Heineken Cup previews by JOHN O'SULLIVAN
TODAY
Aironi v Biarritz Olympique
Stadio Luigi Zaffanella (1.30)
Biarritz are in excellent form in the French championship and given the the squad named are looking to secure a win and a bonus point here.
AIRONI RUGBY: J Laharrague; G Toniolatti , R Penney, G Pavan, M Pratichetti J Marshall, T Tebaldi; M Aguero, F Ongaro, F Staibano; M Bortolami, Q Geldenhuys (capt); J Sole, G Krause, N Williams. Replacements: L Ferraro, A de Marchi, L Redolfini, J Furno, S Favaro, P Canavosio, R Bocchino, G Rubini.
BIARRITZ OLYMPIQUE: D Haylett-Petty; T Ngwenya, C Gimenez, D Traille, I Balshaw; J Peyrelongue, D Yachvili; S Marconnet, R Terrain, A Barozzi; J Thion, E Lund; M Lund, I Harinordoquy (capt), R Lakafia. Replacements: B August, Y Watremez, C Johnstone, F Faure, W Lauret, A Mignardi, L Tranier, I Bolakoro.
Referee: Peter Fitzgibbon (Ireland)
Perpignan v Leicester Tigers
Stade Aimee Giral (1.30, live on Sky Sports 1)
The home side are without injured centres Gavin Hume and Maxime Mermoz. They welcome back outhalf Nicolas Laharrague and hooker Marius Tincu. Geordan Murphy leads a Tigers side – Jeremy Staunton is on the bench – that could grab an away win.
PERPIGNAN: J Porical; A Plante, D Marty, J Michel, J Candelon; N Laharrague, D Mele; P Freshwater, M Tincu, N Mas (capt); O Olibeau, R Tchale Watchou; B Guiry, O Tonita, D Chouly. Replacements: G Guirado, J Schuster, K Pulu, G Britz, H Tuilagi, J Perez, F Cazenave, F Sid.
LEICESTER TIGERS: G Murphy (capt); S Hamilton, M Smith, A Allen, A Tuilagi; T Flood, B Youngs; M Ayerza, G Chuter, D Cole; L Deacon, G Skivington; T Waldrom, C Newby, J Crane. Replacements: R Hawkins, P Bucknall, M Castrogiovanni, E Slater, S Mafi, J Grindal, J Staunton, M Tuilagi.
Referee: Alan Lewis (Ireland)
Scarlets v Benetton Treviso
Parc y Scarlets (3.0)
Welsh captain Matthew Rees, Stephen Jones and Scottish wing Sean Lamont return for the hosts. However, former Wallaby international and number eight David Lyons and wing Lee Williams are out with shoulder injuries. Deacon Manu and Peter Edwards suffering fractured arms against Leinster so Wales U-20 prop Simon Gardiner starts. Treviso may muster a better challenge at home next weekend judging by their selection.
SCARLETS: R Priestland; M Stoddart, G Maule, R King, S Lamont; S Jones, T Knoyle; I Thomas, M Rees (capt), S Gardner; V Cooper, D Day; R McCusker, J Turnbull, B Morgan. Replacements: K Owens, R Jones, P John, J Fa’amatuainu, J Edwards, M Roberts, D Newton, S Williams.
BENETTON TREVISO: L McLean; T Benvenuti, A Pratichetti, G Garcia, A Vilk; K Burton, F Semenzato; M Muccignat, E Ceccato, P di Santo; A Pavanello (capt), V Bernabò; M Filippucci, B Vermaak , P Derbyshire. Replacements: D Vidal, I Fernandez Rouyet, L Cittadini, C van Zyl, M Vosawai, E Galon, E Gori, J Maddock.
Referee: Greg Garner (England)
Saracens v Racing Metro 92
Vicarage Road (3.30, live on Sky Sports 1)
Argentina’s Juan Martin Hernandez is at fullback after a long spell out with a hamstring injury. Sebastien Chabal captains Racing Metro in the absence of Lionel Nallet as Pierre Berbizier makes 10 changes from the side that beat Clermont in the last round. This could be closer than many might expect.
SARACENS: C Wyles; N Cato, D Strettle, B Barritt, J Short; O Farrell, N de Kock; R Gill, S Brits, P Du Plessis; S Borthwick (capt), M Botha; J Burger, A Saull, E Joubert. Replacements: J George, D Carstens, C Nieto, G Kruis, K Brown, R Wigglesworth, N Mordt, L Baldwin.
RACING METRO 92: J Hernandez; S Bobo, H Chavancy, F Steyn, M Bergamasco; J Wisniewski, M Loree; A Lo Cicero, C Festuccia, J Orlandi; S Dellape, J Nailiko; J Leo’o, J Cronje, S Chabal (capt). Replacements: B Noirot, J Brugnaut, J Coetzee, K Ghezal, N Durand, D Scarbrough, R Vaquiin, B Le Roux.
Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)
Northampton Saints v Cardiff Blues
Franklin’s Gardens (5.45, live on Sky Sports 1)
The home side have only lost one league match this season and will fancy a bonus point victory against a worryingly inconsistent Blues side. Ireland’s James Downey is in the centre and Roger Wilson at number eight.
NORTHAMPTON SAINTS: B Foden; C Ashton, J Clarke, J Downey, P Diggin; S Myler, R Powell; S Tongauiha, D Hartley (capt), B Mujati, C Lawes, C Day, P Dowson, T Wood, R Wilson. Replacements: B Sharman, R Dreyer, T Mercey, M Sorenson, C Clark, L Dickson, S Geraghty, J Ansbro.
CARDIFF BLUES: C Czekaj, R Mustoe, C Laulala, T Shanklin, T James, D Parks, R Rees, G Jenkins, G Williams, F Filise, B Davies, P Tito (capt), M Molitika, M Williams, X Rush. Replacements: R Williams, S Hobbs, J Yapp, M Paterson, S Warburton, T Slater, C Sweeney, G Evans.
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
Castres Olympique v Edinburgh
Stade Pierre Antoine (5.45)
The French club are in excellent form in their championship and will fancy ensuring their opponents’ interest in this tournament is peripheral after this match. Kiwis Carl Hoeft and captain Chris Masoe provide plenty of beef up front, while Marc Andreu proves there is still room for the small, nippy player. Mike Blair misses out with an elbow injury but Simon Webster is back (on the bench) after a long term knee problem.
CASTRES OLYMPIQUE: R Teulet; V Inigo, R Cabannes, J Tatupu, M Andreu; C McIntyre, A Albouy; C Hoeft, B Kayser, L Ducalcon; S Murray, K Kulemin; S Malonga, C Masoe (capt), J Tekori. Replacements: M Bonello, M Coetzee, D Saayman, R Capo Ortega, I Diarra, T Sanchou, P Garcia, P Bernard.
EDINBURGH: C Paterson; J Thompson, B Cairns, J Houston, L Jones; D Blair, G Laidlaw; A Jacobsen, R Ford, G Cross; F McKenzie, S Turnbul; S Newlands, R Rennie, R Grant (capt). Replacements: A Kelly, K Traynor, D Young, E Lozada, C Hamilton, J King, A Grove, S Webster.
Referee: JP Doyle (England)
TOMORROW
Dragons v London Wasps
Cardiff City stadium (1.0).
Ashley Smith leads the home side in the absence of Tom Willis, while Danny Lydiate (thigh) and Luke Charteris are also absent. Wasps have made two changes to the side that beat Exeter last weekend, as Samoan prop Zak Taulafo and hooker Joe Ward return.
NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS: P Leach; A Hughes, T Riley, A Smith (capt), A Brew; J Tovey, W Evans; P Price, L Burns, N Hall; A Jones, R Sidoli; L Evans, G Thomas, T Faletau. Replacements: S Jones, H Gustafson, B Castle, S Morgan, H Ellis, J Leadbeater, W Harries, M Jones.
LONDON WASPS: M van Gisbergen; T Varndell, B Jacobs (capt), S Kefu, D Lemi; D Walder, J Simpson; Z Taulafo, J Ward, B Broster; S Shaw, J Cannon; J Worsley, S Betsen, A Powell. Replacements: T Lindsay, S Ruwers, B Baker, M Veale, D Ward-Smith, N Berry, S Jewell, R Haughton.
Referee: Peter Allan (Scotland)
London Irish v Toulon
Madejski Stadium (3.0)
Bob Casey is restored to the secondrow and Sailosi Tagicakibau starts his first game for the Exiles since October. Jonny Wilkinson has recovered from the flu but there is no place for Felipe Contepomi in the Toulon ranks because of the foreign player limitation law. London Irish must win this one.
LONDON IRISH: D Armitage; S Tagicakibau, E Seveali’i, S Mapusua, J Joseph; R Lamb, P Hodgson; C Dermody (capt), J Buckland, F Rautenbach; N Kennedy, B Casey; R Thorpe, S Armitage, C Hala’ufia. Replacements: B Blaney, A Corbisiero, P Ion, K Roche, G Stowers, T Ojo, D Bowden, D Allinson.
TOULON: B Lapeyre; P Sackey, G Messina, G Lovobalavu, R Wulf; J Wilkinson, P Mignoni; S Taumoepeau, S Bruno, C Hayman; D Schofield, K Chesney; O Missoup, J El Abd, J van Niekerk (capt). Replacements: M Ivaldi, B Basteres, M Merabet, C Loamanu, T Sourice, T May, L Magnaval, J Suta.
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
