Simon Zebo starts for Racing 92 as four Irishmen set to feature in Champions Cup final

It will be Zebo's first European final appearance as he saw off the likes of Teddy Thomas and Kurtley Beale to keep his starting spot

Racing 92's Donnacha Ryan, Mike Prendergast and Simon Zebo. Picture: INPHO/Billy Stickland

Simon Zebo has been picked to start for Racing 92 in Saturday's Champions Cup final, while Donnacha Ryan will be trusted to make an impact off the bench.

It will be Zebo's first European final appearance as he fended off the likes of Teddy Thomas, who misses out altogether, and Kurtley Beale to keep his starting spot. 

Ryan will be involved in his third final, having played in Racing's 2018 loss to Leinster and been an unused sub in Munster's 2008 victory over Toulouse.  

The former Munster duo will line-up alongside Racing captain and centre Henry Chavancy, whose inclusion Ronan O'Gara pegged as the key selection and "the heartbeat of the club" in his column. Chavancy comes into the final short of competitive match practice as he continues his recovery from a hamstring injury.

Half-backs Finn Russell and Teddy Iribaren will lead the side who have another Munster man, Mike Prendergast, as attack coach. 

Exeter Chiefs also line-up with two Irishmen as they bid for a first European Cup.

Long-time stalwarts Ian Whitten and Gareth Steenson are set to feature, with Whitten in the centre alongside Henry Slade and Steenson as the back-up fly-half to captain Joe Simmonds. 

A win would mark a perfect way to bow out for Steenson, who has announced he will retire at the end of this season.

The game will be played behind closed doors at Ashton Gate Stadium in Bristol at 4.45pm on Saturday.

Exeter Chiefs: Stuart Hogg, Jack Nowell, Henry Slade, Ian Whitten, Tom O'Flaherty; Joe Simmonds (captain), Jack Maunder; Alec Hepburn, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Harry Williams; Jonny Gray, Jonny Hill; Dave Ewers, Jacques Vermeulen, Sam Simmonds.

Replacements: Jack Yeandle, Ben Moon, Tom Francis, Sam Skinner, Jannes Kirsten, Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, Gareth Steenson, Ollie Devoto.

Racing 92: Simon Zebo, Louis Dupichot, Virimi Vakatawa, Henry Chavancy (captain), Juan Imhoff; Finn Russell, Teddy Iribaren; Eddy Ben Arous, Camille Chat, Georges Henri Colombe; Bernard Le Roux, Dominic Bird; Wenceslas Lauret, Fabien Sanconnie, Antonie Claassen.

Replacements: Teddy Baubigny, Hassane Kolingar, Ali Oz, Donnacha Ryan, Boris Palu, Maxime Machenaud, Olivier Klemenczak, Kurtley Beale.