European Rugby Champions Cup: Harlequins v Castres match preview

Harlequins boss Conor O'Shea is relishing another tilt at major French opposition when the new European Rugby Champions Cup kicks off on Friday night.

The 20-team tournament, formed earlier this year following months of wrangling and often bitter argument, replaces the Heineken Cup as European club rugby prepares for its 20th successive season.

And Quins will get the ball rolling, hosting 2013 French champions and 2014 runners-up Castres at Twickenham Stoop.

Quins have never beaten Castres in the Heineken Cup in four attempts – drawing once and losing the three others – and while Castres only have two teams below them in this year's Top 14 after losing six of their opening nine league games, O’Shea is taking nothing for granted.

He said: "It's pretty frightening. They might have had an inconsistent start to the season, but they are a brilliant side.

"They are Top 14 champions and finalists over the past two years, so what a massive game to start it off. It's going to be ferocious.

Little things

"The game will be decided by the little things that happen within the match. If they go our way, we will win and everyone will say we're great, and if they don't, we will lose and everyone will say we're terrible and Castres are great.

"That's how tight this is. Top-level sport is about margins, and if you work hard enough the margins go your way.

"We haven't been consistent at the start of the season, but we will hit form and, when we do, we can match anybody.

"We always like playing the French sides because they play rugby, they try and attack.

"People have this turgid view of the Top 14, but they don't (play like that), especially Castres. We've played them a few times in pre-season over the years and we know the threats they have. This will be a great challenge for us."

O'Shea has made three changes to the side beaten by Leicester last Friday, with centre George Lowe replacing Tom Casson, scrum-half Danny Care returning after his partner gave birth to the couple's first child, and hooker Dave Ward is in for Joe Gray.

Castres, meanwhile, will be spearheaded by their outstanding half-back combination of Remi Tales and Rory Kockott, with Scotland internationals Max Evans and Richie Gray also in the starting line-up.

"There will be a lot attention on the game and it's going to be exciting for everyone at the club," O'Shea added.

"It's a great tournament. Now that it is here and back again, everyone's delighted.

"It is a massive emotional rollercoaster and you have to be very level the whole way through, but it doesn't get much tougher to start with."

Harlequins: 15 Mike Brown, 14 Marland Yarde, 13 Matt Hopper, 12 George Lowe, 11 Aseli Tikoirotuma, 10 Nick Evans, 9 Danny Care; 1 Joe Marler (capt), 2 Dave Ward, 3 Will Collier, 4 Charlie Matthews, 5 George Robson, 6 Luke Wallace, 7 Chris Robshaw, 8 Nick Easter.

Replacements: 16 Rob Buchanan, 17 Mark Lambert, 18 Kyle Sinckler, 19 Sam Twomey, 20 Joe Trayfoot, 21 Karl Dickson, 22 Jordan Turner-Hall, 23 Ollie Lindsay- Hague.

Castres: 15 Geoffrey Palis, 14 Max Evans, 13 Christopher Tuatara, 12 Thomas Combezou, 11 Remi Grosso, 10 Remi Tales (capt), 9 Rory Kockott; 1 Saimone Taumoepeau, 2 Brice Mach, 3 Yohan Montes, 4 Richie Gray, 5 Piula Faasalele, 6 Ibrahim Diarra, 7 William Whetton, 8 Jannie Bornman.

Replacements: 16 Marc-Antoine Rallier, 17 Mihaita Lazar, 18 Paea Faanunu, 19 Mathieu Babillot, 20 Christophe Samson, 21 Julien Dumora, 22 Romain Cabannes, 23 Cedric Garcia.