Racing Metro v L Irish: Teams
Delon Armitage and Bob Casey return to the London Irish squad for Saturday's Heineken Cup clash with Racing Metro.
Last Updated: 09/12/11 2:58pm
![Returning Exile: Delon Armitage](https://e0.365dm.com/11/04/660x350/DelonArmitage_2590699.jpg?20110428182650)
Delon Armitage and Bob Casey return to the London Irish squad for Saturday's Heineken Cup clash with Racing Metro 92 in Paris.
Both sides have failed to win a game so far in their Pool, going down narrowly to Cardiff Blues and Edinburgh. For the losers on Saturday, their campaign will effectively be over.
Armitage will start at full-back with Casey making his return after recovering from an injury sustained pre-season - he comes in on the bench. Paul Hodgson will be aiming to rack up his 200th appearance for the Exiles if he takes to the pitch from the bench.
Clarke Dermody returns to the starting lineup as Captain, with Darren Allinson at scrum-half. Bryn Evans will join Matt Garvey in the second row. Ofisa Treviranus also starts in the pack alongside Declan Danaher and Chris Hala'ufia. David Paice comes in as hooker.
"We have to win each of the four games left in the pool stages of this tournament - it is as simple as that. We have prepared well and know it will be a challenge but that is what we relish. The whole squad is up for the task," said London Irish head coach Toby Booth.
Meanwhile, injuries have forced Racing to name a somewhat makeshift side though Pumas playmaker Juan Martin Hernandez starts at fly-half and former France captain Lionel Nallet features in the second row. Sebastien Chabal start on the bench.
Racing-Metro: 15 Gaetan Germain, 14 Sereli Bobo, 13 Virimi Vakatawa, 12 Josh Matavesi, 11 Juan Imhoff, 10 Juan Martin Hernandez, 9 Mathieu Loree, 8 Jacques Cronje, 7 Bernard Le Roux, 6 Antoine Batut, 5 Jone Qovu Nailiko, 4 Lionel Nallet, 3 Juan Pablo Orlandi, 2 Thomas Bianchin, 1 Julien Brugnaut.
Replacements:16 Gregory Arganese, 17 Eddy Ben Arous, 18 Johannes Coetzee, 19 Francois van der Merwe, 20 Sebastien Descons, 21 Jonathan Wisniewski, 22 John Leo'o, 23 Sebastien Chabal.
London Irish:15 Delon Armitage, 14 Topsy Ojo, 13 Joe Ansbro, 12 Jonathan Spratt, 11 Adam Thompstone, 10 Dan Bowden, 9 Darren Allinson, 8 Chris Hala'ufia, 7 Ofisa Treviranus, 6 Declan Danaher, 5 Matthew Garvey, 4 Bryn Evans, 3 Paulica Ion, 2 David Paice, 1 Clarke Dermody.
Replacements:16 Brian Blaney, 17 Max Lahiff, 18 Faan Rautenbach, 19 Bob Casey, 20 Jamie Gibson, 21 Tom Homer, 22 Adrian Jarvis, 23 Paul Hodgson.