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TEAM NEWS: RED BULLS SIDE TO FACE LA ROCHELLE
Newcastle Red Bulls welcome lock-forward Jamie Hodgson back into their side for Saturday night’s EPCR Challenge Cup round-of-16 clash against La Rochelle.
The Scot (pictured) returns as one of four changes for the 8pm kick-off at Kingston Park - Freddie Clarke joining him in the second row, Tom Gordon coming onto the blind-side flank and Oli Spencer starting on the left wing.
Australian back-five forward Fergus Lee-Warner returns from long-term injury to take up a place on the bench, and there could be a European debut for Samson Adejimi, with the hooker also included among the replacements.
Relishing the challenge of hosting the two-time European champions, Newcastle Red Bulls head coach Stephen Jones said: “You’ve got to be excited by big games like this.
“Hosting a top side in a knockout game – these are the occasions you really look forward to.
“It’s a huge night for us, and we would love to give our supporters a European quarter-final.
“We respect this competition, and it’s also a chance for us to improve our own game. It will be a different challenge against a big, physical side, but that’s one of the great aspects about European rugby.”
Up against a La Rochelle side coached by former Ireland fly-half Ronan O’Gara, Jones said: “Ronan and I have played against each other countless times when he was with Munster and Ireland, and of course we’ve toured together with the Lions.
“I’ve got the utmost respect for the player he was and the coach he is, and it’s a wonderful test against a really good side. La Rochelle have got an all-court game, they’ve got the European trophies to back up their credentials and it’s a massively exciting challenge for us.
“They will be enormously physical in the way they play, and off the back of what happened last week against Exeter we’re doubly determined to show that aspect of our own game. La Rochelle will be very direct, they will also give the ball width to stress us on those channels, and we have to stay connected.”
Determined to bounce back from last Friday’s home loss to the Chiefs, Jones added: “There was huge learning for us from the game, despite the overriding emotion on the night being one of disappointment.
“We lacked intensity in our game and we’ve looked into the reasons why that happened, because we had trained well during the week. When you’re working with a very proud group of players like we have here there is no shortage of honesty, and we’ve been very clear about what needs to happen going forward.
“We compounded errors, which built the pressure, and we allowed ourselves to become indisciplined. We’ve addressed that this week by bringing in a top international referee to spend the day with us, officiating during our training session and talking to the players in our meetings.
“That has been really useful and we’ve all learnt a lot from it, so the key now is to channel those learnings and get excited by the great test we have on Saturday night against La Rochelle.
Season ticket holders are reminded that Saturday’s game is not included in their 2025-26 package. Tickets are available by clicking here.
Newcastle Red Bulls v La Rochelle (Saturday, 8pm, Kingston Park, live on EPCR TV)
15 Elliott Obatoyinbo, 14 Christian Wade, 13 Alex Hearle, 12 Rhys Beeckmans, 11 Oli Spencer, 10 Brett Connon, 9 Simón Benítez Cruz; 1 Adam Brocklebank, 2 George McGuigan (captain), 3 Richard Palframan, 4 Jamie Hodgson, 5 Freddie Clarke, 6 Tom Gordon, 7 Tom Christie, 8 Ollie Leatherbarrow.
Replacements: 16 Samson Adejimi, 17 Micky Rewcastle, 18 Murray McCallum, 19 Fergus Lee-Warner, 20 Reuben Parsons, 21 James Elliott, 22 Ben Healy, 23 Tim Cardall.
Not available for selection: Sammy Arnold, Eduardo Bello, Max Clark, Connor Doherty, Ethan Grayson, Joel Grayson, Callum Hancock, Elvis Kitenge-Fuki, Freddie Lockwood, Amanaki Mafi, Cameron Neild, Junior Newton, Adam Scott, Oscar Usher.
Stade Rochelais: 15 Ihaia West, 14 Jules Favre, 13 UJ Seuteni, 12 Adrien Seguret, 11 Hoani Bosmorin, 10 Diego Jurd, 9 Thomas Berjon (captain), 1 Louis Penverne, 2 Gabin Garault, 3 Karl Sorin, 4 Thomas Lavault, 5 Simon Huchet, 6 Edouard Richer, 7 Lucas Andjisseramatchi, 8 Watisoni Waqanisaravi.
Replacements: 16 Tolu Latu, 17 Christian Luaki, 18 Joel Sclavi, 19 Aleksandre Kuntelia, 20 Judicael Cancoriet, 21 Alexandre Kaddouri, 22 Sacha Elissalde, 23 Nolhann Couillaud.
Referee: Eoghan Cross (Ireland).
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