Ex-Bath duo on cusp of Top 14 glory along with benched Pollard
Two former Bath players – Zach Mercer and Henry Thomas – are on the verge of Top 14 glory in their first season at Montpellier after quitting the Gallagher Premiership strugglers. Both forwards were involved when their English club were beaten 19-10 at The Rec by the French in a Challenge Cup semi-final in May 2021.
Montpellier went on to win that tournament, defeating Leicester in the Twickenham final, and a year later Philippe Saint-Andre’s side is now just 80 minutes away from clinching a first-ever Top 14 title when they play Castres in the 2022 decider at Stade de France on Friday night.
Alex Lozowski provided the English intertest at Montpellier last season, spending 2020/21 on loan at the club while Saracens were enduring their Championship season. But the English focus is now very much on Mercer, the soon-to-be 25-year-old No8, and his fellow ex-England international Thomas, the tighthead who will be 31 in October.
Mercer has been supreme in his first season in France, making 26 Top 14 appearances and reminding everyone in England of his fabulous talent when starring in the two-legged Champions Cup round of 16 win for Montpellier over Harlequins.
Thomas, meanwhile, has made 17 league appearances but just four of those games have been as a starter in contrast to Mercer who has made 21 Top 14 starts.
The No8 will start again at the Stade de France, with Thomas on the bench where he will have Handre Pollard, the 2019 Springboks World Cup winner, for company as Saint-Andre has opted to again start Italian Paolo Garbisi at out-half following last Saturday’s semi-final win over Bordeaux in Nice. The previous night at the same ground, Castres dethroned title holders Toulouse and their fixture with Montpellier is a repeat of the 2018 final that they won 29-13. Both teams have named benches with a five-forwards/three-backs split.
CASTRES: 15. Dumora ; 14. Palis , 13. Combezou , 12. Botitu, 11. Nakosi; 10. Urdapiletta, 9. Arata; 7. Champion de Crespigny, 8. Ben-Nicholas, 6. Babillot (capt), 5. Staniforth , 4. Vanverberghe, 3. Hounkpatin, 2. Barlot, 1. Walcker. Reps: 16. Ngauamo, 17. De Benedittis, 18. Jacquet , 19. Delaporte, 20. Fernandez, 21. Cocagi, 22. Zeghdar, 23. Chilachava
MONTPELLIER: 15. Bouthier; 14. Vincent, 13. Doumayrou , 12. Serfontein, 11. Rattez; 10. Garbisi, 9. Paillaugue; 7. Camara (capt), 8. Mercer, 6. Becognee, 5. Chalureau , 4. Verhaeghe, 3. Haouas, 2. Guirado, 1. Lamositele. Reps: 16. Paenga-Amosa, 17. Forletta, 18. Capelli, 19. Janse van Rensburg, 20. Aprasidze, 21. Pollard, 22. Ngandebe, 23. Thomas
Comments on RugbyPass
The value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
10 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
54 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
54 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
51 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
54 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
54 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
54 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
54 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to comments