Heineken cup: weekend previews

Compiled by JOHN O'SULLIVAN

POOL ONE

Castres Olympique v Scarlets

Stade Pierre Antoine (6.0, Irish time)

The Scarlets’ hopes of progressing to the Amlin Cup knock-out stage depend on Munster beating Northampton but also managing a victory of their own here. The French club haves picked a strong team and are unlikely to accommodate their visitors.

CASTRES OLYMPIQUE: R Teulet; R Martial, P Bonnefond, P Garcia, M Andreu; S Bai, R Kockott; S Taumoepeau, M Bonello, K Wihongi; S Murray, R Capo Ortega; J Bornman, S Malonga, C Masoe (capt). Replacements: B Mach, Y Forestier, M Coetzee, M Rolland, Y Caballero, T Lacrampe, P Bernard, M Evans.

SCARLETS: R Priestland; G North, S Williams, J Davies, L Williams; S Jones (capt), R Williams; P John, K Owens, P Edwards; L Reed, D Day; A Shingler, J Edwards, M Gilbert. Replacements: E Phillips, I Thomas, R Jones, S Timani, R Pugh, G Davies, G Maule, V Iongi.

Referee: JP Doyle (England).

POOL TWO

Cardiff Blues v Racing Metro 92

Cardiff City Stadium (Sun, 3.0, Sky Sp’s)

The Blues have the superior head-to -head record so to top the pool need to match Edinburgh’s result. Jamie Roberts (knee) is once again an absentee. Racing have selected a strong side, minus Juan Martin Hernandez, but are unlikely to prevent a home victory.

CARDIFF BLUES: L Halfpenny; A Cuthbert, C Laulala, G Evans, C Czekaj; D Parks, L Williams; G Jenkins, T Thomas, S Andrews; B Davies, P Tito (capt); M Paterson, S Warburton, X Rush. Replacements: R Tyrrell, J Yapp, S Hobbs, M Molitika, J Navidi, R Rees, C Sweeney, T James.

RACING METRO 92: J Matavesi; H Chavancy, F Steyn, F Estebanez, S Bobo; J Wisniewski, S Descons; M Tuugahala, B Noirot, B Sa; K Ghezal, F van der Merwe; J Leo’o, A Batut, S Chabal. Replacements: G Arganese, E Ben Arous, J Orlandi, J Nailiko, M Loree, J Imhoff, R Vaquiin, J Cronje.

Referee: Andrew Small (England).

Edinburgh v London Irish

Murrayfield (Sun, 3.0)

The Scottish side want a bonus-point victory both to try and eclipse Cardiff and also guarantee a place in the quarters either as pool winners or runners-up. Bob Casey starts his first match for Irish. Edinburgh to win but possibly without the bonus point.

EDINBURGH: C Paterson; L Jones, N De Luca, M Scott, T Visser; G Laidlaw (capt), M Blair; A Jacobsen, R Ford, G Cross; G Gilchrist, S Cox; D Denton, R Grant, N Talei. Replacements: A Walker, K Traynor, J Gilding, E Lozada, S McInally, P Godman, J Houston, T Brown.

LONDON IRISH: D Armitage; T Ojo, J Spratt, S Hape, A Thompstone; A Jarvis, P Hodgson; A Corbisiero, J Buckland, L Halavatau; J Sandford, B Casey (capt); M Garvey, D Sisi, A Gray. Replacements: B Blaney, M Lahiff, F Rautenbach, N Kennedy, B Evans, J Joseph, S Shingler, R Samson.

Referee: Peter Fitzgibbon (Ireland).

POOL THREE

Bath v Glasgow Warriors

Recreation Ground (1.30)

There is a mathematical chance that Glasgow could still make the Amlin play-offs with a bonus-point victory. They might manage a win but it won’t be enough to see them progress. Ireland’s Ryan Caldwell is looking to build on last week’s two-try input.

BATH: J Cuthbert; M Carraro, O Barkley, M Banahan, T Biggs; S Donald, C Cook; C Beech, P Dixon, D Wilson; D Attwood, R Caldwell; A Beattie (capt), G Mercer, B Skirving. Replacements: L Mears, D Flatman, A Perenise, F Louw, S Taylor, M Claassens, T Heathcote, S Vesty.

GLASGOW WARRIORS: R Lamont; T Seymour, S Hogg, G Morrison, C Shaw; D Weir, C Cusiter; J Welsh, P MacArthur, E Kalman; R Gray, A Kellock (capt), R Harley, C Fusaro, J Barclay. Replacements: D Hall, G Reid, R Grant, T Ryder, H Pyrgos, R Wilson, P Murchie, S Wight.

Referee: Christophe Berdos (France)

POOL FOUR

Leicester Tigers v Aironi

Welford Road (3.40)

There is likely to be a backlash to the humiliation the Tigers experienced in Belfast and for the second week in succession the Italian club could spend a lot of time behind their own posts. Geordan Murphy and Jeremy Staunton start.

LEICESTER TIGERS: G Murphy (capt); H Agulla, B Twelvetrees, A Allen, A Tuilagi; J Staunton, M Young; M Ayerza, G Chuter, M Castrogiovanni; E Slater, G Skivington, T Croft, B Woods, T Waldrom. Replacements: J Stevens, B Stankovich, D Cole, K Kitchener, S Mafi, S Harrison, G Ford, S Hamilton.

AIRONI: A Benettin; G Toniolatti , R Quartaroli, G Pizarro, G Venditti; N Olivier, T Tebaldi; A de Marchi, R Santamaria, F Staibano, Q Geldenhuys, M Bortolami (capt), M Bergamasco, S Favaro, J Sole. Replacements: T DApice , S Perugini, L Romano, C del Fava, F Ferrarini, G Bronzini, G Pavan, M Pratichetti.

Referee: Jerome Garces (France)

POOL FIVE

Benetton Treviso v Saracens

Stadio Comunale (Sun, 1.0, Sky Sports)

The Italians are a tough team to beat at home but Saracens’ need is greater, requiring a point to make the quarter-finals. The English club should manage a victory. Former Munster and Ireland scrumhalf Peter Stringer is handed a rare start.

BENETTON TREVISO: L Nitoglia; T Iannone, T Benvenuti, A Sgarbi, B Williams; K Burton, T Botes; M Rizzo, L Ghiraldini, L Cittadini; A Pavanello (capt), C van Zyl; B Vermaak , A Zanni, R Barbieri. Replacements: E Ceccato, M Muccignat, A Allori, V Bernabo, G Padrò, M Filippucci, F Semenzato, A Di Bernardo.

SARACENS: A Goode; D Strettle, O Farrell, B Barritt, J Short; C Hodgson, P Stringer; M Stevens, J Smit, C Nieto; S Borthwick (capt), M Botha; K Brown, A Saull, J Wray. Replacements: J George, R Gill, P du Plessis, H Smith, J Melck, B Spencer, C Wyles, D Taylor.

Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland).

Biarritz Olympique v Ospreys

Parc des Sports Agulera (Sun, 1.0)

The winners of this match will secure a place in the quarter-finals of the Amlin Cup. Imanol Harinordoquy returns to captain the side following injury. Tommy Bowe is on the wing for the visitors but might not be able to prevent a home win.

BIARRITZ OLYMPIQUE: I Balshaw; T Ngwenya, C Gimenez, D Traille, B Baby; J Peyrelongue, D Yachvili; F Barcella, A Heguy, S Marconnet; J Thion, M Carizza; W Lauret, B Guyot, I Harinordoquy (capt). Replacements: R Terrain, E Guinazu, F Gomez Kodela, P Taele, F Faure, M Bosch, I Bolakoro, D Haylett-Petty.

OSPREYS: B Davies; T Bowe, A Bishop, A Beck, E Walker; D Biggar, R Webb; P James, H Bennett, A Jones; I Gough, I Evans; T Smith, J Tipuric (capt), J Thomas. Replacements: R Hibbard, R Bevington, A Jarvis, R Jones, J Bearman, K Fotualii, M Morgan, S Williams.

Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)