SATURDAY Edinburgh v Northampton Saints, Murrayfield (1.30, live on Sky Sports 1)Edinburgh have won their last four Heineken Cup ties at home, with a list of victims that includes Castres, Ulster, Bath and Stade Français.
They ran Cardiff close last week before going down 18-17 in a poor quality encounter. Coach Rob Moffat makes one change, bringing in James King at inside centre. The Saints are without Ben Foden and Bruce Reihana and this match could be a real test of their European credentials. Unless they improve significantly on last week it’s one they could fail.
EDINBURGH: C Paterson; J Thompson, B Cairns, J King, T Visser; D Blair, M Blair; A Jacobsen, R Ford, G Cross; S MacLeod, F McKenzie; A MacDonald, R Rennie, R Grant (capt). Replacements: A Kelly, K Traynor, D Young, C Hamilton, N Talei, G Laidlaw, A Grove, M Robertson
NORTHAMPTON SAINTS: G Tonks; C Ashton, J Clarke, J Downey, P Diggin; S Myler, L Dickson; S Tongauiha, D Hartley (capt), B Mujati; C Lawes, C Day; P Dowson, T Wood, R Wilson. Replacements: B Sharman, R Dreyer, E Murray, M Sorenson, C Clark, R Powell, S Geraghty, J Ansbro
Referee: Jeromé Garces(France).
Racing Metro 92 v Clermont Auvergne,
Stade Yves du Manoir (1.30)
The home side welcome back their points-scorer-in-chief, outhalf Jonathan Wisniewski, who missed the Leinster game through injury. Coach Pierre Berbizier makes five changes to the side that lost in Dublin for this must-win game. His Clermont counterpart, Vern Cotter, has left behind eight players who togged out in the win over Saracens: Jamie Cudmore (banned), Lionel Faure, Julien Bonnaire, Alexandre Lapandry, Marius Joubert, Aurélien Rougerie, Anthony Floch and Brock James. Racing won when the sides met in the Top 14 at today’s venue and could do so again.
RACING METRO 92:D Scarbrough; S Bobo, A VuliVuli, H Chavancy, J Saubade; J Wisniewski, N Durand; A Lo Cicero, B Noirot, M Tuugahala; L Nallet (capt), J Nailiko Ouvo; J Leo'o, B Le Roux, S Chabal. Replacements: C Festuccia, S Zimmermann, J Brugnaut, S Dellape, J Fillol, M Bergamasco, R Vaquin, A Batut.
CLERMONT AUVERGNE: B Baby; N Nalaga, W Fofana, G Williams, J Malzieu; T Lavea, K Senio; V Debaty, T Paulo, M Scelzo; J Pierre (capt), L Jacquet; J White, A Audebert, S Lauaki. Replacements: A Creevy, T Domingo, D Zirakashvili, T Privat, E Vermeulen, M Parra, G Canale, B Russell.
Referee: Nigel Owens(Wales)
Aironi v Bath
Stadio Luigi Zafanella (1.30)
The English club simply must prevail after losing at home to Biarritz Olympique last week. They played with a lemming-like stupidity at times and can’t afford a repeat performance of that inept display. Aironi did well to stave off an even bigger thumping in Belfast but will be a completely different prospect at home. Italian internationals Simone Favaro (flanker) and Matteo Pratichetti (centre) return to action after recovering from summer injuries. This match has the potential to provide an upset but Bath should squeak home.
AIRONI RUGBY: D Demas; G Toniolatti , R Penney, G Pavan, G Rubini; L Mercier, P Canavosio; S Perugini, F Ongaro, L Redolfini; M Bortolami, Q Geldenhuys (capt), J Erasmus, A Benatti, N Williams. Replacements: R Santamaria, L Gamboa, A de Marchi, C del Fava, S Favaro, T Tebaldi, M Pratichetti, R Bocchino
BATH: N Abendanon; T Biggs, B Williams, O Barkley, M Banahan; S Vesty, M Claassens; N Catt, P Dixon, D Wilson; S Hooper, D Grewcock; A Beattie, L Watson (capt), S Taylor. Replacements: R Batty, D Flatman, D Bell, I Fernandez Lobbe, B Skirving, M McMillan, M Carraro, J Cuthbert
Referee: John Lacey(Ireland)
Newport Gwent Dragons v Toulouse
Rodney Parade (5.45)
Toulouse have made seven changes to their starting line-up, two in the backs and five up front. Maxime Medard takes over from Clément Poitrenaud, while Fijian speedster Vilimoni Delasau replaces Vincent Clerc on the wing. Shaun Sowerby and flanker Yannick Nyanga make way for Louis Picamoles and Jean Bouilhou respectively, with Yoann Maestri partnering Romain Millo-Chluski in the second row. There are two further changes in the front row. Dragons have left Luke Charteris on the bench. Toulouse to win with a bonus point.
DRAGONS: W Harries; A Hughes, T Cheeseman, T Riley, A Brew; A Smith, W Evans; P Price, S Jones, B Castle; S Morgan, R Sidoli; D Lydiate, G Thomas, A Coombs. Replacements: L Burns, H Gustafson, P Palmer, L Charteris, T Faletau, N Griffiths, M Jones, R Gomer-Davies.
TOULOUSE: M Medard; V Delasau, F Fritz, Y Jauzion, C Heymans; D Skrela, B Kelleher; D Humaan, W Servat, Y Montes; Y Maestri, R Millo-Chluski; J Bouilhou, T Dusautoir, L Picamoles. Replacements: V Lacombe, JB Poux, C Johnston, S Sowerby, C Poitrenaud, V Clerc, Y Nyanga.
Referee: Andrew Small(England)
SUNDAY
Perpignan v Benetton Treviso
Stade Aime Giral (1.0)
Treviso were very unlucky to lose to Alex Tuilagi’s last-gasp try for the Leicester Tigers but they face a side whom they have lost to on seven of the eight occasions they have met in Europe. Perpignan have named Manny Edmonds at outhalf, with Gavin Hume moving to inside centre. First-choice scrumhalf David Mele also steps up from the bench. Kisi Pulu, Marius Tincu and Jérôme Schuster form an all new front row. Despite the changes Perpignan should have too much in hand.
PERPIGNAN: J Porical; A Plante, D Marty (capt), G Hume, J Candelon; M Edmonds, D Mele; J Schuster, M Tincu, K Pulu; G Vilaceca, R Tchale Watchou; B Guiry, O Tonita, D Chouly. Replacements: G Guirado, P Freshwater, N Mas, G Britz, K Boulogne, J Grandclaude, J Michel, Y Vivalda
BENETTON TREVISO: B Williams; L Nitoglia, T Benvenuti, A Sgarbi, J Maddock; L McLean, T Botes; I Fernandez Rouyet, D Vidal, P di Santo; A Pavanello (capt), C van Zyl; E Pavanello, A Zanni, P Derbyshire. Replacements: L Ghiraldini, F Sbaraglini, L Cittadini, V Bernabò, R Barbieri, E Galon, F Semenzato, K Burton
Referee: JP Doyle(England).
London Wasps v Glasgow Warriors
Adams Park (1.0, live on Sky Sports)
Wasps let a glorious opportunity slip in the torrential rain at Toulouse last weekend and will be keen to make amends against a Glasgow team that won their opening fixture in Europe for the first time in 13 years.
The home side make wholesale changes, with Riki Flutey, David Lemi, Charlie Beech, Rob Webber and Dan Ward-Smith all coming into the starting lineup. Richard Haughton moves to fullback in place of Mark Van Gisbergen.
A bonus point in defeat might be the best that Glasgow can muster.
LONDON WASPS: R Haughton; T Varndell, B Jacobs, R Flutey, D Lemi; D Walder, J Simpson; C Beech, R Webber, Z Taulafo; S Shaw, R Birkett; D Ward-Smith, T Rees (capt), A Powell. Replacements: J Ward, S Ruwers, B Broster, M Veale, J Worsley, N Berry, D Waldouck, M van Gisbergen.
GLASGOW WARRIORS: B Stortoni; D van der Merwe, M Evans, G Morrison, F Aramburu; R Jackson, C Gregor; J Welsh, F Thomson, M Low; T Ryder, R Gray; R Harley, J Barclay (capt), R Vernon. Replacements: D Hall, R Grant, E Kalman, R Wilson, C Forrester, H Pyrgos, D Weir, R Dewey.
Referee: Pascal Gauzere(France)
Leicester Tigers v Scarlets,
Welford Road (3.0, live on Sky Sports).
The Tigers received a massive fright in Italy last weekend and were rescued by a length of the pitch last-gap try that saw them earn both the win and a bonus point. The Scarlets were outscored five tries to four by Perpignan but still managed a bonus point victory.
Leicester coach Richard Cockerill knows his misfiring side can not afford to be so lax in not taking chances. If the Scarlets play their expansive game they could give their hosts another uncomfortable afternoon.
The Tigers to win.
LEICESTER TIGERS: G Murphy (capt); S Hamilton, M Smith, A Allen, A Tuilagi; T Flood, B Youngs, M Ayerza, G Chuter, M Castrogiovanni; E Slater, G Skivington; T Croft, C Newby, T Waldrom. Replacements: R Hawkins, B Stankovich, D Cole, S Mafi, B Woods, J Grindal, B Twelvetrees, M Tuilagi.
SCARLETS: R Priestland; M Stoddart, R King, G Maule, S Lamont; S Jones, M Roberts; I Thomas, M Rees (capt), R Thomas; L Reed, V Cooper; J Turnbull, R McCusker, D Lyons. Replacements: K Owens, R Jones, D Manu, D Welch, J Edwards, T Knoyle, S Williams, D Evans.
Referee: George Clancy(Ireland)
