Pool one This is heading for a winner-takes-all clash on Friday, when Northampton go to Munster in a repeat of the 2000 final, which the English team won 9-8. Munster should collect maximum points away to Treviso today, despite the Italian team’s improved form. The Irish province have Jean de Villiers back at centre and switch David Wallace to No 8 in the absence of the injured Denis Leamy. Northampton are taking no chances tomorrow against an understrength Perpignan team, who are out of the reckoning. Courtney Lawes starts in the back row, with Shane Geraghty at fly half and Chris Ashton on the right wing.
Pool two Biarritz are the only team in the Heineken Cup with four wins and should add another away to Gloucester today. Bryan Redpath, the Gloucester head coach, shuffles his out-of-sorts side. James Simpson-Daniel moves to the right wing, with Tim Molenaar at outside centre and Rory Lawson at scrum half. Alastair Dickinson and Dave Attwood bolster the scrum. Biarritz are missing Damien Traille, Fabien Barcella and Dimitri Yachvili, all injured.
Pool three What a pool this has become. Clermont Auvergne are at their considerable full strength for today’s visit of the Ospreys. James Hook and Shane Williams start on the bench for the Welsh region, who face a potentially titanic meeting with Leicester next Saturday, with the Guinness Premiership team expecting five points against Viadana today. Leicester hand Sam Vesty his first start of the season after a hamstring injury. Alesana Tuilagi is recalled to the wing and George Chuter, Tom Croft and Ben Woods come into the pack.
Pool four Stade Français are on course again to reach the last eight of a competition they have yet to win. They host Bath today, with the Premiership side playing for pride. The French club start with Ignacio Mieres, the Argentinian, at fly half, with Lionel Beauxis at full back, and a shock choice at scrum half in Hugo Southwell, the Scotland full back. Julien Dupuy is suspended and his three understudies injured or ineligible. Ulster moved level on points with Stade after beating Edinburgh 21-13 last night, but the Irish province have played a game more.
Pool five Toulouse and Sale Sharks make the running, the three-times European champions from France hosting Harlequins tomorrow and Cardiff Blues facing the Sharks today. Sale have found some form, with Charlie Hodgson pulling the strings at fly half. He is one of five international players in their back division. Since reaching the semi-finals last season, the Blues have underperformed. Casey Laulala partners Jamie Roberts in the centre at the expense of Tom Shanklin. Harlequins are out of it but put out their best team at Stade Ernest Wallon. Such is Toulouse’s strength, Fr?d?ric Michalak is only a replacement.
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Pool six This finale could not have been scripted better, with London Irish and Leinster, the champions, meeting at Twickenham next Saturday. Leinster are at home today to a Brive team who have barely troubled the scorers and for whom Riki Flutey is absent with an upset stomach. But Jamie Noon and Steve Thompson, also of England, play. Tomorrow the exiles will seek to avenge a surprise home defeat by the Scarlets in October. Toby Booth, the London Irish head coach, has four of his five England elite players on parade at Parc y Scarlets, among them Steffon and Delon Armitage. Stephen Jones is missing for the Welsh region, who cannot qualify.