Heineken Cup round 4: Preview and Predictions

Pool 1
Edinburgh v Racing Metro
After over a year on the sidelines, Edinburgh welcome Ben Cairs back in their starting line-up for the reception of Racing Metro tomorrow.
The Scotland centres will be part of a reshuffled back line as Michael Bradley’s side is preparing to face Glasgow for the Scottish derby next week RaboDirectPro 12.
After three defeats in as many games, the Scots have no chances of making the quarter-finals.
Full-back Greig Tonks is the only reselected back from the team who lost against the French in Paris last week as Lee Jones and Dougie Fife come in for the injured Tom Brown and Tim Visser on the wings.
Piers Francis has been handed his first start at stand-off after a competent debut off the bench in Paris last weekend and will partner in-bound scrum-half Chris Leck.
The final change comes in the pack as Robert McAlpine replaces Sean Cox to join forces with his former Scotland age-grade colleague, Grant Gilchrist, in the second-row.
Meanwhile, Racing have opted to leave Argentina playmaker Juan Martin Hernandez on the bench for a game that, should they win, would see them move temporarily top of the Pool.
Olly Barkley remains at fly-half for the Paris side while Bernard Le Roux comes into the side at flank for absent No.8 Masi Matadigo.
Edinburgh: Tonks; Jones, Cairns, Atiga, Fife; Francis, Leck; Yapp, Ford, Cross; McAlpine, Gilchrist; McInally, Grant, Talei.
Replacements: Titterrell, Jacobsen, Nel, Parker, Basilaia, Rees, Hunter, Visser.
Racing Metro: Germain; Bobo, Bousses, Dumoulin, Imhoff; Barkley, Descons; Ben Arous, Szarzewski, Ducalcon; Ghezal, Van der Merwe; Batut, Le Roux, Cronje.
Replacements: Bianchin, Brugnaut, Orlandi, Nailiko, Belie, Hernandez, Estebanez, Galindo.
Prediction : This will be close but at some point they’re going to win a game in the Heineken Cup and I think it’ll be tonight. They played better last week and now back at home they’ve got to deliver.
Saracens v Munster
Owen Farrell moves from centre back to his favoured fly-half role for the Heineken Cup Pool rematch with Munster at Vicarage Road on Sunday.
With the teams level on points in the group, Joel Tomkins, David Strettle and George Kruis all come into the starting line-up from the side that lost at Munster last weekend.
These changes mean Charlie Hodgson, Chris Wyles and Ernst Joubert all move to the bench.
Andy Saull picked up a hamstring injury on Monday in the A-League semi-final so he is ruled out of the match day squad completely.
Adam Powell, Jackson Wray, Jacques Burger, Justin Melck, Alistair Hargreaves and Joe Maddock also miss out through injury.
Meanwhile, Munster make just one change for the return game with Casey Laulala coming into the side in place of the injured Keith Earls.
Earls is ruled out with a groin injury and so Laulala resumes the centre partnership he enjoyed with James Downey for the Racing Metro and Edinburgh games.
Other injury concerns Simon Zebo, BJ Botha and Dave O’Callaghan  all came through training on Friday and take their places in the starting line-up.
Saracens: Goode; Ashton, Tomkins, Barritt, Strettle; Farrell, Wigglesworth; Gill, Brits, Stevens; Borthwick (capt.), Botha; Kruis, Fraser, Brown.
Replacements: Smit, Vunipola, Du Plessis, Sheriff, Joubert, De Kock, Hodgson, Wyles.
Munster: Jones; Howlett (capt.), Laulala, Downey, Zebo; O’Gara, Murray; Kilcoyne, Sherry, Botha; Do. O’Callaghan, Ryan; Da. O’Callaghan, O’Mahony, Coughlan.
Replacements: Varley, Du Preez, Archer, Holland, Butler, Williams, Keatley, O’Dea.
Prediction: Saracens need to win to consolidate their place at the top of the pool but also be in control of the remaining two games. The last time Owen Farrell played No.10 he led England to one of its most famous victory and there’s no doubt the Sarries fan will expect the same on Sunday. It will be a huge battle up front and whoever kicks best between Farrell and O’Gara will give his team the best chance of winning. I’m going to tip Farrell and Saracens on this one.
Pool 2
Ospreys v Toulouse
Wales prop Adam Jones makes his return for the Ospreys after recovering from a knee injury he sustained in the second round against Leicester.
He comes back on the bench as Campbell Johnstone starts at tighthead again with Richard Hibbard and Ryan Bevington alongside him.
The rest of the team is unchanged from last week’s 30-14 defeat in the South of France but the Ospreys have to win this game if they don’t want to see their chances of qualification reduced to nothing.
Thierry Dusautoir makes is long awaited return from injury to lead Toulouse replacing Yannick Nyanga at openside flanker.
The France captain captain injured his knee against Treviso in the second round of the competition and missed out on France’s Autumn campaign as a result.
With Luke McAlister ruled out for a month, Jean-Marc Doussain fills in at fly-half alongside Luke Burgess. Maxime Médard starts at full-back, with Yoann Huget moving to the left wing.
19-year-old sensation Gael Fickou also starts, in place of the injured Florian Fritz, whilst in the pack Roman MIllo-Chluski and Vasil Kakovin are also selected at lock and loosehead.
Ospreys: Fussell; Ro. Jones, Bishop, Beck, Walker; Biggar, Fotuali’i (capt.); Bevington, Hibbard, Johnstone; Gough, King; Ry. Jones, Tipuric, Bearman.
Relacements: Baldwin, D. Jones, A. Jones, Peers, Stowers, Webb, Morgan, Isaacs.
Toulouse: Médard; Clerc, David, Fickou, Huget; Doussain, Burgess; Kakovin, Botha, Johnston; Maestri, Albacete; Bouilhou, Dusautoir (capt.), Picamoles.
Replacements: Poux, Montes, Millo-Chluski, Nyanga, Lamboley, Bézy, Jauzion, Tolofua.
Prediction: The Welsh have their backs against the wall here but Toulouse know they also have to win if they want to avoid a must-win trip to Welford Road on the last round. It’s easier to win at the Liberty Stadium rather than in the Midlands which is why they’ll be fully focused on getting the job done with their huge pack.
Treviso v Leicester
Anthony Allen returns to the Leicester Tigers line-up for the Heineken Cup match against Benetton Treviso in Italy tomorrow.
Tigers centre Allen missed the home win over Treviso in Round 3 after injury in the Aviva Premiership match against Bath a week earlier.
Niall Morris and Adam Thompstone return on the wings, while Dan Cole, Louis Deacon and Brett Deacon are recalled into the forward pack.
Logovi’i Mulipola is selected among the replacements on his return from injury.
Italian international Leonardo Ghiraldini will captain Treviso as Antonio Pavanello is out injured for the reception of Leicester.
Alberto di Bernardo will lead the attack from No.10 taking over from James Ambrosini.
Treviso: McLean; Nitoglia, Loamanu, Sgarbi, Iannone; Di Bernardo, Gori; Rizzo, Ghiraldini (capt.), Cittadini; Minto, Van Zyl; Zanni, Budd, Vosawai.
Replacements: Sbaraglini, Muccignat, Fernandez Rouyet, Bernabo, Derbyshire, Favaro, Semenzato, Burton.
Leicester: Tait; Morris, Tuilagi, Allen, Thompstone; Ford, B. Youngs; Ayerza, T. Youngs, Cole; L. Deacon (capt.), Parling; B. Deacon, Salvi, Waldrom.
Replacements: Chuter, Mulipola, Castrogiovanni, Kitchener, Crane, Harrison, Murphy, Bowden.
Prediction: Leicester have their fate in their hands. If they win all their remaining games, they’ll win the group but it’s going to be done the hard way with trips to Italy and Wales whilst hosting Toulouse on the last round. No point thinking about that now though. It’ll start with a win in Italy.
Pool 3
Biarritz v Connacht
Imanol Harinordoquy has been named in Biarritz starting line-up for the first time since his return fom injury as the trouble French giants prepare for the reception of Connacht.
Following their defeat last week in Galway, the Basques have nothing left to play for in the Heineken Cup but could boost their chances of a Amlin Cup quarter-final with a win.
President Serge Blanco sacked coaching duo Jack Isaac and Serge Milhas and manager and former France No.8 Laurent Rodriguez will be in charge of the team.
Iain Balshaw and Aled Brew start in the back three while Dimitri Yachvili will pull the strings from scrum-half again.
Meanwhile, Connacht have made one change to their starting line-up for their visit to Biarritz in a bid to keep in touch with group leaders Harlequins.
Flanker Johnny O’Connor replaces Willie Faloon, who has been ruled out with a fractured eye socket sustained during the 22-14 win over the French side at the Sportsground in Galway last Friday.
After being awarded a full contract with the Irish province, 19-year-old Robbie Henshaw, 19, starts at full-back.
Nathan White and George Naoupu return to take places among the replacements after they both missed last week’s clash through injury.
This season’s leading points scorer in the Dan Parksis two points short of reaching the half-century mark in the Heineken Cup for the fifth time in eight seasons.
Biarritz : Balshaw; Ngwenya, Barraque, Traille, Brew; Peyrelongue, Yachvili; Barcella, August, Gomez Kodela ; E. Lund, Taele; Lauret, Lakafia, Harinordoquy (capt.).
Replacements: Genevois, Blaauw, Synaeghel, Dubarry, M. Lund, Lesgourgues, Burotu, Bosch.
Connacht: Henshaw; O’Halloran, Poolman, McSharry, Vainikolo; Parks (capt.), Marmion; Wilkinson, Harris-Wright, Loughney; Kearney, McCarthy; Browne, O’Connor, McKeon.
Replacements: Reynecke, Buckley, White, Qualter, Naoupu, O’Donohoe, Nikora, Jarvis.
Prediction: To say I’m dissapointed is an understatement but it just proves you can’t just turn up and expect a win against Connacht. They got punished and are in real trouble. The Irish must fancy their chances to get a double against them. I’m still going to have faith and hope the shock of sacking the coaches will (finally) spur them on. 
Harlequins v Zebre
Harlequins have made five changes to the starting team which beat the Italian side 57-14 last week in Parma.
Ugo Monye’s return on the right wing is the only alteration to the backline replacing Tom Williams.
Among the forwards, Will Collier starts at tight-head replacing James Johnston, while Charlie Matthews starts in the second row in place of Olly Kohn.
Chris Robshaw returns to captain the side while Sam Twomey and Kyle Sinckler will look to make their first Heineken Cup appearances of the season if they come from the bench.
Australian back Daniel Halangahu starts at inside centre for Zebre alongside Samuele Pace in a new-look midfield and are preferred to Matteo Pratichetti and Gonzalo Garcia who both sit on the bench.
The only other back-line change sees Alberto Chillon start at scrum-half in place of Tito Tebaldi.
Up front, Filippo Ferrarini takes over from Mauro Bergamasco at openside with Mike Van Vuren coming in for Quintin Geldenhuys at lock.
Zebre boss, Christian Gajan, also names new front-row with Luca Redolfini, Davide Giazzon and Andrea de Marchi replacing David Ryan, Carlo Festuccia and Matias Aguero.
Harlequins: Mike Brown; Monye, Hopper, Casson, Smith; Evans, Care; Lambert, Gray, Collier; Matthews, Robson; Guest, Robshaw (capt.), Easter.
Replacements: Buchanan, Marfo, Sinckler, Twomey, Wallace, Dickson, Botica, Turner-Hall.
Zebre: Trevisan, Venditti, Pace, Halangahu, Sarto; Orquera, Chillon; De Marchi, Giazzon, Redolfini; Van Vuren, Sole; Cattina, Ferrarini, Van Schalkwyk.
Replacements: Manici, Fazzari, Perugini, Belardo, Cristiano, Martinelli, Pratichetti, Garcia.
Prediction: Quins know what they have to do and they tend to do what they need to do to get where they want to be. That’s the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup and a win will bring them one step closer to that goal. It should be an entertaining game to watch for the Quins’ fans but not so much for the Italians.
Pool 4
Castres v Glasgow
Thierry Lacrampe replaces last week’s point-scorer Rory Kockott as Castres welcome Glasgow to the Stade Pierre Antoine in round four.
Marcel Garvey continues on the wing in a changed up backline.
Up front, former Ulsterman Pedrie Wannenburg starts after coming off the bench last week and Samoan giant Joe Tekori starts at lock alongside Matthias Rolland.
Meanwhile, Glasgow Warriors hand former Crusader Sean Maitland the full-back shirt for their return trip to Castres as Gregor Townsend makes nine changes to the side that was defeated last week.
John Barclay captain’s the side and will start in the back-row alongside James Eddie at blind-side with Ryan Wilson at number eight.
Props Moray Low and Gordon Reid are alongside hooker Pat MacArthur making up the front row as Mike Cusack is unavailable with a shoulder injury.
Tom Ryder, who has just signed a new contract, will partner Tim Swinson in the second-row.
Sean Lamont making his 50^th appearance moves in from the wing to take the outside centre position with Peter Horne, impressive in the last two outings, retaining his spot at inside.
Ruaridh Jackson is recalled to fly-half with Niko Matawalu also earning the nod to start at scrum-half.
DTH van der Merwe, also making his 50th appearance in a Warriors shirt and Tommy Seymour, are on the wings.
Castres: Teulet; Bonnefond, Cabannes, Lamerat, Garvey; Tales, Lacrampe; Lazar, Bonello, Coetzee; Rolland, Tekori; Bornman, Caballero, Wannenburg.
Replacements: Mach, Wihongi, Taumoepeau, Samson, Diarra, Sanchou, Kirkpatrick, Dulin.
Glasgow: Maitland; Seymour, Lamont, Horne, Van der Merwe; Jackson, Matawalu; Reid, MacArthur, Low;, Ryder; Eddie, Barclay, Swinson.
Replacements: Hall, Grant, Hunter, Campbell, Harley, Kennedy, Morrison, McGuigan.
Prediction: The Stade Pierre Antoine is becoming a fortress even the likes of Clermont or Toulouse could take last season and it’s hard to see the Scots do it against a very physical pack. And even if Kockott is not around, Romain ‘Robocop’ Teulet is there to slot the goals for the French. Not pretty but very effective.
Ulster v Northampton
Ulster have made one enforced change to their starting line-up for the reception of Northampton at Ravenhill.
Nick Williams comes in at blindside flanker with Iain Henderson moving to the second row to replace injured skipper Johann Muller, who suffered a broken arm last week.
Chris Henry will captain the side in the absence of Muller as the Irish seek their 14^th win of the season in as many games and almost secure their place in the quarter-finals.
Jim Malinder has rung the changes for Saints and they’ll try to regain some pride after the thumping they received at home last week against the Irish.
Mike Haywood comes in at hooker following Dylan Hartley two-week ban with Paul Doran-Jones also starting in the front row replacing Brian Mujati.
Behind them, Callum Clarke moves up from blindside to lock in place of Courtney Lawes who is on the bench.
In the back row, Tom Wood and Phil Dowson come in either side of GJ van Velze at No.8.
There is a new half-back pairing with Lee Dickson and Stephen Myler getting the nod over Martin Roberts and Ryan Lamb.
In the only changes to the back line, Tom May will start at inside centre replacing Dom Waldouck.
Ulster: Payne; Bowe, Cave, Wallace, Trimble; Jackson, Pienaar; Court, Best, Afoa; Henderson, Tuohy; Williams, Henry (capt.), Wilson.
Replacements: Brady, Black, Lutton, McComb, Diack, P. Marshall, L. Marshall, Gilroy.
Northampton: Foden; K. Pisi, G.Pisi, May, Elliot; Myler, Dickson; Tonga’uhia, Haywood, Doran-Jones; Manoa, Clarke; Wood, Dowson (capt.), Van Velze.
Replacements: McMillan, Waller, Mujati, Sorenson, Lawes, Roberts, Lamb, Burell.
Prediction: One is trying to remain the only unbeaten team in Europe, the other is trying to avoid falling into a very negative spiral. Will Saints win at Ravenhill? I don’t think so. A losing bonus-point will be a very good result for them.
Pool 5
Exeter v Scarlets
Rob Baxter has again rotated his playing options as he makes a handful of changes to his starting XV for the reception of the Scarlets following their historic win last week in Llanelli.
Aly Muldowney, James Hanks and Dean Mumm are all coming into the pack at locks and blindside while backs Ian Whitten, Jack Nowell and Phil Dollman are also given the nod at centre, winger and full-back.
Meanwhile, the Scarlets see the return of George North who recovered from his hip unjury to start on the right wing.
As a result, Liam Williams switches from wing to full-back with Jonathan Davies captaining the side from outside centre.
In the pack, South African signing George Earle moves to the back row for the injured Aaron Shingler alongside Johnathan Edwards and Kieran Murphy who keep their starting places from last weekend.
Exeter: Dollman; Nowell, Naqelevuki, Whitten, Camacho; Steenson, Thomas; Sturgess, Alcott, Tui; Muldowney, Hanks; Mumm, Scaysbrook (capt.), Johnson.
Replacements: Clark, Moon, Rimmer, Welch, White, Barrett, Mieres, Arscott.
Scarlets: L. Williams; North, J. Davies (capt.), S. Williams, Maule; Thomas, A. Davies; Hopkins, Owens, Lee; Timani, Kelly; Earle, Edwards, Murphy.
Replacements: Rees, Jones, Manu, Synman, Vallejos, Knoyle, Newton, Phillips.
Prediction: Back at Sandy Parks with sky-high confidence, the Chiefs will be excited about securing back to back win in the Heineken Cup. If the Welsh can survive the first 20 minutes we might have a game but it’ll be tough as they have nothing to play for but pride in this group. It’ll be two for the Chiefs.
Leinster v Clermont
Heinke van der Merwe has recovered from injury and the Springbok prop is one of two changes to the front row alongside Ireland international hooker Richardt Strauss.
Shane Jennings, a second half replacement in Clermont last weekend, starts in the back-row alongside fellow Ireland internationals Sean O’Brien and number eight Jamie Heaslip.
Eoin Reddan partners Jonathan Sexton in the only change to the backline which started last weekend’s game, which means that Andrew Goodman will continue his midfield partnership with Gordon D’Arcy.
David Kearney has recovered from injury to take his place amongst a replacements bench which features several Ireland internationals.
Clermont are sweating the fitness of fly-half Brock James but thanks to their huge squad, he will be replaced by former French international David Skrela if he fails a late fitness test.
Up front, Raphael Chaume gets the nod at loose-head in front of France international Vincent Debaty who is on the bench.
Clermont are in control of the pool and don’t need to win that game but with the recent history between the team, they won’t let an opportunity to beat Leinster on their turf slip away.
Leinster : Madigan; McFadden, D’Arcy, Goodman, Nacewa; Sexton, Reddan; Van der Merwe, Strauss, Ross; Cullen (capt.), Browne; O’Brien, Jennings, Heaslip.
Replacements: Cronin, Healy, Bent, Toner, McLaughlin, Boss, Conway, Kearney.
Clermont: Byrne; Sivivatu, Rougerie, Fofana, Nalaga; James/Skrela, Parra; Chaume, Kayser, Zirakashvili ; Cudmore, Hines; Bonnaire, Bardy, Chouly.
Replacements: Paulo, Debaty, Kotze, Jacquet, Lapandry, Radosavljevic, Skrela/Stanley, King.
Prediction: Could we see the double Heineken Cup champions play in the Amlin Cup in April. There is a strong possibility but they must win this one to at least keep the pressure on Clermont and hope for a slip-up in picking up bonus-point in the last two rounds. It will be another classic between these two giants but Leinster might have the edge at home.
Pool 6
Montpellier v Cardiff Blues
Former Bath centre Matt Carraro makes his return for Montpellier as the French look to remain in the hunt for a qualification with the reception of Cardiff  tomorrow.
Carraro comes in at outside centre while Julien Tomas returns at scrum-half but Cardiff will be relieved to see man-moutain Mamuka Gorgodze out with an elbow injury.
He is replaces by Kelian Galletier at openside with captain Fulgence Ouedraogo sitting on the bench alongside former England centre Shontayne Hape.
Cardiff name Sam Warburton in the starting XV as the Wales captain starts at openside having overcome a chest infection so Josh Navidi moves across to blindside and Robin Copeland drops down to the bench.
A new-look front row sees Benoit Bourrust, Rhys Williams and Taufa’ao Filise all starting and Marc Breeze, Sam Hobbs and Scott Andrews are named as replacements.
Lloyd Williams is suspended for his tip-tackle last week so Lewis Jones starts at scrum-half in the only change to the backs.
The Blues are still without Leigh Halfpenny, Bradley Davies, Jamie Roberts, Andi Kyriacou, Michael Paterson, Chris Czekaj, Dan Fish and Tom James all out with injuries.
Montpellier: Bustos-Moyano; Nagusa, Carraro, Bosch, Audrin; Fernandez, Tomas; Watremez, Van Vuuren, Figallo; De Marco, Fakate; Bias, Galletier, Beattie.
Replacements: Ladhuie, Leleimalefaga, Fa’amausili, Privat, Ouedraogo, Escande, Hape, Thiery.
Cardiff Blues: Tovey; Cuthbert, Evans, Hewitt, Robinson; Patchell, Jones; Filise, R. Williams, Bourrust; Reed, Down; Navidi, Warburton, Pretorius.
Replacements: Breeze, Hobbs, Andrews, Cook, Copeland, Lewis, Davies, O. Williams.
Prediction: If Montpellier can carry their form, they will set themselves up for a qualification match against Toulon on the last round and there is no doubt Fabien Galthie is aware of it. They’re operating under the radar for now but could pull the biggest shock of the season. As for Sunday, they’ll get the win. 
Toulon v Sale
After their 17-6 victory at the Salford City Stadium last week Toulon have benched several of their top players for the revisit of Sale at the Stade Félix Mayol.
Stars names Jonny Wilkinson, Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, Carl Hayman and Mathieu Bastareaud all sit on the bench.
Frederic Michalak, Joe van Niekerk, Davit Kubriashvili and Maxime Mermoz have been handed starts in the respective players’ places while Nick Kennedy starts at lock and Gethin Jenkins is in the front row.
The only try scorer from last week’s game David Smith continues on the wing.
For the sharks, Danny Ciprinai will start a fly-half with Will Cliff his half-back partner behind the scrum.
Rob Miller appears on the left wing which moves Mark Cueto to outside centre.
In the pack, Aston Croall makes a rare start at hooker between Eifion Lewis-Roberts and Ross Harrison who are the props.
Scottish international Richie Gray is in the second row and Richie Vernon continues at No.8 meaning Andy Powell is once again named among the replacements.
Toulon: D. Armitage; Wulf, Mermoz, Giteau, Smith; Michalak, Tillous-Borde; Jenkins, Orioli, Kubriashvili; Botha, Kennedy; Gunther, S. Armitage, Van Niekerk.
Replacements: Bruno, Sheridan, Hayman, Suta, Bastareaud, Fernandez Lobbe, Wilkinson, Shaw.
Sale: Shepherd; Jennings, Cueto, Leota, Miller; Cipriani, Cliff; Harrison, Croall, Lewis-Roberts; Gray, McKenzie; Gaskell, Seymour, Vernon.
Replacements: Cruise, Cobilas, Buckley, Myall, Powell, Willis, Tuitupou, Amesbury.
Prediction: Another week another win for Toulon or, from a Sharks point of view, another week another loss. They played well last week and just need to keep going. It’s a long steep hill in front of them but they’ve started climbing it. Pushing Toulon to play to their full potential will be a small victory for Sale and that’s what they’ll be looking for but winning will a be a step too far.