Racing 92 will start the favorite of their round of 16 European Cup match this Sunday at 1:30 p.m. at La Défense Arena, facing Edinburgh.
But his manager, Laurent Travers is wary: “Everyone said that the France team could be calm against Scotland, and we see what happened.
But this Edinburgh team is about ten players from the Scottish team, ”warns the Racing 92 manager.
Seven Scots present at the Stade de France will indeed start Sunday April 4 against the Ile-de-France (plus three substitutes), including the best player of the Tournament, the third row Hamish Watson, and the winger Duhan Van der Merwe, best scorer of tests. .
Gibert preferred to Trinh-Duc at the opening
On the Racing side, Laurent Travers will be able to count on his French internationals returning after the Six Nations Tournament.
Virimi Vakatawa, Teddy Thomas, Bernard Le Roux and Camille Chat will indeed start at kick-off.
Racing is however deprived of its Scottish opener Finn Russell, suspended after his red card received with the XV du Chardon against France.
In his place, it is the youngster trained at the club, Antoine Gibert, 23, who will lead the game of Ciel et Blanc.
He is preferred to François Trinh-Duc who will be a replacement.
“Antoine is able to put a lot of speed, to have precise kicking.
He took the measure of the position for several years, he has been in good hands with all the great openers who have come here.
It's up to him to be able to command and show all his talent, ”said Laurent Travers.
Note that, in the scrum, Machenaud will start and Iribaren on the bench.
The winner of this match will play next weekend in the quarter-final on the lawn of the winner of Bordeaux-Bègles - Bristol (Sunday at 4 p.m. on France 2).
The composition of Racing 92 - Edinburgh
Referee: L. Pearce (Ang)
Racing 92:
Beale - T. Thomas, Vakatawa, Chavancy (cap.), Dupichot - (o) Gibert, (m) Machenaud - Chouzenoux, Joseph, Diallo - Ryan, Le Roux - Gomes Sa, Chat, Ben Arous.
Alternates: Baubigny, Gogichashvili, Oz, Bird, Palu, Iribaren, Trinh-Duc, Zebo.
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Edinburgh
: Hoyland - Graham, J. Johnstone, G. Taylor, D. van der Merwe - (o) Kinghorn, (m) Pyrgos - H. Watson, Mata, J. Ritchie - Gilchrist (cap.), Bradbury - WP Nel , Cherry, Schoeman.
Alternates: M. Willemse, Venter, Berghan, Kunavula, Crosbie, Shiel, J. van der Walt, Bennett.
