Champions Cup last 16 team news and line-ups

Bath v Saracens is one of two all-English Champions Cup last-16 matches on Saturday, the other being Harlequins v Sale

• Published32 minutes ago

The Champions Cup has reached the last-16 stage, with eight matches taking place on 3-5 April.

There are seven English sides, four French, two apiece from Scotland and South Africa, plus Leinster from Ireland.

The winners will advance to next weekend's quarter-finals, while the losers will exit the competition.

As well as live text updates of selected matches on the BBC Sport website and app, there is live radio commentary of the key games on BBC Sounds.

All the team news and line-ups for this weekend's matches can be found below.

Northampton v Castres

Venue: Franklin's Gardens Date: Friday, 3 April Kick-off: 20:00 BST

Anthony Belleau starts at fly-half in place of the injured Fin Smith as Northampton make six changes.

With Trevor Davison and Manny Iyogun both ruled out, Danilo Fischetti starts at loose-head prop, Luke Green retains his place as the tight-head and Craig Wright takes over from Curtis Langdon as the starting hooker.

Callum Chick comes in at number eight, with Henry Pollock switching to open-side flanker and Tom Pearson dropping to the bench.

England centre Fraser Dingwall teams up with in-form Tom Litchfield in the midfield, while George Furbank captains the Prem leaders from full-back.

Castres ended a three-match losing run by beating bottom-side Montauban last weekend to move into 10th place in the Top 14.

They are captained by flanker Baptiste Delaporte, while former All Blacks centre Jack Goodhue is one to watch in the backs.

Line-ups

Northampton: Furbank (capt); Freeman, Litchfield, Dingwall, Ramm; Belleau, McParland; Fischetti, Wright, Green, Lockett, Van der Mescht, Kemeny, Pollock, Chick.

Replacements: Langdon, West, Kundiona, Prowse, Munga, Pearson, Weimann, Hutchinson.

Castres: Chabouni; Ambadiang, Botitu, Goodhue, Karawalevu; Herve, Fernandez; Walcker, Durand-Pradere, Corato, Ducat, Vanverberghe, Delaporte (capt), Ardron, Papalii.

Replacements: Colonna, Guerois-Galisson, Azar, Maravat, Cope, Ramototabua, Arata, Palis.

Match officials

Referee: Craig Evans (Wales)

Assistant referees: Morne Ferreira (South Africa), Jonny MacKenzie (Scotland)

TMO: Marius Jonker (South Africa)

Northampton Saints v Castres

Champions Cup

Friday, 3 April, kick-off 20:00 BST

Franklin's Gardens

Listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, BBC Radio Northampton and BBC Sounds, with second half on BBC Radio 5 Live. Follow live text updates on the BBC Sport website and app.

Bath v Saracens

Venue: The Rec Date: Saturday, 4 April Kick-off: 15:00 BST

Bath are showcasing their strength in depth with wholesale changes to the side that beat Sale in The Prem last weekend. Only Joe Cokanasiga and Santi Carreras keep their places as many of Johann van Graan's big hitters return to a team captained by scrum-half Ben Spencer.

He is joined in the half-backs by Finn Russell, with the England international trio of Ollie Lawrence, Max Ojomoh and Henry Arundell making up the back line.

Beno Obano, Tom Dunn and Archie Griffin return to the front row and Josh Bayliss, Guy Pepper and Alfie Barbeary form a strong back row unit.

Saracens, who were beaten 62-15 by Bath at The Rec on 20 March, make three changes from their narrow defeat against Northampton and will be captained by England skipper Maro Itoje.

Jamie George comes into the side to start at hooker, Noah Caluori starts on the wing and Fergus Burke takes the number 10 shirt, with Owen Farrell moving to midfield alongside Nick Tompkins.

Elliot Daly, fresh from signing a new contract, is at full-back and there is an unchanged back row of Theo McFarland, Andy Onyeama-Christie and Tom Willis.

Line-ups

Bath: Carreras; Cokanasiga, Lawrence, Ojomoh, Arundell; Russell, Spencer (capt); Obano, Dunn, Griffin, Roux, Ewels, Bayliss, Pepper, Barbeary.

Replacements: Tuipulotu, Van Wyk, Du Toit, Hill, Underhill, Van der Linde, Redpath, Reid.

Saracens: Daly; Caluori, Tompkins, Farrell, Elliott; Burke, Bracken; Carre, George, Street, Itoje (capt), Tizard, McFarland, Onyeama-Christie, Willis.

Replacements: Dan, Mawi, Riccioni, Wilson, Michelow, Van Zyl, Lozowski, Malins.

Match officials

Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia)

Assistant referees: Ben Connor (Wales), Shota Tevzadze (Georgia)

TMO: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)

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Bath v Saracens

Champions Cup

Saturday, 3 April - kick-off 15:00 BST

The Rec

Listen on BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Sounds, BBC Radio Bristol and BBC Radio London. Follow live text updates on the BBC Sport website and app.

Toulon v Stormers

Venue: Stade Felix Mayol Date: Saturday, 4 April Kick-off: 15:00 BST

Three-time winners Toulon will be captained by former England international David Ribbans, with Kyle Sinckler in the front row and Scotland scrum-half Ben White also starting.

Zach Mercer has been named among the substitutes alongside 43-year-old 103-cap All Black Ma'a Nonu.

Springbok scrum-half Cobus Reinach returns from injury as Stormers head to the south of France, with international team-mates Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Deon Fourie named as replacements.

Line-ups

Toulon: Domon; Drean, Brex, Frisch, Tuicuvu; Albornoz, White; Gros, Baubigny, Sinckler, Mezou, Ribbans (capt), Kpoku, Ollivon, Shioshvili.

Replacements: Lucchesi, Priso, Gigashvili, Javakhia, Halagahu, Mercer, Ferte, Nonu.

Stormers: Gelant; Willemse, Nel (capt), Du Plessis, Zas; Matthee, Reinach; Kebble, Venter, Fouche, Smith, Evans, De Villiers, Dayimani, Roos.

Replacements: Fourie, Mchunu, Porthen, Schickerling, Theunissen, Khan, Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Simelane.

Match officials

Referee: Christophe Ridley (England)

Assistant referees: Karl Dickson (England), John Meredith (England)

TMO: Ian Tempest (England)

Toulon v Stormers

Champions Cup

Saturday, 4 April - 15:00 BST

Stade Felix Mayol

Follow live text updates on the BBC Sport website and app.

Glasgow v Bulls

Venue: Scotstoun Stadium Date: Saturday, 4 April Kick-off: 17:30 BST

Skipper Kyle Steyn and four other Scotland internationals return to Glasgow Warriors' starting line-up for the Champions Cup last-16 tie with Bulls.

Steyn leads from the wing while tight-head prop Zander Fagerson, number eight Jack Dempsey and fellow back-rows Matt Fagerson and Rory Darge also bolster Warriors after Six Nations duty with Scotland.

George Horne, who was rested for last weekend's URC win over Benetton, starts at scrum-half and Dan Lancaster is preferred at 10 to Adam Hastings. Huw Jones is not in the squad, with Stafford McDowall at outside centre.

Handre Pollard and Embrose Papier keep their places in the half-backs after the Bulls' narrow home win over Munster last weekend but Springbok full-back Willie Le Roux is replaced by David Kriel.

Experienced number eight Nizaam Carr is injured so there is one change in the forwards, with Cameron Hanekom replacing him.

Line-ups

Glasgow: McKay; Steyn (capt), McDowall, Tuipulotu, Smith; Lancaster, Horne; Schickerling, Hiddleston, Z Fagerson, Williamson, Samuel, M Fagerson, Darge, Dempsey.

Replacements: Stephen, Bhatti, Talakai, Oguntibeju, Ferrie, Fraser, Afshar, Hastings.

Bulls: Kriel; Jooste, Moodie, Vorster, Arendse; Pollard, Papier; Steenekamp, Grobbelaar, Klopper, Vermaak, Nortje, Coetzee (capt), Louw, Hanekom.

Replacements: Van Staden, Wessels, Smith, Wiese, Rudolph, Burger, Gans, Le Roux.

Match officials

Referee: Pierre Brousset (France)

Assistant referees: Vincent Blasco Baque (France), Julien Caulier (France)

TMO: Tual Trainini (France)

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Glasgow v Bulls

Champions Cup

Saturday, 4 April - 17:30 BST

Scotstoun Stadium

Listen on BBC Radio Scotland, BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra and BBC Sounds. Follow live text updates on the BBC Sport website and app.

Toulouse v Bristol

Venue: Stade de Toulouse Date: Saturday, 4 April Kick-off: 17:30 BST

Winger Kalaveti Ravouvou will make his 50th appearance for Bristol Bears when they face six-time winners Toulouse in the first ever meeting between the two clubs.

Gabriel Ibitoye and Wales international Louis Rees-Zammit make up the back three, with Benhard Janse van Rensburg back in the starting 15.

Bristol make one change to the pack from last weekend's defeat by Harlequins as Benjamin Grondona replaces his injured older brother Santiago to start at number eight, with Steven Luatua and skipper Fitz Harding also in the back row.

Thomas Ramos, a Six Nations winner with France in March, starts at full-back for Toulouse, with scrum-half Antoine Dupont and Jack Willis coming into the starting 15.

Fly-half Romain Ntamack continues his comeback after missing the Six Nations with injury, while Teddy Thomas and Matthis Lebel are on the wings.

Line-ups

Toulouse: Ramos; Thomas, Gourgues, Barassi, Lebel; Ntamack; Dupont (capt); Ainu'u, Mauvaka, Aldegheri, Flament, Meafou, Cros, Willis, Jelonch.

Replacements: Lacombre, Mallez, Merkler, Brennan, Banos, Graou, Chocobares, Kinghorn.

Bristol: Rees-Zammit; Ravouvou, Van Rensburg, Williams, Ibitoye; Jordan, Randall; Genge, Oghre, Kloska, Dun, Owen, Luatua, Harding (capt), Grondona.

Replacements: Thacker, Woolmore, Lahiff, Taylor, Ivanishvili, Marmion, Moroni, Heward.

Match officials

Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (Italy)

Assistant referees: Federico Vedovelli (Italy), Alberto Favaro (Italy)

TMO: Matteo Liperini (Italy)

Toulouse v Bristol Bears

Champions Cup

Saturday, 4 April - 17:30 BST

Stade de Toulouse

Listen on BBC Radio Bristol and BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2. Follow live text updates on the BBC Sport website and app.

Harlequins v Sale

George Ford will go up against fellow England fly-half Marcus Smith when Sale travel to Harlequins on Saturday

Venue: Twickenham Stoop Date: Saturday, 4 April Kick-off: 20:00 BST

England international Marcus Smith is back at fly-half for Harlequins after missing last weekend's Prem victory against Bristol Bears.

Will Evans returns in the back row as one of four changes from that match.

Sale and England prop Asher Opoku-Fordjour will make his first appearance since November after recovering from elbow and shoulder problems.

Dan du Preez and Gus Warr start at number eight and scrum-half respectively, while Rob du Preez and Raffi Quirke are out because of injuries.

Line-ups

Harlequins: David; Isgro, Northmore, Bradley, Murley; Smith, Townsend; Kerrod, Walker, Delgado, Treadwell, Williams, Petti, Evans, Dombrandt (capt).

Replacements: Turner, Hobson, Streeter, Cunningham-South, Carr, Kenningham, Friday, Evans.

Sale: Carpenter; Roebuck, Louw, Ma'asi-White, O'Flaherty; Ford, Warr; Rodd, Cowan-Dickie, Opoku-Fordjour, Van Rhyn (capt), Bamber, Vermeulen, Dugdale, Du Preez.

Replacements: Jibulu, McIntyre, Harper, Logan, Gilmore, Hanson, Davies, Wills.

Match officials

Referee: Luc Ramos (France)

Assistant referees: Thomas Charabas (France), Jonathan Gasnier (France)

TMO: Eric Gauzins (France)

Harlequins v Sale

Champions Cup

Saturday, 4 April - 20:00 BST

Twickenham Stoop

Follow live text updates on the BBC Sport website and app.

Bordeaux Begles v Leicester

Venue: Stade Chaban-Delmas Date: Sunday, 5 April Kick-off: 15:00 BST

Defending champions Bordeaux have named a host of France stars in their starting XV.

Matthieu Jalibert is at fly-half and France's all-time leading try-scorer Damian Penaud will begin at centre, while Louis Bielle-Biarrey starts on the wing in the same week he was named Six Nations player of the tournament for the second successive year.

Experienced Australia international James O'Connor will start at fly-half for Leicester, replacing Billy Searle in the team that beat Gloucester in the Prem last weekend.

Adam Radwan has been selected on the wing and will make his first start for Tigers since mid-January.

Line-ups

Bordeaux: Rayasi; Uberti, Penaud, Moefana, Bielle-Biarrey; Jalibert, Lucu (capt), Poirot, Lamothe, Sadie, Palu, Coleman, Vergnes-Taillefer, Woki, Gazzotti.

Replacements: Barlot, Perchaud, Tameifuna, Bochaton, Matiu, Retiere, Reus, Van Rensburg.

Leicester: Steward; Radwan, Perese, Woodward, Hassell-Collins; O'Connor, Van Poortvliet; Van der Flier, Blamire, Hurd, Liebenberg (capt), Wells, Moro, Manz, Cracknell.

Replacements: Clare, Haffar, Loman, Henderson, Palmer, Whiteley, Searle, Wand.

Match officials

Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland)

Assistant referees: Peter Martin (Ireland), Padraic Reidy (Ireland)

TMO: Olly Hodges (Ireland)

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Bordeaux Begles v Leicester

Champions Cup

Sunday, 5 April - 15:00 BST

Stade Chaban-Delmas

Listen on BBC Radio Leicester, BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra and BBC Sounds. Follow live text updates on the BBC Sport website and app.

Leinster v Edinburgh

Leinster won all four of their pool matches to reach the last 16

Venue: Aviva Stadium Date: Sunday, 5 April Kick-off: 17:30 BST

Harry Byrne will start at fly-half for Leinster, with Ireland number 10 Sam Prendergast not named in the matchday squad.

Ryan Baird is selected in the second row for his first appearance since October after recovering from a broken leg, while New Zealand centre Rieko Ioane is in for the injured Garry Ringrose.

Edinburgh make two changes to their starting XV, both of them among the forwards.

D'arcy Rae is fit again after a calf injury and replaces Paul Hill at prop, while Ben Muncaster has recovered from concussion and slots in at number eight in place of injured club captain Magnus Bradbury (ankle).

Line-ups

Leinster: Keenan; T O'Brien, Ioane, Osborne, J O'Brien; Byrne, Gibson-Park; Porter, Sheehan, Furlong, McCarthy, Baird, Conan, Van der Flier, Doris (capt).

Replacements: McCarthy, Usanov, Clarkson, Deeny, Deegan, McGrath, Frawley, Henshaw.

Edinburgh: O'Conor; Graham, Currie, Lang, Satala; Thompson, Shiel; Schoeman, Ashman, Rae, Sykes, Gilchrist (capt), McConnell, Richardson, Muncaster.

Replacements: Blyth-Lafferty, Venter, Hill, Young, Douglas, Vellacott, Tuipulotu, Brown.

Match officials

Referee: Luke Pearce (England)

Assistant referees: Hamish Smales (England), Joe James (England)

TMO: Andrew Jackson (England)

Leinster v Edinburgh

Champions Cup

Sunday, 5 April - 17:30 BST

Aviva Stadium

Follow live text updates on the BBC Sport website and app.

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