La Rochelle fields an 18-year-old in the scrum against Toulon after the absences of Le Garrec and Berjon

La Rochelle, deprived of its international scrum half Nolann le Garrec due to injury, promoted in his place on Saturday against Toulon a young 18-year-old prospect, Valentin Bouju, and renewed a 7-1 bench which included Grégory Alldritt.

With Le Garrec, the detonator of the La Rochelle game, injured in the internal lateral ligament of his right knee against Toulouse, and his designated substitute Thomas Berjon who is recovering from knee surgery, the Maritimes only had three solutions behind their scrum.

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Berjon's medical joker, Christophe Loustalot, 34, has not played in the Top 14 for ten years, the young Nolhann Couillaud (19 years old, 5 match sheets in the Top 14 last season) and finally Valentin Bouju, who did the pre-season with the professionals. It is the latter who was chosen by manager Ronan O'Gara to start at Mayol where he will be associated with Antoine Hastoy, author of the penalty for the win after the siren last Sunday against Toulouse (30-27).

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The only other change in the back line compared to the starting XV of the first day concerns the Georgian international Davit Niniashvili, spared this week and replaced numerically by Nathan Bollengier. Facing the RCT, the caravel club will start without its usual captain Grégory Alldritt, not very successful on the inaugural day, who will be a replacement.

As against Toulouse, the yellow and black bench will be made up of seven forwards and a single three-quarter, versatile, Sacha Élissalde, grandson of Jean-Pierre and son of Jean-Baptiste, and who played his first eight minutes in the Top 14 last weekend.