Amlin Challenge Cup round 2: preview and predictions

Dragons v Bayonne
Tonderai Chavhanga returns for the Dragons as they face Bayonne following their defeat at Wasps last week.
The former Springbok returns on the wing after a knee operation for his first appearance of the season while Tom Prydie moves to full-back.
Andy Tuilagi and Jonathan Evans return at centre and scrum-half with Owen Evans making his first start after coming from the bench last week.
Bayonne thumped Mogliano 71-7 last week and the clash will see Wales star Mike Phillips come back to Wales after coming back in the squad from suspension last week.
Dragons: Prydie; Harries, Hughes, Tuilagi, Chavhanga; Robling, J. Evans; O. Evans, Stev. Jones, Buck; Nimmo, Sidoli; Brown, L. Evans, Faletau.
Replacements: Parry, Williams, Way, A. Jones, Groves, Davies, Stef. Jones, Leach.
Bayonne: Spedding; Gerber, Lacroix, Lovobalavu, O’Connor; Boyet, Phillips; Iguiniz, Roumieu, Tialata; Boutaty, Chisholm; Marmouyet, Haare, Puricelli.
Replacements: Da Ros, Lafond, Manukula, Linde, Garcia, Baget, Ugalde, Heymans
Prediction : Last week’s result will mean nothing if Bayonne can’t back it up against a dirct contender for qualification. The Dragons hold a proud record at Rodney Parade and another big name is about to bite the dust.
Worcester v Rovigo
England prop Matt Mullan will make his 100th appearance for the Warriors if he comes from the bench tomorrow as they host Italian minnows Rovigo at Sixways.
Following last weekend’s record 85-5 win over Gernika, Worcester have made eight changes to the starting line-up with Errie Claassens making his first start of the season at full- back and Fiji international Ravai Fatiaki named alongside Jon Clarke at centre.
Freshly named in the Samoa‘s squad for the autumn internationals earlier this week, wing David Lemi is recalled while Jonny Arr will start at scrum-half.
Ther are also four changes in the pack with Ed Shervington is handed a first start of the season at hooker.
Dean Schofield will captain the side from lock while Sam Betty and fit-again Semisi Taulava are in the back row.
Worcester: Claassens; Short, Clarke, Fatiaki, Lemi; Carlisle, Arr; Jones, Shervington, Currie; Schofield (capt.), Gillies; Betty, Kvesic, Taulava.
Replacements: Lutui, Mullan, Andress, Percival, Cowan, Hodgson, Goode, Matavesi.
Rovigo: Basson ; Lubian, Pedrazzi, Lenarduzzi, Bacchetti ; Wilson, Calabrese; Lombardi, Gatto, Ceglie ; Tumiati, Montauriol ; Persico, Jones, Ferro.
Replacements: Anouer, Gaeta, Quaglio, Pierini, Zorzi, Duca, Menon, Maran.
Prediction : The Warriors good momentum will not stop tomorrow and they’ll return to Premiership duties on the back of two massive wins.
Mogliano v Wasps
On the back of victory over the Dragons last week Wasps ring the changes for the trip to Italy for their second round game with Mogliano.
Elliot Daly, Andrea Masi come into the centre positions and Christian Wade on to the wing. Charlie Davies makes his first start this season at scrum-half.
Tom Palmer and James Cannon form the second row behind Tim Payne and Thomas Rhys Thomas who move into the front three.
James Haskell starts at blindside while Ashley Johnson moves to No.8.
Mogliano: Candiago; Onori, Ceccato, Cerioni, Galon; Padovani, Lucchese; Ceccato, Gianesini, Allori; Maso, Pavanello; Candiago, Swanepoel, Gilbert.
Replacements: Repetto, Meggetto, Naka, Corbanese, Giabardo, Guarducci, Benvenuti, Gazzola.
Wasps: Southwell (capt.); Wallace, Daly, Masi, Wade; Robinson, Davies; Payne, Rhys-Thomas, Staibano; Palmer, Cannon; Haskell, Poff, Johnson.
Replacements: Lindsay, Swainston, Taulafo, Launchbury, Sa. Jones, Holmes, St. Jones, Thomas.
Prediction: This will be a training session with opposition for an over-strong Wasps side. The strength in the back-row and pace out wide will leave the number of missed tackles competing with number of tries scored!
Cavalieri Prato v London Welsh
London Welsh were taught some severe lessons by Stade Francais last week on their European debut and have made 12 changes to their side.
Gavin Henson is given a rest so Gordon Ross, Joe Ajuwa, Seb Jewell and Simon Whatling come into the backs as Ryan Davis shifts to full-back from centre.
Second row Martin Purdy starts for the first time this season with Greg Bateman, Tom Bristow and Dan George making up the front row.
Michael Hills, Alfie To’oala and Ed Williamson form a new back row.
Cavalieri Prato: Berryman, Tempestini, Vezzosi/Ngawini, Majstorovic, McCann, Sepe, Della Rossa, Patelli, Pelizzari, Petillo, Saccardo, Bernini, Cavalieri, Roan, Giovanchelli, Borsi.
Replacements: Cannone, Balboni, Boscolo, Ruffolo, Frati, Vezzosi/Ragusi, Tempestini, Garfagnoli
London Welsh: Davis; Ajuwa, Jewell, Whatling, Smith; Ross, Runciman; Bristow, George, Bateman; Kulemin, Purdy; Williamson, Hills, To’oala.
Replacements: Briggs, Moss, Ion, Brown, Denbee, Keyte, Davies, Scott.
Prediction: London Welsh have rung the changes but are sure to bounce back this week firing a backlash at the Italian minnows. Although away from home it hard to see any other outcome than five points for Welsh.
London Irish v Mont de Marsan
A second bonus point win for Irish against Mont de Marsan would see them climb back above Gloucester in pool 1 after the Cherry and Whites victory on Thursday night.
The Exiles recall club captain Declan Danaher to their starting side for this second round encounter at the Madejski Stadium.
Steve Shingler and Ofisa Treviranus drop to the bench giving England Under-20 international Anthony Watson a chance at full-back.
London Irish: Watson; Ojo, Joseph, Armitage, Tagicakibau; Humphreys, O’Leary; Lahiff, Paice, Aulika; Evans, Garvey; Danaher (capt.), Gibson; Hala’ufia.
Replacements: Lawson, Yanuyanutawa, Halavatau, Low, Treviranus, Gaston, Shingler, Moates.
Mont de Marsan: Claverie; Beaulavon, Durquet, Baegert, Ryder; Duvallet, Pic; Fiorini, Bordes, Giudicelli; De Chaves, Lewaravu; Brethous, Farre, Lescure.
Replacements: Paquet, Phelipponneau, Dos Santos, Liebenberg, Magnaval, Ricaud, Dubié, Correia.
Prediction: Despite the resistance Mont de Marsan showed against Gloucester, it is impossible to see them repeating this away from home in far better rugby conditions. The pace of the Exiles backs will race them to another huge bonus point win.
Agen v Bath
Springbok Francois Louw will captain Bath as the West Country side travel to Agen tonight.
The flanker, who was on the bench last week in Romania but didn’t come on, has not played for the club since the opening game of the season following his call-up to play for the Springboks in the Rugby Championship.
Also in the pack, lock Dominic Day replaces the injured Will Spencer while Paul James, Lee Mears and David Wilson will form a whole new front row.
In the back, World Cup winner Stephen Donald returns at fly-half alongside Michael Claassens.
Nick Abendanon, Dan Hipkiss and Kyle Eastmond also comeback in the starting XV at full-back, outside centre and wing.
Agen: Bataille; Tagotago, Petre, Lamoulie, Agulla; Lagarde, Bales; Schwalger, Telefoni, Afatia; Bastien, Lagrange; Erbani, Julien, Fonua.
Replacements: Janaudy, Cabarry, Moretto, Demotte, Fono, Dupuy, Roux, Edmond-Samuel.
Bath: Abendanon; Eastmond, Hipkiss, Williams, Biggs; Donald, Claassens; James, Mears, Wilson; Day, Attwood; Louw (capt.), Skuse, Skirving.
Replacements: Tanner, Catt, Perenise, Mercer, Ovens, McMillan, Vesty, Woodburn.
Prediction: Well Bath I’m not impressed! Amlin Cup’s away trips mean young team not Springboks, England internationals and World Cup winner. This should have been a good opportunity for my home town to beat a famous English side but as it is it won’t happen. A good win ahead.
Gloucester v Bordeaux-Begles
All Black Jimmy Cowan will make his first start for Gloucester as the Cherry and White aim to carry on their six-game unbeaten run before the Premiership resumes.
Director of Rugby Nigel Davies has rung the changes with only seven of those who started last Thursday’s win over Mont de Marsan retaining their places in the starting line-up.
After two replacement appearances, Cowan will partner the returning Billy Twelvetrees in the half backs while flyer James Simpson-Daniel makes his return on the left wing.
Up front, Dan Murphy gets the nod at loosehead and there are returns for Huia Edmonds, Akapusi Qera, Ben Morgan and Jim Hamilton, who resumes the captaincy.
Meanwhile, Bordeaux-Begles will be without Fijian international Sisa Koyamaibole after the flanker was banned to 12 weeks for biting London Irish captain Declan Danaher last week.
However, they hope the return of Argentinean international Nicolas Sanchez at fly-half will give a better direction to their game than last week.
Gloucester: Thomas; Sharples, Tindall, Molenaar, Simpson-Daniel; Twelvetrees, Cowan; Murphy, Edmonds, Knight; James, Hamilton (capt.); Kalamafoni, Qera, Morgan.
Replacements: Britton, Wood, Harden, Savage, Cox, Robson, Taylor, Cook.
Bordeaux-Begles: Domvo; Vasuinubu, Brousse, Denetre, Brana; Sanchez, Seron; Labbe, Rofes, Boutemane; Navickas, Tisseau; Gibouin, Kitshoff, Larrieu.
Replacements: Fort, DelBoulbes, Poirot, Chauveau, Le Bourhis, Favaro, Lopez, Chalmers.
Prediction: French team are an enigma away but Bordeaux’s focus is on the Top14 plus Gloucester have brought back the big guns up front. No signs of a defeat for the Cherry and White but five points on the table.