POOL ONEBenetton Treviso v Perpignan (Today) The Super 10 Italian champions of last season against the fourth best team in the French Championship does not really equate to an even match.
While the Italians will enjoy home comforts and have an arsenal of Italian internationals on board, Perpignan, captained by French flanker Bernard Goutta, would still appear to have the biggest weapons. Perpignan made it to the quarter-final last season before losing to winners Munster and lost to Toulouse in the 2003 final staged at Lansdowne Road, while Treviso, who have been competing since the first event in the 1995-96 season, have not yet graduated out of their pool. The sides have never met in this competition but Perpignan have better pedigree.
TREVISO: B Williams; E Mulieri, G Pizarro, M Goosen (capt), S Legg; A Marcato, S Picone; G Faliva, F Sbaraglini, P di Santo, A Pavanello, M Wentzel, E Pavanello, S Palmer, D Kingi. Replacements: A Allori, A Ceccato, M Perziano, M Sutto, M Pelizzari, D Ansell, A Lucchese.
PERPIGNAN: J Laharrague; A Snyman, D Marty, G Hume, S Dawai Naulu; S Meyer, N Durand; P Freshwater, M Konieck, N Mas, C Gaston, O Olibeau, G Le Corvec, B Goutta (capt), R Alvarez Kairelis. Replacements: G Guirado, S Chobet, G Bortolaso, O Tonita, S Dupuy, N Laharrague, V Vaki.
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England).
London Wasps v Castres (Sunday)
Larry Dallaglio and his gang won this competition in 2004 when they beat Toulouse 27-20 at Twickenham but over the last two seasons they have been unable to get out of their pool despite winning the Powergen Cup last season. Still Castres Olympique have already stated, through their coach Larent Seigne, that a quarter-final is their goal and that for a first-up match they could do without having to travel to London. In Raphael Ibanez, who captained France to a World Cup final in 1999, Wasps have a wealth of experience of French rugby and will know exactly what to expect, especially in the away game. But Castres are rebuilding while Wasps are hungry after last year's failure and with home advantage that could swing it.
LONDON WASPS: M van Gisbergen; P Sackey, J Lewsey, F Waters, T Voyce; J Staunton, E Reddan; T Payne, R Ibanez, P Vickery, S Shaw, T Palmer, D Leo, T Rees, L Dallaglio (capt). Replacements: J Ward, P Bracken, G Skivington, J Haskell, S Amor, A King, A Erinle.
CASTRES OLYMPIQUE: R Teulet; L Milford, P Christophers, R Carballo, B Fleming; G Ross, C Laussucq; A Giorgadze, R Terrain, J Castex, P Pape, L Nallet (capt), A Bias, P Tabacco, F Faure. Replacements: D Roumieu, D Saayman, K Ghezal, F Fourcade, P Canavosio, J Wisniewski, S Moffat.
Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)
POOL THREE
Calvisano v Stade Français (Today)
The dreadlocked Paul Griffen leads Calvisano out against the French Championship semi-finalists for a difficult beginning for the Italians. Stade, who lost to Toulouse in the 2005 final and to Leicester Tigers in the 2001 final, dipped last year and failed to get out of the pool. Still, Calvisano, in their five previous tournaments have never advanced to the knock-out stages.
Italian internationals Sergio Parisse and Mauro Bergamasco lead the French charge from the backrow and aim to supply ball to a formidable backline that has been wreaking havoc in France this season. From Ignacio Corleto at fullback to French international Brian Liebenberg at centre, Stade should dominate. The sides have never before met in the competition but on pedigree and talent, this is a must-win for the French visitors.
CALVISANO: P Buso; A Vodo, M Gallinetti, J Downey, W Spragg; A Scanavacca, P Griffen (capt); G Bocca, L Ghiraldini, R Moore, J Purll, B Gissing, A Zanni, A Persico, D Dal Maso. Replacements: G Intoppa, L Cittadini, M Ngauamo, M Zaffiri, P Patelli, C Zanoletti, M Cagnoni.
STADE FRANÇAIS: I Corleto; J Arias, G Messina, D Skrela, J Saubade; L Beauxis, A Albouy; S Marconnet (capt), M Blin, P de Villiers, A Marchois, M James, B du Plooy, M Bergamasco, S Parisse. Replacements: D Szarzewski, Y Montes, D Auradou, R Samo, J Fillol, S Glas, C Dominici.
Referee: Donal Courtney (Ireland)
POOL FOUR
Bourgoin v Cardiff Blues (Today)
Cardiff are not going into this game as they might have wished. Coach David Young has named a side that shows eight changes to the starting line-up from their previous match.
One absentee is utility Welsh international back Rhys Williams. He tore the muscle off the bone on his thigh in the defeat against Ulster last weekend and is expected to be out until the New Year. Few give the Welsh a chance against this tough outfit, who are especially potent on home ground. Bourgoin have a big driving lineout and scrum and play a kicking game that suits their forwards. This first outing begins the French side's seventh Heineken European Cup and back in 1996 they beat Cardiff 26-25 in their debut match.
Cardiff are the only Welsh club to reach a European Cup final; they lost to Toulouse in 1996. Since then, they have reached one semi and three quarter-finals, the last of which came in 2001.
BOURGOIN: F Denos; D Janin, G Bousses, S Finau, I Giorgadze; B Boyet, M Prendergast; D Khinchagishvili, B Cabello, O Sourgens, J Pierre, D Fevre, A Petrilli, B Monzeglio, J Bonnaire. Replacements: R Vigneaux, P Peyron, B Williams, J Frier, M Campeggia, S Laloo, M Nicolas.
CARDIFF BLUES: B Blair; C Czekaj, T Shanklin, M Stcherbina, M Luveitasau; 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, B White, E Fairhurst, N MacLeod, J Robinson.
Referee: Chris White (England)
POOL SIX
Biarritz v Northampton (Sunday)
After three games with the armband, Darren Fox has replaced former Leinster centre David Quinlan as captain of Northampton. Coach Paul Grayson sees the meeting as being dominated by the forwards, where flanker Fox will have to lead from the front.
Both Sean Lamont and Ben Cohen have been named in the English side's starting line-up, although winger Cohen is subject to a fitness test today. Hooker Steve Thompson also returns from injury but Robbie Kydd pulled out on Thursday with a hamstring tear.
Biarritz have had a strong home record over the six years they have taken part and last year's French champions will present a serious challenge. Northampton are back as the Premiership's sixth best team of last season, having missed the competition last year. The sides have played four games against each other with two wins each. Home advantage may be pivotal.
BIARRITZ OLYMPIQUE: N Brusque; J Gobelet, R Cabannes, D Traille, S Bobo; J Peyrelongue, D Yachvili; P Balan, B August (capt), D Avril, J Thion, D Couzinet, S Betsen, M Dridi, B Noirot. Replacements: K Lealamanua, H Wessels, S Dellappe, G Padro, J Dupuy, D Lison or P Bidabe, B Dambielle.
NORTHAMPTON: R Laird; S Lamont, C Wyles, D Quinlan, B Cohen; L Myring, M Robinson; T Smith, S Thompson, P Barnard, D Browne, D Gerard, P Tupai, D Fox (capt), D Browne. Replacements: D Hartley, C Budgen, M Lord, M Easter, I Vass, J Howard, P Diggin.
Referee: Malcolm Changleng (Scotland)
