Topsy Ojo will be looking to propel London Irish to victory over Dax this weekend © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

Matches: Bucuresti v Petrarca Padova | Bayonne 6 - 16 Saracens | Northampton Saints 66 - 3 Bristol Bears | Mont-de-Marsan 15 - 21 Arix Viadana | Rovigo 20 - 35 Connacht | Overmach Parma 14 - 20 Newcastle Falcons | Bourgoin-Jallieu 29 - 14 Worcester Warriors | Brive 84 - 6 Cetransa El Salvador | Dax 0 - 38 London Irish | Montpellier 14 - 10 Toulon

Teams: England | France | Ireland | Italy | Spain

The European Challenge Cup rolls back in to action this weekend, with several sides looking to nail down any advantage at the top of their Pools.

The English entrants have dominated this season's tournament thus far, with London Irish, Northampton, Worcester and Saracens leading their Pools going into the third round of games.

Pool One:

Premiership pace-setters London Irish travel to face Thomas Lievremont's Dax on Friday, looking to claim their third straight bonus-point win in the tournament. Dax are rooted to the foot of Pool One, without a win to their name, but former France international Lievremont is looking forward to facing the Exiles.

"We lost our first two tournament games and now we are going into the back-to back games against the team which I would say is definitely the strongest in the Pool, with the greatest chance of qualification," he said. "It means we are now playing for pride and we have no intention of letting these games go easily."

Exiles boss Toby Booth has named a strong side for the trip to the Stade Maurice Boyau, with England internationals Shane Geraghty and Paul Hodgson starting at half-back and the ever-impressive Samoan duo Seilala Mapusua and Sailosi Tagicakibau adding their flair to the back-line. Bob Casey skippers the side from the second-row.

Elsewhere in Pool One, Connacht travel to Rovigo with both sides currently standing on one win apiece. The Italian minnows will fancy their chances against Michael Bradley's Connacht side after their shock win over Dax in the previous round.

Bradley has been forced into changes due to injuries to Mel Deane and Colm Rigney, with Daniel Riordan replacing Deane at No 12 and Andrew Browne slotting to the pack in place of Rigney. Gavin Duffy captains the side, and switched to outside-centre after filling the full-back shirt against Ulster last weekend.

Pool Two:

In Pool Two the focus will be at Franklin's Gardens, where table-topping Northampton host Richard Hill's struggling Bristol in an all-English affair on Saturday. Northampton will be favourites, having recorded bonus point wins over Montpellier and Toulon thus far, although Bristol recorded a confidence-boosting win over Toulon last time-out.

Northampton boss Jim Mallinder is taking nothing for granted, "The Challenge Cup is a good opportunity for us to continue our development as a team," he said. "But anyone thinking that two more wins against Bristol are guaranteed should think again. They have been playing well over the past few weeks and will be difficult opponents for us."

The Saints have gone for the young Stephen Myler at fly-half, with Carlos Spencer restricted to a place on the bench, and he will partner Lee Dickson at half-back. Dylan Hartley and Euan Murray return from international duty with England and Scotland respectiveley to start up-front in a powerful Northampton pack.

Richard Hill has included veteran Irish centre Kevin Maggs alongside Luke Eves in the Bristol midfield, while Adrian Jarvis starts alongside Graeme Beveridge at half-back. Matt Salter will lend his graft to the blind-side flank alongside Redford Pennycook and James Phillips.

In the other game in Pool Two, Tana Umaga's Toulon side went down 14-10 to a Montpellier side whose qualification hopes are still alive.

Pool Three:

Mike Ruddock's Worcester side sit on top of Pool Three, and face a tricky away trip to second-place Bourgoin this weekend. The Warriors have recorded bonus-point wins over Padova and Bucuresti so far, and Ruddock has handed a start to young fly-half Joe Carlisle in Bourgoin. Loki Crichton moves to full-back alongside wingers Rico Gear and Miles Benjamin while open-side Pat Sanderson skippers the side.

"Joe has a huge amount of ability and his passing is as good as anything I have ever seen during my time in coaching," said Ruddock. "He has a good rugby brain on his shoulders and makes good decisions. Joe has the ability to have a very good all-round game.

"It is a great chance for him in a cauldron in Bourgoin with a passionate crowd behind the home side. This will be a good indicator to us as to whether Joe is going to take the next step on. It's time for him to push the guys above him and show us he can do it."

Should the Warriors slip up then the Pool will be wide open, with their opponents Bourgoin currently on five points and Padova on four, with an away trip to Bucuresti to come for the Italian side this weekend.

Pool Four:

Overmach Parma are the surprise package of this year's tournament so far, with wins over Brive and Cetransa El Salvador putting them top of Pool Four with nine points ahead of Saturday's visit of Newcastle Falcons. Steve Bates' Falcons will want to bounce back from a poor loss at Brive in the last round, but will find the going tough against a plucky Parma outfit.

"We have done our research on Parma, and we know they are no mugs," said Newcastle boss Bates. "We have seen them in action and we are fully aware that especially in Italy it will be a tough encounter.

"Their domestic record in Italy this season is right up there with the top sides, they have already accounted for Brive in Europe and we will be going over there with a string squad intent on getting the job done."

Bates is able to recall England centre Jamie Noon to his midfield alongside newly-recruited Kiwi Tane Tu'ipulotu. Parma include former Newport Gwent Dragons star Paul Emerick at inside-centre, and will be gunning for the Falcons on their home soil.

Brive host Spanish champions Cetransa El Salvador on Friday in the Pool's other game, with the French side currently level with Newcastle on five points and knowing that should they win and Padova lose, then it will become a three-way hunt for qualification. Brive have included Welsh international Alix Popham at No8, while Fijian flyer Norman Ligairi will be looking to rack up some points against the Spanish minnows.

Pool Five:

Saracens head into Saturday's clash with Bayonne at the top of Pool Five, with wins over Viadana and Mont-de-Marsan behind them. Sarries have registered new-recruit Wikus van Heerden for European action, and will be hoping for another muscular display from the former Springbok back-rower. Van Heerden is part of a strong Sarries line-up, linking up with Michale Owen and Andy Saull in the back-row while Neil De Kock and Glen Jackson marshal the side at half-back.

With both Mont-de-Marsan and Viadana currently sat on four points heading into their match on Saturday, Saracens will not want to hand the advantage back to their rivals in the Pool by slipping up in Bayonne.

European Challenge Cup 2008-09

(All kick-offs LOCAL times)

Round Three

Thursday December 4, 2008

Pool 2 Montpellier 14 Toulon 10 Rob Debney (E) France 4

Friday December 5, 2008

Pool 1 Dax v London Irish 19.00 Alan Falzone (It)

Pool 3 Bourgoin v Worcester Warriors 20.30 Colin Stanley (I)

Pool 4 Brive v Cetransa El Salvador 19.30 Claudio Passacantando (It)

Saturday December 6, 2008

Pool 1 Rugby Rovigo v Connacht Rugby 15.00 John Paul Doyle (E)

Pool 2 Northampton Saints v Bristol Rugby 15.00 Romain Poite (F)

Pool 4 Overmach Parma v Newcastle Falcons 14.30 Stefan Pomarede (F)

Pool 5 Bayonne v Saracens 20.45 Andrew McPherson (S) Eurosport France / Sky Sports

Pool 5 Mont de Marsan v Viadana 15.30 Gwyn Morris (W)

Sunday December 7, 2008

Pool 3 Bucuresti Oaks v Petrarca Rugby 16.30 Patrick Pechambert (F)