Castres Olympique had a turnover for the first day of the Champions Cup against Harlequins, Sunday at Pierre-Fabre (6:30 p.m.).
We were waiting for them, here they are back at the helm. Rory Kockott and Benjamin Urdapilleta, no longer associated since the league match against Brive at the end of October, have regained their starting place in the starting XV of Castres Olympique.
At the start of the week, defense coach Joe Worsley recognized that this match against the English champions was the right time to revive them. Because the Tarnais will need the experience of old veterans. The staff having decided to take advantage of the European Cup to give managers a breather and put their foot in the stirrup for players who lack playing time.
We are thinking in particular of a completely new second line, made up of Théo Hannoyer – not even 100 minutes this season, accumulated between a match in Paris and an entry into play against Biarritz – and Jack Whetton. Arrived in October as a medical joker, the second line will wear the Castres Olympique jersey for the first time, more than 27 years after the last match of his father, Gary Whetton, champion of France 1993, with the Tarnais.
Pierre-Henry Broncan and his staff also blew the Walcker-Barlot-Hounkpatin first line to line up Tichit, Ngauamo and Guillamon. In the pack, Joasaia Raisuqe will experience his first tenure as a third wing line, he who returned to this position in Montpellier and against Racing last week.
In the three-quarters, in addition to Kockott and Urdapilleta, the CO records the return to its XV of Thomas Combezou, Pierre Aguillon and Martin Laveau – Filipo Nakosi will occupy the left wing -, but especially sees the young Thomas Larregain, arrived from Colomiers this summer, start in 15.
This is an opportunity for many young people to show themselves in front of a sharp English team, 4e from the Premiership, and with formidable individuals: Alex Dombrandt, Danny Care, Marcus Smith… the list is long.
Starting XV:
Larregain; Laveau, Combezou, Aguillon, Nakosi (o) Urdapilleta, (m) Kockott; Raisuque, Ben Nicholas, Champion of Crespigny; Whetton, Hannoyer; Guillamon, Ngauamo, Tichit
Rempl. : Humbert, Nostadt, Tierney, Staniforth, Ardron, Meka, Arata, Le Brun
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