RUGBY EUROPEAN CUP: The weekend's matches previewed

Pool One

Clermont Auvergne v Sale Sharks

Parc des Sports

Marcel Michelin (1.35)

There is no Matthew Tait or Andrew Sheridan for the Sale Sharks but both should be fit when Munster come calling to Manchester next week.

Rory Lamont starts at fullback, with Frenchman Lionel Faure lining out at loosehead. Clermont, even without their injured captain Aurelien Rougerie - he will be out for another month at least with a hernia - can boast a very powerful side with plenty of pace behind the scrum.

Sale started the season impressively but have lost their last two matches, a sequence that could be extended today.

Pool Four

Scarlets v Harlequins

Stradey Park (3.30)

Cork-born Ireland A international prop Mike Ross will start at tighthead for the visitors as they travel to Stradey Park for what is the penultimate match at the venue before the Scarlets move to their new home.

Simon Easterby leads Llanelli from blindside flanker in a match they simply must win.

It's going to be a difficult task as Harlequins, even without England wing Dave Strettle, can boast a side with power and pace.

Both sides have won three of five games in domestic leagues.

The Scarlets, though, should still manage to negotiate this hurdle and get their campaign off to a winning start.

Pool Five

Newport Gwent Dragons v Glasgow Warriors

Rodney Parade (2.30)

There was an expectation that the Dragons might struggle again in the Magners League this season but that hasn't been the case, on the evidence of their early matches.

Glasgow proved obdurate opponents at Thomond Park last weekend and but for profligate goal-kicking could have been closer to Munster at the finish.

This a is a tough game to call. If the Scottish side concentrate for 80 minutes then they could pilfer an away win.

Pool Six

Gloucester v Biarritz Olympique

Kingsholm (5.30)

The French side are a curious entity in European competition. They have been favoured by draw several times over the years but relentlessly underachieve.

They haven't started their domestic championship as well as they would like and their coaching team is under pressure already.

Include American flyer Takudzwa Ngwenya and former Sale Shark Magnus Lund as well as several French internationals. Gloucester are a tough prospect at Kingsholm and with new recruit Olly Barkley kicking the goals, they should have too much for the visitors.

Calvisano v Cardiff

Centro Sportivo

San Michele (1.35)

This one should really be about the margin of victory for the visitors. Cardiff have enjoyed an indifferent start to the season but will take confidence from a win over Sale in the EDF Cup last time out.

Calvisano have won two games this season in the Italian Super 10 Championship and lie in fourth place.

In the past they have managed one or two decent performances in European but this season there is nothing to suggest they can replicate that.

Sunday

Pool Two

London Wasps v Castres Olympique, Adams Park (3.30)

Eoin Reddan starts at scrumhalf, with fellow Ireland international Jeremy Staunton on the bench as Danny Cipriani is handed the number 10 jersey in a week when he came to blows on the training ground with fellow English international Josh Lewsey; the latter starts in the centre.

Former Ireland internationals and current Castres coaching axis Jeremy Davidson and Mark McCall have endured a tough start to the season domestically and it won't get any easier tomorrow.

Wasps' decision to put five forwards on the bench outlines their thoughts on how the game is likely to go. Home win.

Pool Three

Leicester Tigers v Ospreys Welford Road (1.0)

Arguably the game of the weekend as the Ospreys test their credentials in the backyard of one of the major European powers.

Leicester have struggled a little this season domestically, already beaten at home twice.

They include a couple of Irishmen in Geordan Murphy at fullback and Johne Murphy on the wing.

The absence of Sonny Parker through injury and a club suspension imposed on Gavin Henson sees Ireland international Tommy Bowe demonstrating his versatility by again playing in the centre.

Pool Five

Toulouse v Bath

Stade Ernest Wallon (3.30)

Another potentially cracking opening weekend tussle.

Bath have been going well in the English Premiership and will relish a crack at a Toulouse side that are second in the French championship.

Jean-Baptiste Elissalde is injured so Byron Kelleher and David Skrela form the halfback partnership.

It's an impressive Toulouse line-up, a fact endorsed by Yannick Nyanga's place on the bench.

If Bath play without inhibition this could be a really entertaining, fluent contest.

Toulouse to win.