Top 14: UBB rest four regulars at Perpignan

Yannick Bru has rested four starters for the trip to Perpignan, and Matthieu Jalibert’s injury adds to the reshuffle. Seven changes in all from the side that beat Stade Français.

The Bordeaux XV named at Aimé-Giral shows what a first block played with almost no rotation behind looks like. Three of the four men rested had started all three opening rounds, and the fourth, Maxime Lamothe, was on all three match sheets.

Three starts in three rounds

Across the first three rounds, Yoram Moefana, Romain Buros and Matthieu Jalibert started every match, never dropping out of the starting XV.

Jalibert is not being rested: the fly-half was hurt in the thigh against Stade Français and does not play.

Bielle-Biarrey has not played since 13 September

The international winger started the first two rounds, against Racing 92 on 5 September and then at Toulouse on the 13th. Nothing since: left out of the sheet against Stade Français on 20 September, he does not travel to Perpignan either. That will make three consecutive matches without him.

Zapedowski and Rayasi get their chance

At 20, Adam Zapedowski starts in the second row. It will be his second Top 14 start: the first came on 31 May at Toulon, on the final day of the regular season, and he has five appearances in the competition.

Salesi Rayasi appears on a match sheet for the first time this season. The Fiji full-back has 39 Top 14 appearances since 2024, 32 of them as a starter. Hugo Reus takes over at fly-half against the club he played for until March, with 52 Top 14 appearances already at 22.

The treatment room is clearing

According to the club’s medical update, Sipili Affane is still treating a shoulder and Bastien Bochaton a neck problem. Most of the other absentees have moved into the reconditioning phase, JD Du Preez among them.