Preview - ECC Pool Three, round six

Gloucester to finish off qualification job

Gloucester are in arguably the best position of any of the 20 Cup sides. They have 24 out of a possible 25 points, and their 43 tries will prove valuable if they finish level on points with Newcastle Falcons (42 tries).

Gloucester play Bayonne at Kingsholm in the final round, knowing a win will ensure a valuable top-two ranking for the play-offs. The French club are also in a good position and their 20 points should be enough to qualify whatever happens in the last round.

GLOUCESTER v BAYONNE – Kingsholm
Saturday, January 21 – 14:00 GMT

Mike Tindall will return to club colours tomorrow in the European Challenge Cup – with a glowing endorsement of his qualities from his club coach Dean Ryan.

In a week when England’s head coach Andy Robinson named a 36-man training squad ahead of the opening Six Nations clash of the season against Wales, Tindall will be the focal of a Gloucester side aiming for the knockout stages of European competition.

They are already assured of a place in the quarter-finals but Ryan’s men are aiming for a home draw in the last eight with a conclusive win against visitors Bayonne

Ryan has made nine changes to the team that beat Bucuresti 27-13 last weekend and Tindall’s return to the centre alongside Anthony Allen is highly significant.

“Mike is a player with whom you know exactly what you will get in big games and he never fails to deliver it,” Ryan told the club website.

“Tins is a leading player for club and country, he knows his game inside out and I don’t think it’s fair to highlight any individual in a team who is trying to find its rhythm and style.

“He will play a significant role for us tomorrow and his experience will be crucial as the season progresses. It is great for us to have him around.

Allen is one of only two members of the backline to retain his place from last Saturday. Marcel Garvey is the other after James Simpson-Daniel was deemed unfit following a blow to the head against Saracens.

Olly Morgan returns at full-back, Mark Foster comes in for Rob Thirlby on the wing and Ludovic Mercier and Peter Richards form the regular half-back partnership.

Up front, there is an all-new front row. Patrice Collazo, Mefin Davies and Gary Powell all return, while Alex Brown partners Adam Eustace at lock.

Gloucester: 15 Olly Morgan, 14 Marcel Garvey, 13 Mike Tindall, 12 Anthony Allen, 11 Mark Foster, 10 Ludovic Mercier, 9 Peter Richards, 1 Patrice Collazo, 2 Mefin Davies, 3 Gary Powell, 4 Adam Eustace, 5 Alex Brown, 6 Peter Buxton (c), 7 Jake Boer, 8 Luke Narraway.
Replacements: 16 Rob Elloway, 17 Terry Sigley, 18 Jonathan Pendlebury, 19 Mark Cornwell, 20 Haydn Thomas, 21 Simon Amor, 22 Rob Thirlby.

Bayonne: 15 Clement Fromont, 14 Benjamin Lhande, 13 Richard Dourthe, 12 Sébastien Roque, 11 Benjamin Thierry, 10 Henri-pierre Vermis, 9 Matthieu Siro, 8 Yannick Lamour, 7 Philip Van Shalkwyk, 6 Louis Massabeau (c), 5 Mikaera Tewhata, 4 Steven Hall, 3 Jeremy Tomuli, 2 Grant Hill, 1 Eduard Coetzee.
Replacements: 16 Christophe Laurent, 17 Nicolas Etcheverry, 18 Aretz Iguiniz, 19 Cédric Bergez, 20 Phil Davies, 21 Vlastcheslav Gratchev, 22 Gregory Sudre,

Referee: George Clancy (Ireland)
Touch judges: Alan Rogan, Trevor Collins (both Ireland)
Match commissioner: Christopher Quinlan (England)

TOULON v BUCURESTI – Stade Mayol
Saturday, January 21 – 15:00 (14:00 GMT)

Toulon: 15 Patrice Teisseire, 14 Laurent Buchet, 13 Franck Comba, 12 Benjamin Servien, 11 Rachid Ourak, 10 Chris Rossouw, 9 Benoît Marfaing, 8 Julien Capdellayre, 7 Mohamed Dridi, 6 Eric Espagno, 5 Grégory Bernard, 4 Nicky Smit, 3 Medhi Merabet, 2 Sébastien Bisciglia, 1 Pieter Louw.
Replacements: 16 Phillip Fitzgerald, 17 Sylvain Martin, 18 Thomas Sourice, 19 Thomas Vervoort, 20. Bruno Lancelle, 21. Guillamme Liabeuf, 22 Marc Andreu.

Bucuresti: 15 Florin Vlaicu, 14 Catalin Nicolae, 13 Robert Dascalu, 12 Catalin Fercu, 11 Ioan Teodorescu, 10 Dan Dumbrava, 9 Alexandru Lupu, 8 Cosmin Ratiu, 7 Daniel Carpo, 6 Madalin Baralaulea, 5 Cristian Mocanu, 4 Florin Tatu, 3 Stere Sponte, 2 Marcel Mihalache (c), 1 Nicola Nere.
Replacements: 16 Radu Basalau, 17 Bogdan Zebega, 18 Mihai Lazar, 19 Stelian Burcea, 20 Onal Ageacai, 21 Minya Gal, 22 Iulian Andrei.

Referee: Stefano Mancini (Italy)
Touch judges: Paulo Ventura, Gianluca Bonacci (both Italy)
Match commissioner: Jean Combe (France)