Impossible task: Stade Français visit Clermont
Clermont will be aiming to set a new record for consecutive home matches without a loss in Friday's Top 14 clash against Stade Français at Parc des Sports Marcel Michelin.
Les Jaunards have not lost on home soil since November 2008, an unbeaten streak that includes 44 victories and two draws.
Indeed, the task at hand seems mighty steep for the Parisian visitors who have lost on their last ten visits to the Auvergne.
Stade Français have struggled this season and are lying a lowly tenth in the standings, despite a morale-boosting win over Perpignan last week. And things are not likely to get much better in the near future with clashes against Toulouse and Toulon on the menu in the next three rounds.
Clermont have yet to hit top form yet but nevertheless lie second, with five wins from their six games.
In team news, the hosts have to make do without skipper Aurelien Rougerie, who has a back injury, but they have quality replacement in the form of former Blues centre Benson Stanley.
Stade Français coach Richard Pool-Jones has chosen to rotate his squad, leaving first-choice full-back and goal-kicker Jerome Porical on the bench while the likes of Felipe Contepomi and Sergio Parisse have not been included.
Kiwi Aled De Malmanche returns to the starting XV (at hooker) while Geoffrey Doumayrou and Jeremy Sinzelle form a new-look midfield.
The teams:
ASM Clermont Auvergne: 15 Lee Byrne, 14 Sitiveni Sivivatu, 13 Benson Stanley, 12 Wesley Fofana, 11 Naipolioni Nalaga, 10 David Skrela, 9 Morgan Parra, 8 Damien Chouly, 7 Alexandre Lapandry, 6 Julien Bonnaire, 5 Julien Pierre, 4 Jamie Cudmore, 3 Daniel Kotze, 2 Benjamin Kayser, 1 Thomas Domingo.
Replacements: 16 Benoit Cabello, 17 Raphael Chaume, 18 Loic Jacquet, 19 Elvis Vermeulen, 20 Ludovic Radosavljevic, 21 Brock James , 22 Regan King, 23 Vincent Debaty.
Stade Français Paris: 15 Hugo Bonneval, 14 Waisea Vuidravuwalu, 13 Geoffrey Doumayrou, 12 Jeremy Sinzelle, 11 Francis Fainifo, 10 Paul Warwick, 9 Jerome Fillol, 8 David Lyons, 7 Scott Lavalla, 6 Antoine Burban, 5 Pascal Pape, 4 Alexandre Flanquart, 3 Rabah Slimani, 2 Aled De malmanche 1 Stanley Wright.
Replacements: 16 Remi Bonfils, 17 David Attoub, 18 Pierre Rabadan, 19 Leiataua Tomiki, 20 Nicolas Bezy, 21 Jerome Porical, 22 Paul Williams, 23 Zurabi Zhvania,
Date: Friday, September 28
Venue: Parc des Sports Marcel Michelin, Clermont Ferrand
Kick-off: 20.50 (20.50 GMT)
Referee: Sébastien Clouté
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