Connacht will be eyeing a home win over Biarritz at the Sportsground on Friday that would move them above the French side in the Pool 3 table.
The Irish province are just a point off BO, who themselves are four points off current group leaders, in-form English side Harlequins.
Connacht have named Dan Parks at fly-half and Ireland lock Mike McCarthy in their starting team while wing Fetu'u Vainikolo is a threat out wide.
Meanwhile, Biarritz have named their strongest available side that includes French international nine Dimitri Yachvili while Imanol Harinordoquy continues his recovery from injury on the bench.
Mat Berquist is alongside Yachvili while Iain Balshaw, Taku Ngwenya, Charles Gimenez, Marcelo Bosch and Aled Brew also start.
The teams:
Connacht: 15 Robbie Henshaw, 14 Tiernan O'Halloran, 13 Danie Poolman, 12 Dave McSharry, 11 Fetu'u Vainikolo, 10 Dan Parks, 9 Kieran Marmion, 8 Eoin McKeon, 7 Willie Faloon, 6 Andrew Browne, 5 Mike McCarthy, 4 Mick Kearney, 3 Ronan Loughney, 2 Jason Harris Wright, 1 Brett Wilkinson.
Replacements: 16 Ethienne Reynecke, 17 Dennis Buckley, 18 JP Cooney, 19 Danny Qualter, 20 Johnny O'Connor, 21 Paul O'Donohoe, 22 Miah Nikora, 23 Matthew Jarvis.
Biarritz: 15 Iain Balshaw, 14 Taku Ngwenya, 13 Charles Gimenez, 12 Marcelo Bosch, 11 Aled Brew, 10 Mat Berquist, 9 Dimitri Yachvili, 8 Raphael Lakafia, 7 Benoit Guyot, 6 Wenceslas Lauret, 5 Thibault Dubarry, 4 Erik Lund, 3 Francisco Gomez Kodela, 2 Benoit August, 1 Fabien Barcella.
Replacements: 16 Jean-Philippe Genevois, 17 Thomas Synaeghel, 18 Lodewicus Blaauw, 19 Pelu Taele, 20 Imanol Harinordoquy, 21 Yann Lesgourgues, 22 Jean-Pascal Barraque, 23 Seremaļa Burotu.
Date: Friday, December 7
Kick-off: 20:00
Venue: The Sportsground
Referee: Greg Garner (England)
Assistant referees: Luke Pearce (England), Paul Burton (England)
Television match official: Trevor Fisher (England)
Timekeeper: Jude Quinn (Ireland)
Comments
carpelone says...
1 - 4
Posted 15:37 07th December 2012
olearyc5 says...
Looks a young Irish team. Quite tasty and exciting actually. They might just do something special. That backline looks so exciting.
Posted 12:43 07th December 2012
melkdave says...
I suspect alot of posters are writting Connacht off in this match.Myself im not ,as both Leinster and Quins have found out ,playing Connacht at home is no easy thing.If Biarritz arrive with any thoughts it will be easy ,they wil lose .So Connacht by 5 for me .I always have tme for Connacht they punch well above their wieght every game ,and are my favourite irish team by along way ..
Posted 14:51 06th December 2012