ACC: Francois Steyn injury adds to Racing's concerns; Jonny
Wilkinson set for Sarries
13
October
2009
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Injury concern: Francois Steyn
Photo: Michael Paler |
Racing-Métro 92’s injury problems increased at the
weekend as recent Springbok recruit Francois Steyn
was forced to leave the field during their 18-13 defeat at
London Wasps.
The
Paris side is already without the services of French
internationals Sébastien Chabal and Lionel Nallet,
as well as Italian prop Andrea Lo Cicero.
Amlin Challenge Cup - Pool results
and tables
The news
concerning Steyn was that he suffered a strained ankle and
is now likely to miss Saturday’s home game with Bayonne in
Pool 4.
Toulon’s Sonny Bill Williams could make his first
appearance of the season in their home clash with Saracens
on Thursday. The former rugby league star has been sidelined
to date with a fractured fibula, but has been back in
training for some weeks now and is being earmarked for his
comeback in the Amlin Challenge Cup match.
Toulon
could also recall England fly-half Jonny Wilkinson,
captain Joe van Niekerk and several other first team
regulars who were rested for last weekend’s 33-17 win at
Castres.
The Pool
3 match could also see long-time Saracens stalwart Kris
Chesney face up to his former club following his summer
move across the Channel to Toulon.
The
club’s French hooker Sébastien Bruno is certainly
relishing the upcoming clash, and the ex-Sale Sharks player
believes the club’s plethora of former British based players
will help their cause.
“We have the opportunity to count on players
who know about English rugby, like Jonny, Juan Fernandez
Lobbe, Tonga Lea’aetoa and myself, so we hope this will
prove useful against what we know will be really tough
opponents.
“No
doubt it will be a very physical and intense game, The
English clubs play the Amlin Challenge Cup to access the
Heineken Cup and it makes no difference to them, they go
into the games as determined as you can be for any fixture,”
he said.
Saracens
have started their domestic season in excellent form and
could be boosted by the return of England captain Steve
Borthwick following reassurances that his recent eye injury
has healed sufficiently.
Bourgoin will also be keen to maintain their winning
start as they travel to Bucuresti Oaks in Pool 1. Last
year’s runners-up began with a 29-19 home win against Leeds
Carnegie and are relishing the prospect of another run in
Europe’s second tier competition.
This
week they have also confirmed that club captain Julien
Frier has been appointed to its board – along with
fellow player Olivier Milloud. The pair have been
incorporated onto the ‘Pole Sportif’ as part of the
structural revamp under new president Gaston Maulin.
Frier was integral to the
players agreeing a major wage cut earlier in the season as
they sought to stave off possible bankruptcy, and his
influence has now been rewarded with a place on the board.
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