The unique setting of the indoor Paris La Defense Arena will play host to the first ever Heineken Champions Cup meeting of Racing 92 and Ulster. The prize on offer is top spot in Pool 4 heading into the December double headers.
HEINEKEN CHAMPIONS CUP – POOL 4: Saturday, October 20
RACING 92 (3rd) v ULSTER (2nd), Paris La Defense Arena, 6.30pm local time/5.30pm Irish time (live BT Sport 2/beIN Sports/BBC Radio Ulster 1341 MW/RTÉ Radio 1/highlights Virgin Media One)
Team News: Ulster head coach Dan McFarland has named his team for the first ever meeting with Racing 92 in this evening’s Heineken Champions Cup round 2 fixture in Paris.
There are three changes to the side that defeated Leicester Tigers 24-10 at Kingspan Stadium. Martin Moore, who impressed on his debut as a replacement last Saturday, and Kieran Treadwell are both drafted in up front, while the injured John Cooney (AC joint) makes way for David Shanahan at scrum half.
Rory Best will captain the Ulstermen from the front row, alongside Moore and Andrew Warwick. Iain Henderson will partner the 22-year-old Treadwell in the engine room, and the back row of Marcell Coetzee, Jordi Murphy and Nick Timoney, who is gearing up for his seventh start of the season, is retained.
Apart from Shanahan, the back-line remains unchanged with Billy Burns at out-half, Jacob Stockdale and Craig Gilroy on the wings, Will Addison and Stuart McCloskey in midfield, and 20-year-old Abbey Insurance Ulster Academy prospect Michael Lowry at full-back.
Adam McBurney, Eric O’Sullivan and Ross Kane cover the front row from the bench, with Alan O’Connor and Sean Reidy included as the additional forward options. Jonny Stewart (20) is in line for his European bow if called upon, joining Johnny McPhillips and Angus Kernohan among the back-line reserves.
Meanwhile, Racing 92 coaches Laurent Labit and Laurent Travers have made four personnel changes to the team that edged out the Scarlets 14-13 in Llanelli last weekend. The lone positional switch sees Ireland international Simon Zebo switch to full-back from the wing.
Teddy Thomas and Juan Imhoff, two more Test players among the Racing line-up, come in to fill the wing berths in an otherwise unchanged back-line, which also includes Scotland out-half Finn Russell who joined the Paris club in the summer along with Zebo.
Donnacha Ryan is a notable absentee in the second row where New Zealander Dominic Bird partners Fijian star Leone Nakarawa, while Bernard le Roux swaps in at openside flanker for Baptiste Chouzenoux, the scorer of Racing’s first half try against the Scarlets. Teenage back rower Jordan Joseph (18) could make his European debut off the bench.
RACING 92: Simon Zebo; Teddy Thomas, Olivier Klemenczak, Henry Chavancy, Juan Imhoff; Finn Russell, Xavier Chauveau; Guram Gogichashvili, Camille Chat, Cedate Gomes Sa, Dominic Bird, Leone Nakarawa, Wenceslas Lauret, Bernard le Roux, Antonie Claassen.
Replacements: Teddy Baubigny, Vasil Kakovin, Census Johnston, Fabien Sanconnie, Jordan Joseph, Teddy Iribaren, Ben Volavola, Leonard Paris.
ULSTER: Michael Lowry; Craig Gilroy, Will Addison, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale; Billy Burns, David Shanahan; Andrew Warwick, Rory Best (capt), Martin Moore, Iain Henderson, Kieran Treadwell, Marcell Coetzee, Jordi Murphy, Nick Timoney;
Replacements: Adam McBurney, Eric O’Sullivan, Ross Kane, Alan O’Connor, Sean Reidy, Jonny Stewart, Johnny McPhillips, Angus Kernohan.
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Dan Jones, Wayne Davies (both Wales)
Television Match Official: Ian Davies (Wales)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Racing 92 to win: 1/8; Draw: 25/1; Ulster to win: 5/1
Pre-Match Quotes: Jordi Murphy (Ulster) – “(The ankle injury) was frustrating but it’s part of the game unfortunately, I hadn’t had an injury all of last year and then I come up here and got injured in my first game! It’s great to be back for any game, but it’s not too hard to get up for a big game in Europe, especially against a team like Leicester who traditionally have a very strong front five.
“It was a good baptism, jumping straight into the fire, and hopefully it stands me in good stead for the next few weeks. We were a bit frustrated in the first half that we didn’t take some of our opportunities, particularly in their 22.
“But I thought we rectified that in the second half where we really came out firing and scored a nice early try. The boys who came on really added as well, so it was a great all-round team performance. We have to back that up against Racing who have a very physical, big pack, and then they have some superstars out the backs.
“So they’re really strong throughout their team, as you’d expect from a team that have been to the Champions Cup final two of the last three years. It’s going to be up to us to go over there and give the best account of ourselves that we can and come away with the best result possible.”
Current Form – Racing 92 – (Top 14 Championship): Won 25-9 v Toulon (away), Lost 40-17 v Clermont Auvergne (home), Won 59-7 v Agen (home), Lost 30-17 v Toulouse (away), Won 27-11 v Castres Olympique (home), Won 17-16 v Stade Francais (away), Lost 19-13 v Lyon (home); (Heineken Champions Cup): Won 14-13 v Scarlets (away)
Ulster – (GUINNESS PRO14): Won 15-13 v Scarlets (home), Won 30-29 v Edinburgh (home), Won 28-7 v Isuzu Southern Kings (away), Drew 39-39 v Toyota Cheetahs (away), Lost 64-7 v Munster (away), Lost 22-15 v Connacht (home); (Heineken Champions Cup): Won 24-10 v Leicester Tigers (home)
Top Scorers – 2018/19 Heineken Champions Cup: Racing 92 – Points: Baptiste Chouzenoux 5; Tries: Baptiste Chouzenoux 1; Ulster – Points: John Cooney 9; Tries: Alan O’Connor, Will Addison, Jacob Stockdale 1 each
Previous European Meetings: 0
Match Facts –
– Racing 92 and Ulster have never met before, and Racing will be the 14th French club that Ulster have faced in Europe’s top flight
– Racing are enjoying a five-match winning streak at home, their best European Cup run, averaging 29 points scored per game in that time
– Ulster have lost six of their last seven away games in Europe (W1), including three on French soil
– Racing were one of just two sides to have a 100% success rate at both the lineout and scrum in round 1 (also Lyon)
– Heineken man-of-the-match Finn Russell made four offloads against the Scarlets in round 1, no player made more. The Scottish stand-off also beat four defenders and made 77 metres
European Cup Records:
Racing 92 –
2017/18: Runners-up
2016/17: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
2015/16: Runners-up
2014/15: Reached the quarter-finals
2013/14: Failed to qualify from Pool 4
2012/13: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
2011/12: Failed to qualify from Pool 2
2010/11: Failed to qualify from Pool 2
Ulster –
2017/18: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
2016/17: Failed to qualify from Pool 5
2015/16: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
2014/15: Failed to qualify from Pool 3
2013/14: Reached the quarter-finals
2012/13: Reached the quarter-finals
2011/12: Runners-up
2010/11: Reached the quarter-finals
2009/10: Failed to qualify from Pool 4
2008/09: Failed to qualify from Pool 4
2007/08: Failed to qualify from Pool 2
2006/07: Failed to qualify from Pool 5
2005/06: Failed to qualify from Pool 4
2004/05: Failed to qualify from Pool 6
2003/04: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
2002/03: Failed to qualify from Pool 6
2001/02: Failed to qualify from Pool 2
2000/01: Failed to qualify from Pool 3
1999/00: Failed to qualify from Pool 3
1998/99: Champions
1997/98: Failed to qualify from Pool B
1996/97: Failed to qualify from Pool C
1995/96: Failed to qualify from Pool B
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