Preview - ECC Pool One, round five

Kick-off times are local

The top two teams meet in what could be a decisive clash.

NORTHAMPTON v BRISTOL
Saturday January 14, Franklin's Gardens, 15:00

The sparks could fly when the Saints and Bristol meet in a clash of the top two teams.

Northampton Saints international wing Ben Cohen has returned to the starting line-up for Saturday’s crucial European Challenge Cup game against Bristol.

It will be the second time in 13 days that Saints have faced the West Country outfit, who are currently in seventh place in the Guinness Premiership. Both teams will be playing for the top spot in pool one to guarantee a home draw in the quarter-finals of this competition.

Cohen will start the game in the No 11 shirt after he successfully came through last Saturday’s game without any further damage caused to his fractured right cheekbone. Cohen wore a small protective mask over the fracture site along with a scrum-cap at Sixways last week. The England wing suffered the injury against Narbonne last month.

Luke Myring also returns to the starting line-up after starting two matches at fly-half in the place of injured Carlos Spencer. However, this week, it will be his first home start and he will start the game at inside centre where injuries have put David Quinlan (hamstring) and Seamus Mallon (knee) out of action. Neither Andy Vilk nor Robbie Kydd is registered for this stage of the European Challenge Cup.

The only other change to the starting XV is the swap of Ben Lewitt from openside flanker to blindside, with Sam Harding coming in to wear the No 7 shirt. Last week’s No 6 Paul Tupai is also not registered to play in the European Challenge Cup where squad numbers are limited to 36 players.

Meanwhile, After a series of gruelling league matches, Bristol Rugby Head Coach Richard Hill makes full use of his squad and rings the changes for Saturday’s European Challenge Cup tie at Northampton. Bristolian Craig Short will skipper the side.

It’s still a team that boasts plenty of first team experience and each and every player will giving it their all on Saturday.

Vaughan Going returns at fullback, Lee Robinson retains his place on the right wing and there is a welcome return for last season’s record try scorer, Sean Marsden, on the left wing.

Mark Denney and Manu Contepomi form a new centre partnership whilst Tommy Hayes and Jake Rauluni get the nod at half back.

Mark Irish, Saul Nelson and Wayne Thompson form a front row with plenty of potential. Argentinian international Mariano Sambucetti is partnered by Ollie Hodge in the second row.

Richard Martin-Redman and Craig Short are back from injury and take up the blindside and openside berths and Geraint Lewis is back at number eight.

Bristol opt for five forwards on the bench. The props are Alex Clarke and Martin Rospide. Neil Clark is the replacement hooker and Gareth Llewellyn and Joe El Abd provide second row and back row cover respectively.

Northampton Saints: 15 Bruce Reihana, 14 Sean Lamont, 13 Jon Clarke, 12 Luke Myring, 11 Ben Cohen, 10 Carlos Spencer, 9 Mark Robinson, 8 Daniel Browne, 7 Sam Harding, 6 Ben Lewitt, 5 Matt Lord, 4 Damien Browne, 3 Chris Budgen, 2 Steve Thompson (captain), 1 Tom Smith
Replacements: 16 Dylan Hartley, 17 Brett Sturgess, 18 David Gerard, 19 Darren Fox, 20 Mark Soden, 21 Johnny Howard, 22 John Rudd

Bristol: 15 Vaughan Going, 14 Lee Robinson, 13 Mark Denney, 12 Manu Contepomi, 11 Sean Marsden, 10 Tommy Hayes, 9 Jake Rauluni, 8 Geraint Lewis, 7 Craig Short (captaint), 6 Richard Martin-Redman,  5 Ollie Hodge, 4 Mariano Sambucetti, 3 Wayne Thompson, 2 Saul Nelson,1 Mark Irish
Replacements: 16 Alex Clarke, 17 Martin Rospide, 18 Neil Clark, 19 Gareth Llewellyn, 20 Joe El Abd, 21 David Lemi, 22 Danny Gray

Referee: Eric Darrière (France)
Match commissioner: Robert Horner (England)

NARBONNE v VIADANA
Saturday January 14, Parc des Sports de L'Amitié, 18:30

Narbonne make only one change to the backs from the tea that lost to Stade Français in the Top 14 last weekend for the visit of Viadana.

Jean-Philippe Viard returns from injury into the centres, replacing South African Tinus van Rensburg.

In the back row, Christian Labit and Dwayne Haare are rested with Bertrand Bedes and Lei Tomiki taking their places, and there are also starts for lock Manuel Sierra, hooker Thibault Algret and Congolese prop Bonzolé Mololo.

Viadana have Italian international centre Andrea Masi back for the trip, as well as former Mpumalanga Pumas fly-half Jacques Schutte. New Zealander Josh Sole is back at number eight as well, in a stronger-looking Viadana side than the one which travelled to Bristol.

Narbonne: 15 Nicolas Nadau, 14 Frédéric Lartigue, 13 Jean-Phillipe Viard, 12 Lionel Mazars, 11 Pierre Negre-Gauthier, 10 Cédric Rosalen, 9 Laurent Balue, 8 Bertrand Bedes, 7 Jean-Marie Bisaro (captain), 6 Lei Tomiki,  5 Marco Bortolami, 4 Manuel Sierra, 3 Franck Tournaire, 2 Thibaut Algret, 1 Bonzolé Mololo
Replacements: 16 Fabien Rofes, 17 Jason Hooper, 18 Renaud Palomera, 19 Dwayne Haare, 20 Grégory Mahé, 21 Christopher Ruiz, 22 Cédric Desbrosse

Viadana: 15 Adrian Durston, 14 Sami Pace, 13 Andrea Masi, 12 Claudio Spadaro, 11 Roberto Pedrazzi, 10 Jaques Schutte, 9 Pietro Travagli, 8 Josh Sole, 7 Daniel Stead, 6 Mattia Filippini, 5 Mario Vella, 4 Filimoheala Fotofili, 3 Gnazi Rouyet, 2 Ben Daly, 1 Matias Aguero
Replacements: 16 Genno Gennari, 17 Mario Savi, 18 Gigio Ferraro, 19 Cristian Bezzi, 20 Dimitri Tonni, 21 Andrea Accorsi, 22 Matteo Mazzantini

Referee: Iain Heard (Scotland)
Touch judges: Bruce Devlin, Jim Oswald (both Scotland)
Match commissioner: Claude Guet (France)