Premiership
In Focus | Union Bordeaux-Begles
Gloucester Rugby welcome French Top 14 side Union Bordeaux-Begles to Kingsholm on Saturday 10 December (3:15pm KO). Here is everythging you need to know about our visitors.
History
(From Gloucester Rugby Heritage)
Rugby has been played in Bordeaux since the late 19th century, but loyalties were divided for several generations between two clubs in the city – Stade Bordelais and CA Bordeaux-Bègles-Gironde. Each enjoyed periods of success, Bordelais winning seven national titles before the Great War and Bègles two in 1969 and 1991.
The first decade of professional rugby saw both clubs based in Bordeaux suffering playing and financial problems, so a merger was proposed. Supporters were fiercely tribal and not in favour, but influential former players, notably Serge Simon and Bernard Laporte, pushed for a joint club. They were supported by local companies, previously reluctant to provide sponsorship, because they knew they would antagonise as many supporters as they would please by supporting one club or the other.
However, neither club was prepared to compromise on the name of the new joint club, so it started life in 2006 as “Union Stade Bordelais-C.A.Bordeaux-Bègles Gironde”. Two years of trying to cope with this mouthful resulted in the name being changed to “Union Bordeaux Bègles”. Both clubs have continued separately as amateur clubs.
Previous Meetings
(From Gloucester Rugby Heritage)
A tour by Bègles in September 1975 included a midweek game under the floodlights at Kingsholm, which became a feast of sparkling rugby. Bègles started strongly and built a healthy lead in the first half, but Gloucester stormed back in the second half, with Alan Brinn and John Bayliss scoring tries. The game finished with Eddie Pinkney crashing over in the corner, but the conversion was missed and Bègles won 21-20.
In August 1999, the teams met for the first time in Bordeaux, for a pre-season match. The Gloucester front row of Trevor Woodman, Neil McCarthy and Phil Vickery had plenty of motivation to perform, because Clive Woodward travelled out to watch them ahead of finalising his Rugby World Cup squad. There was only one point in it with a few minutes to go, but this time it was Gloucester who scored in injury time. Brian Johnson chipped ahead, gathered and scored, and Gloucester won 19-11.
Gloucester and Bordeaux Bègles were drawn in the same group of the Amlin (European Challenge) Cup in 2012-13. The first leg was played at Kingsholm in October, when two tries from Charlie Sharples, one from Will James and a try, a conversion and a penalty from Billy Twelvetrees, saw Gloucester 22-0 ahead at half-time and eventually win 25-13.
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Sale Sharks can confirm that fly-half George Ford suffered a tear to his right quad during the early stages of the Gallagher Premiership round two game at Saracens on Saturday. Following a positive consultation with a specialist it was decided that George does not require surgery and he will now begin his rehab ahead of a busy period for club and country.
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Alex Sanderson has made six changes to his starting XV to face Gloucester Rugby in the first game of the season under the Salford Stadium Friday night lights, while summer signing Le Roux Roets appears in a matchday squad for the first time (Discovery+, 7.45pm KO).
Josh Beaumont, Ernst van Rhyn and Rouban Birch come into the pack following the round two defeat at Saracens, while Sam Bedlow, Will Addison and Arron Reed are picked in the backs to face George Skivington’s men.
In total, 12 of the XV and 19 in the matchday 23 have come through or spent time in the Sharks Academy.
The Sharks front-row remains intact from the trip to the StoneX as England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie lines up once again between 20-year-old Asher Opoku-Fordjour and loosehead Si McIntyre.
Al has picked a towering second-row as Ben Bamber teams up with Josh Beaumont.
With Ben and Tom Curry as well as JL du Preez all missing as they undergo their return to play protocols following head injuries, Ernst van Rhyn returns alongside fellow flanker Sam Dugdale and Birch at number 8.
Gus Warr starts again at scrum-half but with George Ford injured (quad) he’ll have skipper Rob du Preez for company at half-back. After coming on as a replacement against Saracens, Bedlow starts alongside Addison, who makes his first start since re-joining the club in the summer.
Speedster Arron Reed makes his first appearance of the season alongside Tom Roebuck and full-back Joe Carpenter.
Hooker Ethan Caine, and props Tumy Onasanya and James Harper cover the front row from the replacements bench with England U20s lock Tom Burrow and summer signing Le Roux Roets covering the rest of the forwards. Nye Thomas, Tom Curtis and Waisea Nayacalevu cover the backs.
Sale Sharks starting XV:
15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Tom Roebuck, 13. Will Addison, 12. Sam Bedlow, 11. Arron Reed, 10. Rob du Preez, 9. Gus Warr; 1. Si McIntyre, 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3. Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 4. Ben Bamber, 5. Josh Beaumont 6. Ernst van Rhyn, 7. Sam Dugdale, 8. Rouban Birch.
Replacements:
16. Ethan Caine, 17. Tumy Onasanya, 18. James Harper, 19. Tom Burrow, 20. Le Roux Roets, 21. Nye Thomas, 22. Tom Curtis, 23. Waisea Nayacalevu.
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Injuries have forced Alex Sanderson to make three changes to his starting XV to face Saracens at the StoneX on Saturday (3.05pm KO, Saturday 28th September, live on TNT Sports).
Si McIntyre replaces last week’s Player of the Match Bevan Rodd (hamstring), while Ben Bamber and Sam Dugdale come in for Ernst van Rhyn and Tom Curry who are both undergoing their return to play protocols after leaving the field during the round one win over Harlequins.
With Sam Bedlow returning to the bench to make a 5-3 split, the matchday squad features 16 players who have come through or been involved with the Sale Sharks Academy.
In the front-row, England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie lines up between 20-year-old Asher Opoku-Fordjour and returning loosehead McIntyre.
Al has picked a towering second-row as Bamber teams up with Hyron Andrews.
Openside flanker Ben Curry captains the side again and he and Dugdale will pack down either side of Jean-Luc du Preez at number 8.
The backs are unchanged from the narrow win over Quins, with Gus Warr starting again at scrum-half alongside fly-half George Ford, and Rob du Preez and Waisea Nayacalevu outside them in the centres.
Alex has picked a familiar back three once again with Tom O’Flaherty, Tom Roebuck and full-back Joe Carpenter hoping to provide the spark.
The replacements bench is an exclusively Sharks Academy affair with hooker Ethan Caine, and props Tumy Onasanya and James Harper covering the front row. Josh Beaumont and Rouban Birch make up the rest of the forwards, while Nye Thomas, Bedlow and Will Addison cover the backs.
Sale Sharks Starting lineup:
15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Tom Roebuck, 13. Waisea Nayacalevu, 12. Rob du Preez, 11. Tom O’Flaherty, 10. George Ford, 9. Gus Warr; 1. Si McIntyre, 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3. Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 4. Ben Bamber, 5. Hyron Andrews, 6. Sam Dugdale, 7. Ben Curry ©, 8. Jean-Luc du Preez.
Replacements:
16. Ethan Caine, 17. Tumy Onasanya, 18. James Harper, 19. Josh Beaumont, 20. Rouban Birch, 21. Nye Thomas, 22. Sam Bedlow, 23. Will Addison.
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