Recap: Lyon vs Leinster LIVE | Heineken Champions Cup
Follow all the action on the RugbyPass live blog from the Heineken Champions Cup match between Lyon and Leinster at Matmut Stade de Gerland.
Keep up to date with the latest score, stats and join the conversation from anywhere in the world in our Live Match Centre (click here).
Top 14 leaders Lyon have made eleven changes following their 25-14 opening round defeat at Northampton, starting with a completely changed front row of Xavier Chiocci, Michael Ivaldi and Demba Bamba, Captain Baptiste Couilloud and Jonathan Wisniewski form the half-backs.
Leinster have made five changes following last weekend’s 33-19 home win over Benetton. Rob Kearney makes his first start for the Irish province since returning from the World Cup, with Jordan Larmour moving to the right wing and James Lowe continuing on the left.
Robbie Henshaw and Garry Ringrose are paired together for the first time this season in the centre, with Luke McGrath and captain Johnny Sexton continuing as the half-back pairing.
(Continue reading below…)
In the pack, Cian Healy and Ronan Kelleher are retained from the starting XV last week, with Tadhg Furlong returning from a back injury to start at tighthead. James Ryan is again selected in the second row, with Scott Fardy stepping up for Devin Toner to win his 50th club cap.
In the back row, it’s the same two on the flanks, with Rhys Ruddock at blindside and Josh van der Flier at openside winning his 75th cap, with Max Deegan making his first European start from No8 having come on early last weekend for the injured Caelan Doris.
The Irish province got their latest Champions Cup campaign up and running against an easy on the eye Benetton on a day of mixed emotions for one family in D4https://t.co/XA7DO54mIT
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 16, 2019
In the replacements, James Tracy is in line to win his 100th cap. The 28-year-old made his Leinster debut off the bench in November 2012. Josh Murphy, meanwhile, is in line to make his European debut off the bench.
LYON: 15. Toby Arnold; 14. Xavier Mignot, 13. Thibaut Regard, 12. Charlie Ngatai, 11. Noa Nakaitaci; 10. Jonathan Wisniewski, 9. Baptiste Couilloud (capt); 1. Xavier Chiocci, 2. Mickael Ivaldi, 3. Demba Bamba, 4. Virgile Bruni, 5. Hendrik Roodt, 6. Julien Puricelli, 7. Liam Gill, 8. Carl Fearns. Reps: 16. Jeremie Maurouard, 17. Raphael Chaume, 18. Francisco Gomez Kodela, 19. Etienne Oosthuizen, 20. Loann Goujon, 21. Jonathan Pelissie, 22. Jean-Marcellin Buttin, 23. Rudi Wulf.
LEINSTER: 15. Rob Kearney; 14. Jordan Larmour, 13. Garry Ringrose, 12. Robbie Henshaw, 11. James Lowe; 10. Johnny Sexton (capt), 9. Luke McGrath; 1. Cian Healy, 2. Ronan Kelleher, 3. Tadhg Furlong, 4. Scott Fardy, 5. James Ryan, 6. Rhys Ruddock, 7. Josh van der Flier, 8. Max Deegan. Reps: 16. James Tracy, 17. Ed Byrne, 18. Andrew Porter, 19. Devin Toner, 20. Josh Murphy, 21. Jamison Gibson-Park, 22. Ross Byrne 23. Dave Kearney.
Referee: Luke Pearce (England).
WATCH: The Rugby Pod reacts to Saracens not appealing the 35-point deduction and fine for breaching Premiership Rugby’s salary cap regulations
Comments on RugbyPass
A wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
24 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
17 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to comments