Americas set to influence Champions Cup final

Americas exports are set to play a major role in the 2017 Champions Cup final on Saturday. Internationals from 11 different countries will take part in the biggest domestic match in the Northern Hemisphere, rivaled only by the Super Rugby final on a global scale. Saracens will be looking to become the fourth team to win back-to-back titles but will have to get past perennial contenders Clermont Auvergne to do so.

The defending champions will field three of their four Americas players for the big match. Eagles World Cup skipper Chris Wyles benefits from Sean Maitland’s untimely ankle injury to start on the left wing, while Argentina’s Marcelo Bosch continues in his accustomed outside center role. Titi Lamositele, the 22-year-old from Washington state, will act as loosehead prop cover. First choice tighthead prop Juan Figallo, another World Cup Puma, misses out after damaging his foot last month.

Elsewhere in the Saracens lineup are numerous household names including six players set to travel with the British & Irish Lions to New Zealand this summer. The Vunipola brothers, Mako and Billy, lead the charge with dynamic hooker Jamie George and world class second row unit Maro Itoje and George Kruis alongside. Owen Farrell spearheads a backline that also includes England discard Chris Ashton on the right wing and the creative Alex Goode at fullback. World Cup-winning Springbok flanker Schalk Burger has been named as a replacement.

Clermont feature an array of talent from across Europe with a dash of Southern Hemisphere style to press their claims. Current French internationals Arthur Iturria, Sébastien Vaha’amahina, and Damien Chouly are the main men up front with Georgian strongman Davit Zirakashvili anchoring the scrum. The lavishly talented Peceli Yato adds Fijian flair to the back row to contrast the more brutal approach of Samoan-born New Zealand 7s standout Fritz Lee.

Each and every member of the backline has senior international experience, with England pair Nick Abendanon and David Strettle named on the wings. The latter faces a club he made more than 100 appearances for in a five-year stretch prior to joining Clermont. France veterans Morgan Parra and Camille Lopez will direct proceedings, and one of the most esteemed names in French rugby Aurélien Rougerie, now 36 years old, will hope to lift the Cup at last in his third trip to the final. Argentinean playmaker Patricio Fernández will have to wait his turn to make an impact from the bench.

The match will be played at the neutral venue of Murrayfield in Edinburgh with the colorful Nigel Owens set to head up the officiating team. Broadcasts will be available on Sky Sports and BT Sport.

CLERMONT AUVERGNE
1 Raphaël Chaume, 2 Benjamin Kayser, 3 Davit Zirakashvili, 4 Arthur Iturria, 5 Sébastien Vaha’amahina, 6 Damien Chouly (capt.), 7 Peceli Yato, 8 Fritz Lee, 9 Morgan Parra, 10 Camille Lopez, 11 Nick Abendanon, 12 Rémi Lamerat, 13 Aurélien Rougerie, 14 David Strettle, 15 Scott Spedding

Replacements: 16 John Ulugia, 17 Etienne Falgoux, 18 Aaron Jarvis, 19 Paul Jedrasiak, 20 Alexandre Lapandry, 21 Ludovic Radosavljevic, 22 Patricio Fernández, 23 Damian Penaud

SARACENS
1 Mako Vunipola, 2 Jamie George, 3 Vincent Koch, 4 Maro Itoje, 5 George Kruis, 6 Michael Rhodes, 7 Jackson Wray, 8 Billy Vunipola, 9 Richard Wigglesworth, 10 Owen Farrell, 11 Chris Wyles, 12 Brad Barritt (capt.), 13 Marcelo Bosch, 14 Chris Ashton, 15 Alex Goode

Replacements: 16 Schalk Brits, 17 Titi Lamositele, 18 Petrus du Plessis, 19 Jim Hamilton, 20 Schalk Burger, 21 Ben Spencer, 22 Alex Lozowski, 23 Duncan Taylor

Date: Saturday, May 13, 2017
Venue: Murrayfield, Edinburgh
Kick-off: 17:00 local, 12:00 Eastern
Referee: Nigel Owens (WRU)
Assistants: George Clancy (IRFU) & Ian Davies (WRU)
TMO: Jon Mason (WRU)
Broadcast: Sky Sports / BT Sport