La Rochelle coach Ronan O’Gara has picked a young, inexperienced team for Saturday’s Investec Champions Cup clash against the Stormers in Gqeberha.
O’Gara has been forced into the changes because of a number of injuries to key players and the absence of international loose forwards Gregory Alldritt and Oscar Jegou who are on holiday.
The team will be captained by 19-year-old Lucas Andjisseramatchi, who is a product of the Massy academy just south of Paris.
Andjisseramatchi has only 12 professional appearances to his name. Of his six this season just two have been as a starter: last week he came on as a replacement in the 39-20 home win over the Leicester Tigers.
O’Gara, however, has a high opinion of the teenager’s leadership qualities.
“I asked him if he was comfortable with it this week, and when I saw the grin on his face…” O’Gara said at Friday’s press conference.
“He’s a very respectful boy, very well brought up, very well grounded. He knows what he wants. He took charge of the week.
“Doing that at his age is very rare. I had enormous respect for him but today it’s even greater.”
Andjisseramatchi will pack down at No 8 between 19-year-old Russian Kirill Fraindt, who has just 13 minutes as a replacement to his name at professional level, and 20-year-old French junior international Charles Kante-Samba.
Two more 19-year-olds line up at halfback with scrumhalf Nolhann Couillaud and flyhalf Diego Jurd, who finished the match together against Leicester.
The La Rochelle backline also includes wing Hoani Bosmorin and centre Simeli Daunivucu, both 20, and 21-year-old fullback Nathan Bollengier.
TEAM: Stormers unleash Sacha for PE showdown
O’Gara can call on some experience in the pack against the Stormers who won their opener against Bayonne in France last weekend.
The tight five includes Frenchmen Reda Wardi and Quentin Lespiaucq, the Irish international Ultan Dillane and Australian veteran Kane Douglas.
Former Stormers and Springbok wing Dillyn Leyds is on the bench.
Read SA Rugby’s digi-mag for FREE!
LA ROCHELLE – 15 Nathan Bollengier, 14 Suliasi Vunivalu, 13 Adrien Seguret, 12 Simeli Daunivucu, 11 Hoani Bosmorin, 10 Diego Jurd, 9 Nolhann Couillaud, 8 Lucas Andjisseramatchi (c), 7 Kirill Fraindt, 6 Charles Kante Samba, 5 Kane Douglas, 4 Ultan Dillane, 3 Karl Sorin, 2 Quentin Lespiaucq, 1 Reda Wardi.
Bench: 16 Nikoloz Sutidze, 17 Christian Luaki, 18 Joel Sclavi, 19 Simon Huchet, 20 Aleksandre Kuntelia, 21 Edouard Richer, 22 Thomas Berjon, 23 Dillyn Leyds.
Photo: Timothy Rogers/Getty Images
The post Saffa on bench as La Rochelle test youth appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.