Agen - 15th Nov 2019

[Frenchy]

Team's up - it's an experimental back line, with a number of young guys getting a shot, but still with a fairly experienced pack:

Hoyland
Sau
Johnstone
Taylor
Farndale
Hickey
Shiel

Bhatti
Fenton
Berghan
Thomson
Gilchrist
Barclay
Ritchie
Haining


Willemse
Sutherland
McCallum
Carmichael
Miller
Dan Nutton (?)
Baggott
Fife

[Tichtheid]

Dan Nutton (?)

Aye, I was wondering that, too. Google throws up a Dan Nutton in the Nails' Super 6 squad.

There is also a Dan Nutton who plays cricket for Peebles and there is someone doing rural studies at Newcastle.

Must be one or all of those guys

[TheSmidge]

Dan Nutton (?)

Aye, I was wondering that, too. Google throws up a Dan Nutton in the Nails' Super 6 squad.

There is also a Dan Nutton who plays cricket for Peebles and there is someone doing rural studies at Newcastle.

Must be one or all of those guys

That's the one. Well, at least I assume that we're not treating the game as such an experiment that we've gone for a cricketer covering 9 from the bench.

[Frenchy]

Also seems to have been in the England Students squad last year: http://www.fifteenrugby.com/england-stu ... ool-stars/

(I think eligibility for England Students will be based solely on where the university is, so doesn't tell us anything about him being SQ or not).

EDIT: Went to Merchy, apparently: https://www.peeblesrfc.org/news/napier- ... 70871.html

[Tichtheid]

Agen
15. Loris Tolot, 14. Timilai Rokoduru, 13. Jordan Puletua, 12. Alban Conduche, 11. Benito Masilevu, 10. Thomas Vincent, 9. Xavier Chauveau, 1. Morgan Phelipponneau, 2. Loris Zarantonello, 3. Corentin Chabeaudie, 4. Adrian Motoc, 5. Pierce Phillips, 6. Gauthier Maravat, 7. Jessy Jegerlhener, 8. Romain Briatte (c).
Replacements:
16. Fernandez Correa, 17. Malino Vanai, 18. Dave Ryan, 19. Andrés Zafra Tarazona, 20. Laurence Pearce, 21. Hugo Verdu, 22. Raphaël Lagarde, 23. Julien Jane,


Anyone got any insight as to the strength of that squad?

I have no eye deer

[TheSmidge]

I am genuinely relieved that it appears we are treating the Challenge Cup as an opportunity to experiment with different combinations and allow some squad/young players a run-out. There are only 3 players at most in the starting XV who would come into contention for a first choice team (Gilcho, Ritchie, Hickey), and the last of which is probably still behind JDW.

It is really encouraging to see Shiel starting, and I wonder how long it is before he is really challenging to be first choice. No more than 12 months I reckon.

[Tichtheid]

Agen finished 12/14 in the Top 14 last season, the bottom two were relegated. They currently lie 13th from the nine games played so far. They had no players in the French squad at the RWC.

I've gone through the Agen team on itsrugby to get an idea of who is playing

15. Loris Tolot, played 6 started 3 this season
14. Timilai Rokoduru, 1st game this season - big guy listed as wing, centre, flanker
13. Jordan Puletua, played 2 started 1
12. Alban Conduche, 1st game this season
11. Benito Masilevu, p5 s5
10. Thomas Vincent, p2 s0 age 20
9. Xavier Chauveau, p5 s0

1. Morgan Phelipponneau, p3 s0
2. Loris Zarantonello, p3 s0 age 18!
3. Corentin Chabeaudie, 1st game this season age 22
4. Adrian Motoc, p7 s2
5. Pierce Phillips, p3 s2 exWuss, but not a ist team regular
6. Gauthier Maravat, 1st game this season age 18
7. Jessy Jegerlhener, nothing on him on itsrugby age 22 listed as a lock
8. Romain Briatte (c). p6 s5

Replacements:
16. Fernandez Correa, 1st game, listed as a prop in true French hooker style
17. Malino Vanai, p8 s3
18. Dave Ryan, p9 s3 - starting tight head, played 22 league game for them last year
19. Andrés Zafra Tarazona, p9 s8 - starting lock
20. Laurence Pearce, p8 s 7 - ex Sale)
21. Hugo Verdu, p5 s 2
22. Raphaël Lagarde, p7 s5 - 8 tries so far this season, ex Racing
23. Julien Jane, 1st game this season

looks like they have a strong bench

[JDCSR]

Good to see Sutherland and McCallum on the bench.

[Crichton Gunner]

Makes sense to rotate the squad, and a lot of players are getting meaningful game time this season. Slightly surprised Bill Mata hasn't been seen a bit more; maybe they think he needs a proper rest before he returns to full action.

[sharcs]

Is the game going to be on TV? I can only see Gloucester v Toulouse on bt sport tomorrow night.

[Tichtheid]

Makes sense to rotate the squad, and a lot of players are getting meaningful game time this season. Slightly surprised Bill Mata hasn't been seen a bit more; maybe they think he needs a proper rest before he returns to full action.

I really hope they are pacing him to explode on to the games against Munster and the double-header v Glasgow

[Tichtheid]

Is the game going to be on TV? I can only see Gloucester v Toulouse on bt sport tomorrow night.

Best chance of seeing Edinburgh in Europe before the playoffs this season is via some dodgy stream against French opposition, there is no coverage planned of this match as far as I can see, only a couple of games from the wee cup are being televised, two involving French clubs are being shown in France and S4c are showing the Scarlets game v Ldn Irish.

All the more reason for us to concentrate on making the league play offs, at least until/if we find ourselves in the semis of this comp

https://www.epcrugby.com/challenge-cup/ ... d-results/

[Friday Knight Lights]

https://www.theoffsideline.com/charlie-shiel-edinburgh/

“There’s been good guys in front of him, and also Charlie needs to work on his retention of information,” was the coach’s explanation when asked why Shiel has had to wait 20 months for his first start. “Nobody touches the ball more than a scrum-half, so he has to be very diligent, very on it, and drive the team. So Charlie needs to be sure of that, and this is an opportunity for him to pull of these pieces together.”

Interesting, big chance for Shiel.

[Pitfitter446]

I have registered on the above European rugby website, all matches are available to stream.

[Tichtheid]

I have registered on the above European rugby website, all matches are available to stream.

Would you post a link to a registration page, plz?

I can't see one

Edit - found it https://www.epcrugby.com/challenge-cup/ ... eo/epcrtv/