John Brain makes nine changes to his Worcester Warriors side for the tough ERC Challenge Cup trip to Albi, on Saturday.
The Sixways director of rugby juggles his squad with the aim of keeping players fit and match-ready ahead of next week’s vital Guinness Premiership clash with London Irish, and continuing the momentum of his team’s three-match winning run in the hostile atmosphere of the Stadium Municipal d’Albi (6.30pm).
Of the team that started last Saturday’s shut-out victory against the French Top 14 newcomers at Sixways, only Miguel Avramovic, Shane Drahm, Kai Horstmann, Tom Harding, Tim Collier and Will Bowley start in France, while the replacements bench undergoes a wholesale change.
Brain’s selection means the captain’s armband returns to Pat Sanderson for the first time in eight matches after international duty, with prop Tony Windo starting his first full game of the season.
Will Bowley moves from blindside to the second row in place of Craig Gillies, who is unwell.
There’s also a return for Uche Oduoza on the left wing, while Marcel Garvey will be on the right after a club season disrupted by injury, form and England 7s call-ups.
“They both have an opportunity,” Brain says. “But, if Albi play the way they normally do, they won’t see a lot of the ball.”
He’s expecting Albi’s pride to be dented by last week’s 29-0 defeat that put Warriors just two points behind Pool 5 leaders Clermont-Auvergne.
“At home, I’m sure it will be a totally different attitude and a different game from their point of view. If we go on to the field feeling that we can play Barbarian rugby, we’ll have a problem.”
His view is endorsed by Thomas Lombard.
“They don’t play a lot of rugby in the backs, but put a lot of pressure in the scrum and defend like dogs,” the French centre says. “If we’re not prepared to be very focussed on the basics, it will be a problem for us.”
Team: 01 Tony Windo; 02 Aleki Lutui; 03 Tevita Taumoepeau; 04 Will Bowley; 05 Tim Collier; 06 Pat Sanderson (c); 07 Tom Harding; 08 Kai Horstmann; 09 Ryan Powell; 10 Shane Drahm; 11 Uche Oduoza; 12 Thomas Lombard; 13 Miguel Avramovic; 14 Marcel Garvey; 15 Lee Best
Replacements: 16 Ben Gotting; 17 Chris Horsman; 18 Drew Hickey; 19 Phil Murphy; 20 Nick Runciman; 21 James Brown; 22 Gary Trueman