Oyonnax v Saracens preview: Team news, kick-off time, line-ups, odds and stats for the Champions Cup clash - Ruck
European Champions Cup

Oyonnax v Saracens preview: Team news, kick-off time, line-ups, odds and stats for the Champions Cup clash

12 December 2015
Rugby Rucker
  • Pool One leaders Saracens face French side Oyonnax in the Champions Cup on Sunday, live on Sky Sports 3: 13:00 kick-off
  • Rhys Gill will make his 150th appearance for Sarries if he features
  • French hosts are looking for a first win of the pool campaign
Saracens have named a strong side to face struggling Oyonnax at the Stade Charles Mathon in the European Champions Cup, with Brad Barritt skippering in Alistair Hargreaves’ absence.

The reigning Aviva Premiership champions arrive in France on the back of a near-perfect start, claiming wins over Toulouse at home and Ulster away in the first two rounds.

England centre Barritt starts on the inside and will combine in the midfield with Marcelo Bosch as Duncan Taylor misses out with a knock.

The Vunipola brothers both get a start, with Billy teaming up with Will Fraser and Michael Rhodes in the back row while Mako scrums down alongside Juan Figallo and hooker Jamie George.

Owen Farrell returns to line up with England team-mate Richard Wigglesworth in the half-backs, while Chris Ashton and USA international Chris Wyles continue on the wings.

Meanwhile, Oyonnax will be hoping to pick up their first win of the pool campaign and name Rory Clegg at fly-half while Pedrie Wannenburg is number eight.

Loosehead prop Soane Tonga’uiha is also named in the starting XV for a side that sits bottom of the Top 14 after a dismal start to the campaign.

The French side enjoyed their most successful season last term to qualify for the Champions Cup, but they were decimated over the off-season with the loss of many key players, and most notably coach Christophe Urios to Castres.

Check out RUCK’s Champions Cup predictions here.
 BETTING ODDS (via SKY BET)
Oyonnax 12/1, Draw 50/1, Saracens 1/25
 PLAYERS TO WATCH
Oyonnax: Rory Clegg
Saracens: Jamie George
Oyonnax: 15 Quentin Etienne, 14 Silvere Tian, 13 Guillaume Bousses, 12 Alaska Taufa, 11 Dug Codjo, 10 Rory Clegg, 9 Fabien Cibray, 8 Pedrie Wannenburg, 7 Olivier Missoup, 6 Valentin Ursache, 5 Geoffrey Fabbri, 4 Leon Power, 3 Horace Pungea, 2 Jeremie Maurouard, 1 Soane Tonga’uiha.
Replacements: 16 Thomas Bordes, 17 Lukas Rapant, 18 Marc Clerc, 19 Antoine Guillamon, 20 Pierrick Gunther, 21 Florian Faure, 22 Arthur Aziza, 23 Regis Lespinas.Saracens: 15 Alex Goode, 14 Chris Ashton, 13 Marcelo Bosch, 12 Brad Barritt (c), 11 Chris Wyles, 10 Owen Farrell, 9 Richard Wigglesworth, 8 Billy Vunipola, 7 Will Fraser, 6 Michael Rhodes, 5 Maro Itoje, 4 Jim Hamilton, 3 Juan Figallo, 2 Jamie George, 1 Mako Vunipola.
Replacements: 16 Schalk Brits, 17 Rhys Gill, 18 Petrus Du Plessis, 19 Kelly Brown, 20 Jackson Wray, 21 Neil De Kock, 22 Charlie Hodgson, 23 Mike Ellery.

Date: Sunday, December 13
Venue: Stade Charles Mathon
Kick-off: 14:00 local (13:00 GMT)
Referee: Marius Mitrea (Italy)
Assistant Referees: Matteo Liperini (Italy), Stefano Pennè (Italy)
TMO: Carlo Damasco (Italy)