RECAP: La Rochelle v Sale Sharks

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to the European Cup Round Five encounter between La Rochelle and Sale Sharks at Stade Marcel Deflandre.

La Rochelle and Sale Sharks have a chance to move into second spot in Pool Two.

This is also a rematch of last season’s Challenge Cup semifinal, with the hosts narrowly coming out on top before falling to ASM Clermont Auvergne in the Final.

La Rochelle and Sale have met twice in European competition and have shared a win apiece.

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The teams:

La Rochelle: 15 Jérémy Sinzelle, 14 Tevita Railevu, 13 Geoffrey Doumayrou, 12 Levani Botia, 11 Arthur Retiere, 10 Ihaia West, 9 Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 8 Grégory Alldritt, 7 Wiaan Liebenberg, 6 Kevin Gourdon (captain), 5 Rémi Leroux, 4 Thomas Lavault, 3 Sila Puafisi, 2 Pierre Bourgarit, 1 Reda Wardi.

Replacements: 16 Brendan Lebrun, 17 Mike Corbel, 18 Uini Atonio, 19 Lopeti Timani, 20 Zeno Kieft, 21 Thomas Berjon, 22 Brock James, 23 Kini Murimurivalu.

Sale Sharks: 15 Luke James, 14 Tom Roebuck, 13 Sam James (captain), 12 James Williams, 11 Marland Yarde, 10 AJ MacGinty, 9 Will Cliff, 8 Dan du Preez, 7 Ben Curry, 6 Jean-Luc du Preez, 5 James Phillips, 4 Matt Postlewhaite, 3 Jake Cooper-Woolley, 2 Rob Webber, 1 Ross Harrison.

Replacements: 16 Curtis Langdon, 17 Valery Morozov, 18 Callum Ford, 19 Sam Dugdale, 20 Cameron Neild, 21 Gus Warr, 22 Joe Carpenter, 23 Chris Ashton.

Referee: Mike Adamson (Scotland)

Assistant referees: Sam Grove-White (Scotland), Finlay Brown (Scotland)

TMO: Neil Patterson (Scotland)