20 Giovanni Habel-Kuffner, 21 Baptiste Germain, 22 Joris Segonds, 23 Tom Spring.

Scarlets: 15 Ioan Nicholas, 14 Tom Rogers, 13 Joe Roberts, 12 Eddie James, 11 Ellis Mee, 10 Ioan Lloyd, 9 Efan Jones, 8 Vaea Fifita, 7 Dan Davis, 6 Jarrod Taylor, 5 Jac Price, 4 Alex Craig (captain), 3 Sam Wainwright, 2 Shaun Evans, 1 Kemsley Mathias.
Replacements: 16 Isaac Young, 17 Sam O’Connor, 18 Archer Holz, 19 Sam Lousi, 20 Max Douglas, 21 Archie Hughes, 22 Charlie Titcombe, 23 Macs Page.

Referee: Gianlucha Gnecchi
Assistant referees: Franco Rosella, Alex Frasson
TMO: Stefano Roscini

Black Lion v Vannes
(Mikheil Meskhi Stadium, Tbilisi – Kick-off: 17.00; 14.00 French time; 13.00 GMT)

Prediction

@rugby365com: Black Lion by three points

Teams

Black Lion: 15 Luka Tsirekidze, 14 Akaki Tabutsadze, 13 Tornike Kakhoidze, 12 Ioane Metreveli, 11 Sandro Todua, 10 Luka Matkava (captain), 9 Tengiz Peranidze, 8 Luka Ivanishvili (captain), 7 Giorgi Tsutskiridze, 6 Sandro Mamamtavrishvili, 5 Lado Chachanidze, 4 Mikheil Babunashvili, 3 Giorgi Chkhartishvili, 2 Shalva Mamukashvili, 1 Vasil Kakovin.
Replacements: 16 Irakli Kvatadze, 17 Dato Abdushelishvili, 18 Bachuki Tchumbadze, 19 Demuri Epremidze, 20 Giorgi Sinauridze, 21 Davit Khuroshvili, 22 Demi Tapladze, 23 Amiran Shvangiradze.

RC Vannes: 15 Massimo Ortolan, 14 Théo Bastardie, 13 Robin Taccola, 12 Alex Arrate (captain), 11 Enzo Benmegal, 10 Thibault Debaes, 9 Stephen Varney, 8 Kitione Kamikamica, 7 Simon Augry, 6 Jean-Maurice Decubber, 5 Timothe Mezou, 4 Christie van der Merwe, 3 Simon Bourgeois, 2 Pat Leafa, 1 Hugo Djehi.
Replacements: 16 Louis-Marie Suta, 17 Thomas Moukoro, 18 Paga Tafili, 19 Matthieu Uhila, 20 Matteo Desjeux, 21 Leon Boulier, 22 Jean Cotarmanac’h, 23 Tani Vili.

Referee: Eoghan Cross
Assistant referees: Andrew Cole, Andrew Fogarty
TMO: Leo Colgan

Lyon Olympique v Cardiff
(Matmut Stadium de Gerland, Lyon – Kick-off: 16.15; 15.15 UK time & GMT)

Prediction

@rugby365com: Lyon by five points

Teams

Lyon Olympique Universitaire: 15 Davit Niniashvili, 14 Ethan Dumortier, 13 Alfred Parisien, 12 Josiah Maraku, 11 Vincent Rattez, 10 Martin Meliande, 9 Charlie Cassang, 8 Maxime Gouzou, 7 Marvin Okuya, 6 Dylan Cretin (captain), 5 Alban Roussel, 4 Killian Geraci, 3 Cedate Gomes Sa, 2 Yanis Charcosset, 1 Hamza Kaabeche.
Replacements: 16 Baptiste Narmand, 17 Jérôme Rey, 18 Jermaine Ainsley, 19 Arno Botha, 20 Beka Shvangiradze, 21 Esteban Gonzalez, 22 Alexandre Tchaptchet, 23 Thibaut Regard.

Cardiff: 15 Jacob Beetham, 14 Josh Adams, 13 Rey Lee-Lo, 12 Steffan Emanuel, 11 Gabe Hamer-Webb, 10 Tinus de Beer, 9 Ellis Bevan, 8 Alun Lawrence, 7 Dan Thomas, 6 Alex Mann, 5 Teddy Williams (captain), 4 Seb Davies, 3 Rhys Litterick, 2 Evan Lloyd, 1 Danny Southworth.
Replacements: 16 Dafydd Hughes, 17 Rhys Barratt, 18 Will Davies-King, 19 Josh McNally, 20 Thomas Young, 21 Johan Mulder, 22 Callum Sheedy, 23 Harri Millard.

Referee: Hollie Davidson
Assistant referees: Jonny Perriam, Rob McDowell
TMO: Mike Adamson

Connacht v Zebre
(Sportsground, Galway – Kick-off: 20.00; 21.00 Italian time; 20.00 GMT)

Prediction

@rugby365com: Connacht by 15 points

Teams

Connacht: 15 Shane Jennings, 14 Chay Mullins, 13 David Hawkshaw, 12 Cathal Forde, 11 Santiago Cordero, 10 Jack Carty, 9 Caolin Blade, 8 Paul Boyle (captain), 7 Shamus Hurley-Langton, 6 Josh Murphy, 5 Oisin Dowling, 4 Darragh Murray, 3 Jack Aungier, 2 Dylan Tierney-Martin, 1 Jordan Duggan.
Replacements: 16 Eoin de Buitlear, 17 Temi Lasisi, 18 Fiachna Barrett, 19 David O’Connor, 20 Oisin McCormack, 21 Matthew Devine, 22 Sean Naughton, 23 Byron Ralston.

Zebre: 15 Giovanni Montemauri, 14 Filippo Bozzoni, 13 Filippo Drago, 12 Enrico Lucchin, 11 Simone Gesi, 10 Giacomo da Re, 9 Thomas Dominguez, 8 Giacomo Ferrari, 7 Bautista Stavile Bravin, 6 Giacomo Milano, 5 Leonardo Krumov, 4 Matteo Canali, 3 Muhamed Hasa, 2 Luca Bigi (captain), 1 Paolo Buonfiglio.
Replacements: 16 Giampietro Ribaldi, 17 Luca Rizzoli, 18 Matteo Nocera, 19 Rusiate Nasove, 20 Luca Andreani, 21 Alessandro Fusco, 22 Jacopo Bianchi, 23 Scott Gregory.

Referee: Adam Jones
Assistant referees: Gareth Newman, Amber Stamp
TMO: Neil Henessy

Sunday, December 8

Section Paloise v Newcastle Falcons
(Stade du Hameau, Pau – Kick-off: 14.00; 13.00 UK time & GMT)

Prediction

@rugby365com: Pau by 12 points

Teams

Section Paloise: 15 Clément Mondinat, 14 Aaron Grandidier Nkanang, 13 Olivier Klemenczak, 12 Eliott Roudil (captain), 11 Gregoire Arfeuil, 10 Axel Desperes, 9 Thomas Souverbie, 8 Thibaut Hamonou, 7 Reece Hewat, 6 Mehdi Tlili, 5 Jimi Maximin, 4 Thomas Jolmes, 3 Jon Zabala Arrieta, 2 Dan Jooste, 1 Remi Seneca.
Replacements: 16 Youri Delhommel, 17 Daniel Bibi Biziwu, 18 Guram Papidze, 19 Hugo Auradou, 20 Lekima Tagitagivalu, 21 Thibault Daubagna, 22 Nathan Decron, 23 Aymeric Luc.

Newcastle Falcons: 15 Ben Redshaw, 14 Adam Radwan, 13 Alex Hearle, 12 Cameron Hutchison, 11 Ben Stevenson, 10 Kieran Wilkinson, 9 Max Pepper, 8 Callum Chick (captain), 7 Tom Gordon, 6 Freddie Lockwood, 5 Kiran McDonald Seran, 4 Sebastian de Chaves, 3 Richard Palframan, 2 Ollie Fletcher, 1 Murray McCallum.
Replacements: 16 Bryan Byrne, 17 Mike Rewcastle, 18 Callum Hancock, 19 Finn Baker, 20 Ollie Leatherbarrow, 21 Hugh O’Sullivan, 22 Brett Connon, 23 Oli Spencer.

Referee: Ben Breakspear
Assistant referees: Mathew Leon, Mike English
TMO: Tom Spurrier

Cheetahs v Perpignan
(National Rugby Centre Amsterdam – Kick-off: 14.00; 15.00 SA time; 14.00 French time; 13.00 GMT)

Prediction

@rugby365com: Cheetahs by six points

Teams

Cheetahs: 15 Michael Annies, 14 Munier Hartzenberg, 13 Carel-Jan Coetzee, 12 Ali Mgijima, 11 Prince Nkabinde, 10 Ethan Wentzel, 9 Ruben de Haas, 8 Jeandre Rudolph, 7 Friedle Olivier, 6 Gideon van der Merwe, 5 Victor Sekekete (captain), 4 Carl Wegner, 3 Aranos Coetzee, 2 Louis van der Westhuizen, 1 Schalk Ferreira.
Replacements: 16 Vernon Paulo, 17 Hencus van Wyk, 18 Robert Hunt, 19 Pierre-Raymond Uys, 20 Oupa Mohoje, 21 Daniel Maartens, 22 Rewan Kruger, 23 George Lourens.

Perpignan: 15 Louis Dupichot, 14 Jefferson Joseph, 13 Job Poulet, 12 Apisai Naqalevu, 11 Seta Toganiyadrava, 10 Antoine Aucagne, 9 Sadek Deghmache, 8 So’otala Fa’aso’o, 7 Alessandro Ortombina, 6 Noe Della Schiava, 5 Mathieu Tanguy, 4 Bastien Chinarro, 3 Nemo Roelofse, 2 Victor Montgaillard (captain), 1 Lorencio Boyer-Gallardo.
Replacements: 16 Vakhtang Jincharadze, 17 Johan Barcenilla D’Onghia, 18 Pietro Ceccarelli, 19 Max Hicks, 20 Lucas Velarte, 21 James Hall, 22 Gabin Kretchmann, 23 Riko Buliruarua.

Referee: Federico Vedovelli
Assistant referees: Alberto Favaro, Manuel Bottino
TMO: Stefano Penne

Ospreys v Lions
(Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli – Kick-off: 15.15; 17.15 SA time; 15.15 GMT)

Prediction

@rugby365com: Ospreys by three points

Teams

Ospreys: 15 Jack Walsh, 14 Daniel Kasende, 13 Owen Watkin, 12 Keiran Williams, 11 Keelan Giles, 10 Owen Williams, 9 Kieran Hardy, 8 Jac Morgan (captain), 7 Harri Deaves, 6 Tristan Davies, 5 James Fender, 4 Will Greatbanks, 3 Ben Warren, 2 Dewi Lake, 1 Gareth Thomas.
Replacements: 16 Sam Parry, 17 Steff Thomas, 18 Tom Botha, 19 Lewis Jones, 20 Morgan Morris, 21 Luke Davies, 22 Dan Edwards, 23 Iestyn Hopkins.

Lions: 15 Tapiwa Mafura, 14 Richard Kriel, 13 Erich Cronje, 12 Rynhardt Jonker, 11 Rabz Maxwane, 10 Sam Francis, 9 Nico Steyn (captain), 8 WJ Steenkamp, 7 Izan Esterhuizen, 6 JC Pretorius, 5 Darrien Landsberg, 4 Etienne Oosthuizen, 3 Conrad van Vuuren, 2 Franco Marais, 1 Morgan Naudé.
Replacements: 16 Jaco Visagie, 17 SJ Kotze, 18 RF Schoeman, 19 Ruan Delport, 20 Renzo du Plessis, 21 Ruhan Straeuli, 22 Sanele Nohamba, 23 Marius Louw.

Referee: Kevin Bralley
Assistant referees: Vivien Praderie, Flavien Hourquet
TMO: Cedric Marchat

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