Biarritz v Glasgow: Teams
Dan Parks leads an unchanged Glasgow Warriors team at the Parc des Sports Aguilera on Friday night.
Last Updated: 13/12/07 3:00pm
Dan Parks leads an unchanged Glasgow Warriors team at the Parc des Sports Aguilera on Friday night.
The Warriors leapfrogged their French opponents in the Heineken Cup Pool Four table with a hard-fought 9-6 victory at Firhill on Sunday.
With games against bottom side Viadana and group leaders Saracens to come head coach Sean Lineen knows this fixture could make or break his side's qualification hopes.
Scotland back-row pair John Barclay and Johnnie Beattie have committed to the Warriors until 2010 in the build-up and Lineen admits his players have been buoyed by the signings.
"What a fantastic coup for Glasgow and Scottish rugby," he said. "Here we have two quality young players who are only going to get better.
"Last weekend's result at home was fantastic, now the big challenge for this group of players is to achieve something very special.
"The confidence of this squad is growing and we are starting to realise our potential against some of the best sides in Europe."
Zimbabwe-born American winger Takudzwa Ngwenya will make his Heineken Cup debut for Biarritz in the match.
The 2006 Cup finalists have lost just twice at home in the competition's history and with ties against Saracens and Viadana to come will want to re-establish their credentials for the title.
Ngwenya said: "I wanted to play in France and once in France in Biarritz. I am delighted to be able to play my first match of the championship after fears I might not have registered."
Goal-kickers Dimitri Yachvili and Julien Dupuy are ruled out through injury, but Fabien Cibray comes in at scrum-half.
Philippe Bidabe is named at centre in place of Henry Fa'afili and Julien Peyrelongue replaces Marcelo Bosch at fly-half.
South African World Cup winger Ashwin Willemse drops to the bench to make room for Ngwenya and there are two changes in the pack.
Santiago Dellape comes in for Trevor Hall in the second row, while Jacques Cronje replaces Samiu Vahafolau at number eight.
Biarritz Olympique: 15 Nicolas Brusque, 14 Takudzwa Ngwenya, 13 Philippe Bidabe, 12 Damien Traille, 11 Benjamin Thiery, 10 Julien Peyrelongue, 9 Fabien Cibray, 1 Eduard Coetzee, 2 Benjamin Noirot, 3 Denis Avril, 4 Jerome Thion (capt), 5 Santiago Dellape, 6 Serge Betsen, 7 Imanol Harinordoquy, 8 Jacques Cronje.
Replacements: 16 Benoit August, 17 Petru Balan, 18 Trevor Hall, 19 Samiu Vahafolau, 20 Marcelo Bosch, 21 Henry Fa'afili, 22 Ashwin Willemse.
Glasgow Warriors: 15 Bernardo Stortoni, 14 Lome Fa'atau, 13 Andrew Henderson, 12 Daryl Gibson, 11 Hefin O'Hare, 10 Dan Parks (capt), 9 Sam Pinder; 1 Justin Va'a, 2 Fergus Thomson, 3 Moray Low, 4 Andy Newman, 5 Dan Turner, 6 Kelly Brown, 7 John Barclay, 8 Johnnie Beattie.
Replacements: 16 Eric Milligan, 17 Ed Kalman, 18 Opeta Palepoi, 19 James Eddie, 20 Chris O'Young, 21 Scott Barrow, 22 Graeme Morrison.