Challenge Cup quarters, Leg 2

Changes in fortune possible

In Leg 2 of the quarter-finals of the European Challenge Cups all the Leg 1 losers could overthrow the first leg's results.

The most like seems to be Clermont Auvergne. They lost 25-21 to Pau in Pau and now play them in Clermont-Ferrand. They must be in a good position to advance to the semi-finals, again to be played over two legs on 1-3 April and 22-24 April.

Dean Richards's Grenoble lost by only four points to Connacht but that was in their Alpine home. Connacht were the only Leg 1 winners away from home. Now they travel to Galway and could find the going even tougher. In the Leg 1 match the teams each scored two trues but the boot of Australian Paul Warwick proved the difference.

Sale Sharks scored three tries to two in beating Agen 34-18 but could find the French side much, much harder at home. Agen have had a season which showed early promise and then disappointed but if they get themselves really determined and their supporters get some passion, the Sale Sharks could well see the result overturned.

The same is true for Saracens who beat Brive 19-6 at home. It sounds comfortable but there was only one try in that victory and Brive are certainly capable of winning at home.

Leg 2 Fixtures, with referees:

Clermont Auvergne vs Pau at Stade Marcel-Michelin
Referee: Carlo Damasco (Italy)

Connacht vs Grenoble at The Sports Ground
Referee: Hugh Watkins (Wales)

Agen vs Sale Sharks at Stade Armandie
Referee: David Changleng (Scotland)

Brive vs Saracens at Parc Municipal des Sports
Referee: Simon McDowell (Ireland)

We shall publish the teams here as they become available.

Clermont Auvergne: 15 Anthony Floch, 14 Aurélien Rougerie, 13 Raphael Chanal, 12 Tony Marsh, 11 Hernan Senillosa, 10 Gérald Merceron, 9 Pierre Mignoni (captain), 8 Gonzalo Longo, 7 Michel Dieude,  6 Alexandre Audebert, 5 Thibaut Privat, 4 Hottie Louw, 3 Goderzi Shvelidze, 2 Brice Miguel, 1 Cédric Soulette
Replacements: 16 Laurent Emmanuelli, 17 Alexandre Bastin, 18 Loic Jacquet, 19 Marc Raynaud, 20 Jérôme Moreau, 21 Stephen Jones, 22 Geoffroy Messina

Connacht squad:

Forwards: Ray Hogan, Peter Bracken, Adrian Clarke, Stephen Knoop, Bernard Jackman, John Fogarty, Andrew Farley (captain), Pieter Myburgh, Christian Short, Michael Swift, Matt Lacey, John Muldoon, John O'Sullivan, Paul Neville Brendan O'Connor.

Backs: Tom Tierney, Chris Keane, Mike Walls, Eric Elwood, Paul Warwick, David Slemen, Ted Robinson, Conor McPhillips, Darren Yapp, Niall O'Brien, James Downey. Matt Mostyn.

Grenoble: 15 Nicolas Carmona, 14 Pierre-Alain Negre Gauthier, 13 Denis Lison, 12 Sukannaivalu Hufanga, 11 Jean-Victor Bertrand, 10 David Aucagne, 9 Antoine Nicoud, 8 Jamie Cudmore (captain), 7 Julien Puricelli, 6 Gwendal Ollivier, 5 Karim Ghezal, 4 Alifaleti Fakaongo, 3 Ramiro Martinez, 2 Jean-Francois Martin-Culet, 1 Sebastien Rondinelli
Replacements: 16 Sébastien Petit, 17 Romain David, 18 Florian Faure, 19 Pierre Laurent, 20 Johann Authier, 21 Maxime Suarez, 22 Rickus Lubbe

Pau: 15 Jean-Marc Souverbie, 14 Mathieu Dourthe, 13 Jean-Emmanuel Cassin, 12 John Isaac, 11 Nicolas Martin, 10 Ludovic Mercier, 9 Philippe Carbonneau, 8 Alexandru Manta, 7 Pierre Som,  6 Thomas Soucaze,5 Garrick Morgan,  4 Olivier Nauroy, 3 Fabien Boiroux, 2 Romain Terrain, 1 David Laperne
Replacements: 16 Fernando Guatieri, 17 Olivier Sourgens, 18 Patrick Furet, 19 Vincent Forgues, 20 Fabien Cibray, 21 Julian O'Neil, 22 Rida Jahouer

Sale Sharks: 15 Jason Robinson, 14 Mark Cueto, 13 Jos Baxendell, 12 Robert Todd, 11 Chris Mayor, 10 Charlie Hodgson, 9 Richard Wigglesworth, 8 Sébastien Chabal, 7 Magnus Lund, 6 Jason White, 5 Dean Schofield,  4 Chris Jones, 3 Stuart Turner, 2 Sébastien Bruno, 1 Andrew Sheridan,
Replacements from: Andy Titterrell, Martin Halsall, Barry Stewart, Chris Day, John Carter, Pierre Caillet, Peter Anglesea, Ben Foden, Chris Rhys Jones, Mike Hercus, Steve Hanley.

Saracens: 15 Mark Bartholomeusz, 14 Paul Bailey, 13 Kevin Sorrell, 12 Dan Harris, 11 Tevita Vaikona, 10 Nicky Little, 9 Morgan Williams, 8 Ben Skirving, 7 David Seymour, 6 Taine Randell, 5 Simon Raiwalui (captain), 4 Iain Fullarton, 3 Cobus Visagie, 2 Matt Cairns, 1 Nicholas Lloyd
Replacements: 16 Andy Kyriacou, 17 Kevin Yates, 18 Kris Chesney, 19 Ben Russell, 20 Moses Raulini, 21 Ben Johnston, 22 Richard Haughton