Amlin Challenge Cup preview: Opportunity knocks as French clubs rotate playing squads

08 October 2009

The Heineken Cup will always, and quite rightly, take precedence over the revamped Amlin Challenge Cup - formerly the European Challenge Cup - but this year's competition could still prove fascinating none-the-less.

With the likes of Toulon and Racing-Métro 92 keen to impress, as well as high-flying Castres and under-achieving Bayonne, it could also prove a route to salvation for several of France's Top 14 clubs.

Last year it was lowly Bourgoin who flew the French flag - eventually succumbing to Northampton Saints in the final - and there's no doubt their unexpected run also boosted their flagging league form, which eventually proved sufficient to avoid relegation.

Amlin Challenge Cup - Pool results and tables

This is the conundrum facing several Top 14 coaches each season. Do they use the ACC as a timely opportunity to rest weary legs for the Top 14 battles that lay ahead. or do they commit fully to a competition that offers the winners automatic entry into next season's Heineken Cup?

The answer is simple in the case of some - such as Top 14's basement club SCA Albi - but a little more blurred for others. Albi need to commit all resources to survival, and thus will not be expected to put up much of a show in Pool 5, where they open against fellow French side Montauban on Friday evening.

The latter were in the Heineken Cup themselves last year - and generally acquitted themselves well - so it will be interesting to see if they treat the ACC with the same respect. Both teams are set to make a raft of playing changes, with Montauban considering starting with full-back Johan Dalla Riva at fly-half.

Toulon used last year's competition as a trial competition for fringe players, and head coach Philippe Saint-Andre looks set to repeat that approach this season judging from the squad he named for Friday's trip to Castres for yet another all-French tie (this time in Pool 3). Notable absentees include Jonny Wilkinson, Pierre Mignoni, Joe van Niekerk, Sebastien Bruno, Ross Skeate and Joe El-Abd. The flip side of that means rare opportunities for the likes of Tim Ryan and Kris Chesney to impress, although Toulon's greater squad depth this time out also means they will be no pushovers, as witnessed by the inclusion of England international Tom May.

Castres have been the surprise outfit so far in Top 14 and currently lie a dizzying second in the league. They should certainly be familiar with Friday's opponents after beating Toulon 21-19 at home last weekend, in a match where Wilkinson failed with a last-ditch attempt at goal that would have won the game.

Castres coaches Laurent Labit and Laurent Travers have instilled a unity and cohesiveness that formerly helped raise Montauban - their previous club - but having played six league games in three weeks due to a backlog of games caused by 'swine flu' postponements it seems likely they will take the opportunity to rest a few tired players in readiness for the continuation of their Top 14 odyssey in a fortnight's time. That's good news for former England centre Phil Christophers, who will make his first start of the season after a lengthy lay-off following cruciate ligament damage.

Elsewhere, Bourgoin begin with a home match against Leeds Carnegie in Pool 1 on Friday, but news they are resting fly-half Benjamin Boyet is confirmation that Top 14 duty has been prioritised for a club that has already flirted with bankruptcy this season. Boyet's form has been key to Bourgoin's impressive start to an immensely trying campaign, as has that of captain and totem Julien Frier, who will also be missing. That doesn't mean they won't be trying to win, just that Top 14 survival carries more importance at this stage of the competition.

Top 14 Table  / Top 14 try-scorers / Top 14 Results / Top 14 Fixtures

Bayonne came within a whisker of Heineken Cup qualification last season, but they're woeful away form has seriously undermined their start to the 2009/10 campaign and they go into Friday's home game with Roma in Pool 4 in need of a morale-boosting win. This is certainly a competition in which they could mount a serious challenge, and a convincing home win against the Italians would get them off to the perfect start as they seek to rebuild fragile confidence.

Newly promoted Racing-Métro 92 will also fancy going as far as they can, but news that both Lionel Nallet and Sébastien Chabal will miss their opening two games - along with injured Italian Lo Cicero - is a blow. Still, they've always got Francois Steyn to chivvy them along as they make their official debut in the AMC with an away trip to London Wasps on Sunday.

France's other AMC entry is Montpellier, who get this year's competition underway on Thursday evening with their away game at Worcester Warriors in Pool 2. Montpol are currently 13th in Top 14 with the coaching team under immense pressure to start getting results. Last weekend's 12-30 home reverse by Stade Toulousain provoked the ire of president Thierry Perez, and with rumours of sackings beginning to circulate they could certainly do with some positive news over the next fortnight. Sadly for them they can't even win away from home in France, let alone crossing the Channel, so a victory in Worcester would seem a more than remote prospect. A squad without captain Fulgence Ouedraogo or fellow French international Francois Trinh-Duc certainly doesn't set confidence levels soaring, and another away-day hammering could be on the cards.

On a separate note the ERC has confirmed that France's LNR has already submitted a request that this year's final be held in France. This follows controversy over the locating of last season's final, which was switched at the last minute from Gloucester to The Twickenham Stoop to appease angry Bourgoin fans facing a nightmare day of travel. At the time the ERC claimed no request had been submitted by French clubs to host the final.

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