Prop Tameifuna moves to second-row as injury-hit Bordeaux reshuffle for Gloucester title defence

Back-to-back Champions Cup holders Bordeaux-Bègles have been forced into a series of unconventional selections for the opening match of their title defence, with 148kg tighthead prop Ben Tameifuna named at lock for Friday’s clash against Gloucester at Kingsholm.

The 1.82m Tameifuna, making his first Bordeaux appearance of the season, will wear the No.5 jersey alongside Cameron Woki, forming one of the more unusual second-row pairings in recent Champions Cup history. The reshuffling does not stop there: with fly-half Matthieu Jalibert absent, France scrum-half Maxime Lucu shifts to the No.10 role, leaving Martin Page-Relo to start at nine.

Head coach Yannick Bru has also opted for a bold six-two split on the bench, with Connor Sa, Matis Perchaud, Lasha Pkhakadze, Adam Zapedowski, Pierre Bochaton and Elyjah Ibsaiene providing forward cover. Only Xan Mousques and Romain Buros are named among the replacements as backs, meaning Bordeaux carry no specialist half-back on the bench.

For Gloucester, head coach George Skivington has named Jean Kleyn and Arthur Clark in the second-row to confront the Woki-Tameifuna combination, while new signings Dewi Lake and Jac Morgan both start in the pack. Dewi Lake captains the side.

The Cherry and Whites arrive at Kingsholm in decent form, having pushed Leicester Tigers close at Welford Road in the Gallagher Premiership last weekend, and the disruption to Bordeaux’s usual structure gives the hosts a genuine opportunity to open their European campaign with a statement result.

Gloucester XV: 15 George Barton; 14 Will Joseph, 13 Max Llewellyn, 12 Seb Atkinson, 11 Ben Loader; 10 Charlie Atkinson, 9 Dan Robson; 1 Dian Bleuler, 2 Dewi Lake (c), 3 Ciaran Knight, 4 Jean Kleyn, 5 Arthur Clark, 6 Deian Gwynne, 7 Jac Morgan, 8 Jack Clement. Replacements: 16 Seb Blake, 17 Val Rapava Ruskin, 18 Eliot Salt, 19 Freddie Thomas, 20 Will Trenholm, 21 Lewis Ludlow, 22 Caolan Englefield, 23 Will Knight.

Bordeaux-Bègles XV: 15 Salesi Rayasi; 14 Pablo Uberti, 13 Nicolas Depoortere, 12 Yoram Moefana, 11 Louis Bielle-Biarrey; 10 Maxime Lucu (c), 9 Martin Page-Relo; 1 Jefferson Poirot, 2 Maxime Lamothe, 3 Sipili Falatea, 4 Cameron Woki, 5 Ben Tameifuna, 6 Marko Gazzotti, 7 Temo Matiu, 8 Tom Willis. Replacements: 16 Connor Sa, 17 Matis Perchaud, 18 Lasha Pkhakadze, 19 Adam Zapedowski, 20 Pierre Bochaton, 21 Elyjah Ibsaiene, 22 Xan Mousques, 23 Romain Buros.