The China Mail - French stars Moefana and Atonio return for Champions Cup

Moefana, who has not played since last season's Top 14 final at the end of June was named on Friday in defending champions Bordeaux-Begles' starting XV for their match against Pretoria-based Bulls franchise while Atonio is on the La Rochelle bench for their home tie against Leicester.

Moefana will line up alongside Nicolas Depoortere, who filled his absence in the France side in November, scoring two tries against both Fiji and Australia.

"He's (Moefana) the French team's number 12," said Bordeaux coach Yannick Bru.

"When your best French centre has been out for four months, you can imagine how much that has penalised us, and no disrespect to the others.

"He's going to suffer a lot because of the heat and the altitude. It's UV 10 or 11 today, so it's going to be tough.

"We think he's ready to deliver a high-level performance. There will be mistakes, inevitably, in rugby, and he may not be the best Yoram Moefana, but his presence is important to us."

An impressive Bordeaux backline also sees the return of international wings Louis Bielle-Biarrey and Damian Penaud, who were rested from last week's defeat at Montpellier. Maxime Lucu and Matthieu Jalibert start as half-backs.

It is a formidable beginning for the defending champions at Loftus Versfeld although Bru stressed on Friday: "We're not defending a title, we're going for another one."

Atonio, meanwhile, has not played for La Rochelle since June.

The 35-year-old joined the staff at the end of last season as a scrum specialist, with the goal of returning to playing by the end of the calendar year.

"We have a very big comeback with Uini Atonio," coach Ronan O'Gara said this week.

"He's a game changer, an iconic player for his country and his club.

"There's no one else like him in the world, he's exceptional. Even when things are tough, as a coach, it's a real joy to have him around every day.

"He's someone who naturally gives off energy."

The starting tighthead against the Tigers will be Argentina international Joel Sclavi, who is returning from a concussion.

However O'Gara's side, who won the title in 2022 and 2023, will be without English winger Jack Nowell, who was injured at Pau last weekend and joins Australian lock Will Skelton and French internationals Paul Boudehent, Pierre Bourgarit, Jonathan Danty and Nolann Le Garrec in the infirmary.

C.Fong--ThChM