This weekend's matches previewed
SATURDAY
Pool One
Perpignan v London Wasps (3.0).
Both teams were victorious on the opening weekend of the competition with Wasps having to work a little harder to secure their victory at home to Castres. It'll be a tough assignment for the English side to go to Stade Aime Giral and win. Jeremy Staunton and Eoin Reddan form the halfback partnership with prop Peter Bracken on the bench. David Marty will undergo a late fitness test for Perpignan. If he does not play Jean-Philippe Grandclaude will play second centre. If Grandclaude comes in his place on the bench will be taken by flanker Ovidu Tonita.
PERPIGNAN: J Laharrague; A Snyman, D Marty, G Hume, S Dawai Naulu; S Meyer, N Durand; P Freshwater, M Konieck, N Mas, C Gaston, N Hines, G Le Corvec, B Goutta (capt), R Alvarez Kairelis. Replacements: G Guirado, S Bozzi, G Bortolaso, V Vaki, S Dupuy, N Laharrague, J Grandclaude.
LONDON WASPS: M van Gisbergen; P Sackey, J Lewsey, F Waters, T Voyce; J Staunton, E Reddan; T Payne, J Ward, P Vickery, S Shaw, T Palmer, J Worsley, T Rees, L Dallaglio (capt). Replacements: J Barrett, P Bracken, G Skivington, J Haskell, S Amor, A King, A Erinle.
Referee: Donal Courtney (Ireland)
Pool Two
Gloucester v Agen (3.0).
It's a must win game for the English club after coming unstuck away to Leinster. Ollie Morgan resumes at fullback with Iain Balshaw moving to the wing. There are three further changes up front. Agen were fortunate to beat Edinburgh at home and have elected to start François Gelez and Conrad Stoltz on the bench. All eyes will be on maverick Fijian wing Rupeni Caucaunibuca, man of the match the last day despite still lacking match fitness.
GLOUCESTER: O Morgan; J Bailey, J Adams, A Allen, I Balshaw; R Lamb, P Richards; C Califano, M Davies, C Nieto, J Pendlebury, M Bortolami (capt), P Buxton, J Boer, L Narraway. Replacements: O Azam, P Collazo, A Eustace, A Balding, R Lawson, W Walker, R Keil.
AGEN: P Elhorga; D Vainqueur, M Ahotaeiloa, A Mignardi, R Caucaunibuca; J Miquel (capt), N Morlaes; P van Niekerk, A Tiatia, A Galasso, A Badenhorst, S Socol, P Som, C Yukes, T Soucaze. Replacements: E Guinazu, L Cabarry, W Stolz, F Culine, A Fulton, F Gelez, C Stoltz.
Referee: Malcolm Changleng (Scotland)
Pool Three
Stade Français v Ospreys (2.35)
The home side have been the class act in the French Championship to date, emphasised by their position at the top of the table. A squad rotation system sees players like Matthieu Blin, Argentina's Roberto Roncero, Canadian Mike James and another Puma Ignacio Corletto start on the bench. The Ospreys welcome back Gavin Henson after injury but there is no place for last week's try-scoring hero Shane Williams while match-winner James Hook starts on the bench once again.
STADE FRANÇAIS: J Hernandez; J Saubade, G Messina, M Bergamasco, C Dominici; D Skrela, A Albouy; S Marconnet, D Szarzewski, P de Villiers, D Auradou (capt), B du Plooy, M Bergamasco, R Martin, S Parisse. Replacements: M Blin, R Roncero, M James, R Samo, J Fillol, L Beauxis, I Corleto.
OSPREYS: L Byrne; N Walker, S Parker, A Bishop, R Mustoe; G Henson, J Marshall; D Jones (capt), H Bennett, A Jones, B Cockbain, I Evans, F Tiatia, S Tandy, R Jones. Replacements: B Williams, P James, A Jones, J Thomas, J Spice, J Hook, S Terblanche.
Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)
Pool Six
Northampton Saints v Border Reivers (3.30).
Former Leinster and Ireland A centre David Quinlan, who has captained the English club on a couple of occasions this season, misses this game but former Connacht second row Damien Browne starts. Carlos Spencer returns but England international wing Ben Cohen faces a late fitness test. If he does not play then Johnny Howard will take his place. If Howard comes in his place on the bench will be filled by Paul Diggin. Borders took the maximum five points in their opening game and recently beat Leinster in the Magners League but won't be fancied here.
NORTHAMPTON SAINTS: R Laird; S Lamont, R Davies, L Myring, B Cohen; C Spencer, M Robinson; T Smith, S Thompson, C Budgen, Damien Browne, D Gerard, P Tupai, D Fox (capt), Daniel Browne. Replacements: D Hartley, S Tonga'uiha, M Lord, M Easter, I Vass, C Wyles, J Howard.
BORDER REIVERS: C MacRae; S Danielli, B MacDougall, N De Luca, B Daniel; S Jones, C Cusiter (capt); G Kerr, R Ford, E Kalman, O Palepoi, C Hamilton, J Dalziel, S Gray, K Brown. Replacements: S Scott, B Douglas, S Newlands, A Miller, B McKerchar, G Townsend, G Law.
Referee: Christophe Berdos (France)
Parma v Biarritz Olympique (1.0).
Last year's beaten finalists should win this game at a canter. They have elected to start Damien Traille at outhalf instead of his normal position of inside centre with Julien Peyrelongue on the bench. Biarritz look to have too much pace out wide and too much grunt up front for the Italian minnows. It could be a long afternoon for the home side even with their smattering of New Zealanders and Australians.
PARMA: A Little; A Orsi, E Galon, A Tuipulotu, M Neethling; F Mazzariol, M Frati; G Fontana, B Masetti, A De Marchi, D Guiness, J Soffredini, P Sciarretta, L Pascu (capt), R Barbieri. Replacements: M Barbieri, L Zanini, F Minello, M Vosawai, A Canale, G Ghidini, R Robuschi.
BIARRITZ OLYMPIQUE: N Brusque; J Gobelet, D Lison, R Cabannes, S Bobo; D Traille, D Yachvili; P Balan, B August (capt), H Wessels, J Thion, S Dellappe, S Betsen, M Dridi, T Lievremont. Replacements: B Noirot, D Avril, D Couzinet, G Padro, J Dupuy, J Peyrelongue, B Dambielle.
Referee: Tim Hayes (Wales)
SUNDAY
Pool TWO
Cardiff Blues v Leicester Tigers (3.0)
Geordan Murphy returns to the Tigers team with his namesake Johnny making way on the right wing. Andy Goode and Harry Ellis are restored as the first choice halfback pairing while Julian White comes into the front row. James Hamilton is preferred to Leo Cullen in the second row with Shane Jennings named among the replacements along with Paul Burke. This is a must win game for the Tigers against an in-form Cardiff side. The home side can afford to start former All Black Xavier Rush on the bench. It could be the game of the weekend.
CARDIFF BLUES: B Blair; M Luveitasau, T Shanklin, M Stcherbina, C Czekaj; N Robinson, M Phillips; G Jenkins, R Thomas, G Powell, D Jones, R Sidoli, S Morgan, M Williams (capt), M Lewis. Replacements: T Filise, G Williams, B Davies, X Rush, E Fairhurst, J Robinson, N MacLeod.
LEICESTER TIGERS: S Vesty; G Murphy, O Smith, D Gibson, T Varndell; A Goode, H Ellis; M Castrogiovanni, G Chuter, J White, J Hamilton, B Kay, L Deacon, L Moody, M Corry (capt). Replacements: J Buckland, M Ayerza, B Deacon, S Jennings, S Bemand, P Burke, S Rabeni.
Referee: Alan Lewis (Ireland)
Toulouse v London Irish (3.0)
There's no Trevor Brennan as the Irishman's injury-ravaged body finally succumbs and he's given a well deserved rest. Argentina's Patricio Albacete is named in the second row alongside Romain Millo-Chlusky. Fabien Pelous continues at number eight. Yannick Jauzion is named out of position at outhalf as the club's injury crisis deepens but Jean Baptiste Elissalde returns at scrumhalf. Former Leinster flanker Aidan McCullen is the only Irish-born player in the London Irish team, joining Declan Danaher and Canadian Phil Murphy in the backrow. Both teams endured very disappointing results on the opening weekend and the loser here will be in serious trouble.
TOULOUSE: X Garbajosa; V Clerc, F Fritz, G Thomas, C Heymans; Y Jauzion, J Elissalde; D Human, V Lacombe, S Perugini, P Albacete, R Millo-Chlusky, T Dusatoir, J Montauriol, F Pelous. Replacements: O Hasan, Y Bru, G Lamboley, J Bouilhou, V Courrent, B Baby, F Maka.
LONDON IRISH: D Armitage; T Ojo, S Mapusua, M Catt (capt), S Tagicakibau; R Flutey, P Hodgson; N Hatley, D Paice, T Lea'aetoa, K Roche, J Hudson, A McCullen, D Danaher, P Murphy. Replacements: R Skuse, R Russell, G Johnson, O Magne, J Leguizamon, G Tiesi, B Everitt.
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
