Round 3 of the European Rugby Champions Cup will kick-off this evening. Games will continue on Saturday and Sunday and do so with players involved from the Americas. The only match today will see Patricio Albacete’s Toulouse play away to Ulster. The former Puma remains sidelined.
In action on Saturday for the Glasgow Warriors will be Tommy Seymour. The Tennessee winger, capped by Scotland, will start against an under-strength Scarlets side. Among the missing players for the Welsh region will be DTH van der Merwe.
A lot of talk concerns the debut of Dan Carter for Racing 92. The two-time World Champion with New Zealand will pay fly half against Northampton. Joining him will be Juan Imhoff on the left wing and veteran Manuel Carizza who will be a replacement forward.
The Gonzalo Quesada coached Stade Français will also be in action on Saturday. The 2015 French champions will play away to Benetton Treviso in Italy. Named at number 8 and captain is Sergio Parisse, the player widely regarded as the biggest loss to Argentine rugby in the professional era.
Former USA junior Hanno Dirksen will start for the struggling Ospreys who play at home against Champions Cup debutants Bordeaux-Begles on Saturday. Tyler Ardron and Jeff Hassler miss out as does Francisco Goméz Kodela for the visitors.
The high-flying Exeter Chiefs will host Clermont Auverge and be looking to contiue to fine work that saw them knock-over the Wasps in Coventry last Saturday. Involved will be Patricio Fernández who made his run-on debut for Clermont in the away win against Brive on Sunday. Fernández will provide back-up for Camille Lopez. Jamie Cudmore will not feature.
Two star-Pumas from Rugby World Cup 2011, Lucas González Amorosino and Gonzalo Camacho have been named to wear the number 23 shirts in Saturday’s final fixture between Munster and Leicester. For Camacho the opportunity is the first of the season. He will be joined on the Tigers bench by Matías Aguero while Marcos Ayerza will start at loosehead prop.
Top 14 strugglers Oyonnax have not thrown in the towel just yet. The team named to host the star-studded Saracens is far from being a reserve lineup. The London-based side will start three players from the Americas – Chris Wyles on the left wing, Marcelo Bosch at outside center and Juan Figallo at tighthead prop.
Playing at home to Leinster on Sunday, Toulon will be looking to turn around their fortunes after being outclassed by the Wasps in round 2. USA enforcer Samu Manoa will continue in the second-row while Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe misses out through injury. Americas Rugby News can confirm that the now-retired, former Pumas captain is in talks to extend his contract with the club.