33 players newly registered by 14 clubs ahead of next week's Champions Cup resumption

Thirty-three players have been newly registered by 14 clubs ahead of the Heineken Champions Cup round of 16 matches over the Easter weekend, La Rochelle and Wasps the only two teams sticking by the squads they had before the remaining pool stage fixtures were scrapped in January. 

The revamped round of 16 knockout stage kicks off in Dublin on April 2 when Leinster host Toulon and concludes on April 4 when Scarlets welcome Sale. In between, there is a multitude of other mouth-watering fixtures, Wasps versus Clermont and Munster against Toulouse to name but two. 

Among the newly registered players to watch out for are Jordan Taufua, the former All Blacks back row prospect who moved from Leicester to Lyon in February, while prop Abram Venter joined Edinburgh in the same month from Cheetahs. 

AN EPCR statement outlining the additions to the various squads read: "In advance of the resumption of the 2020/21 Heineken Champions Cup, the clubs which have qualified for the knockout stage of the tournament have registered their updated squads.

"To ensure that clubs will be able to select the strongest possible matchday squads in the current circumstances, there was no limit to the number of players each club was permitted to register. 

"Subject to relevant union approval, the following players have been nominated to supplement each club’s tournament squad:

ASM CLERMONT AUVERGNE

Joel Everson (second row), Reinach Venter (hooker)

BORDEAUX-BEGLES

Thomas Jolmes (second row)

BRISTOL BEARS

Stephen Kerins (scrum half), Tadgh McElroy (hooker), Nahuel Tetaz Chapparo (prop)

EDINBURGH RUGBY

Abram ‘Boan’ Venter (prop)

EXETER CHIEFS

Dan John (full back/wing), Max Northcote-Green (back row), Christ Tshiunza (second row)

GLOUCESTER RUGBY

Santiago Carreras (full back/wing), Giorgi Kveseladze (centre), Conor Maguire (prop), Bryan O’Connor (prop)

LEINSTER RUGBY

Greg McGrath (prop), Jamie Osborne (centre)

LYON

Temo Mayanavanua (second row), Hugo Ndiaye (prop), Jordan Taufua (back row)

MUNSTER RUGBY

Ethan Coughlan (scrum-half), Cian Hurley (second row/back row), Paddy Patterson (scrum-half)

RACING 92

Emiliano Boffelli (utility back), Arthur Bruges (flanker), Anthime Hemery (No 8)

RC TOULON

Adrien Warion (second row), Rudi Wulf (centre/wing)

SALE SHARKS

Rouban Birch (second row)

SCARLETS

Danny Drake (back row), Eddie James (centre), Callum Morris (scrum-half), Sam O’Connor (prop)

TOULOUSE

Juan Cruz Mallia (centre/wing)