The Irish teams will be looking to back up their clean sweep last week when the second half of the European Cup double-headers get underway this weekend.

All four Irish provinces were on the winning side last week, and the challenge now is for them to repeat the feat against the same opposition at different venues in Round Four.

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Leinster and Connacht will play at home this weekend, with lowly Connacht aiming to do an unlikely double over four-times champions Toulouse, whilst Munster and Ulster will have to travel to Perpignan and Treviso respectively.

Glasgow Warriors had hoped to be cementing their push for quarterfinal qualification when they welcome Cardiff Blues to Scotstoun on Friday but instead it is the visitors who are in pole position to challenge Toulon for top spot in Pool Two.

Glasgow headed to Cardiff last week knowing that victory in the Welsh capital would have seen them sitting pretty at the halfway stage of the campaign and with two home games still to come.

Defeat at the Arms Park has left them with at the foot of the table, though, and they now face an uphill struggle to reach the last eight given that Toulon won at Exeter on the same weekend.

Gregor Townsend’s men failed to even pick up a losing bonus point in Round Three, meaning a maximum point haul on home soil is now even more important to their hopes of a maiden quarterfinal.

As for the Welsh outfit, Phil Davies’ troops are on a major high after receiving rave reviews for their performance last time out. Victory over holders Toulon in Round Two was a huge result for the region but they still weren’t expected to back it up given that they sit ninth in the Pro12, some 13 points behind third-placed Glasgow thanks to just three league wins all season.

But back it up they did, and in some style, too. The Blues bounced back from a 31-6 mauling by Munster in their previous outing at the Arms Park despite missing a host of big names through injury, including British and Irish Lions skipper Sam Warburton. Warburton won’t be fit to feature on Friday, either, as he is awaiting specialist advice on a ‘stinger’ problem with his shoulder.

Lions wing Alex Cuthbert marked his return from ankle damage with a well-taken try last week but the Blues’ injury crisis has since deepened with the news that centre Dafydd Hewitt won’t be available for selection. Hewitt becomes the fourth midfielder to be ruled out, with Owen Williams, Cory Allen and Gavin Evans already out of action.

 

All the teams and match details:

Friday 13 December

Ospreys v Castres
(Liberty Stadium – Kick-off: 20.00; 20.00 GMT)

Teams:

Ospreys: Sam Davies ; Aisea Natoga, Tom Isaacs, Ben John, Jeff Hassler; Dan Biggar, Rhys Webb; Ryan Bevington, Richard Hibbard, Aaron Jarvis, Ian Evans, James King, Sam Lewis, Justin Tipuric, Ryan Jones (c)

Replacements: Scott Baldwin, Marc Thomas, Dan Suter, Morgan Allen, Tyler Ardron, Thomas Habberfield, Matthew Morgan , Thomas Grabham

Castres: Geoffrey Palis; Marcel Garvey, Remi Lamerat, Paul Bonnefond, Remi Grosso; Remi Tales (c), Rory Kockott; Yannick Forestier, Marc-Antoine Rallier, Anton Peikrishvili, Richie Gray, Rodrigo Capo Ortega, Jannie Bornman, Yannick Caballero, Antonie Claassen

Replacements: Brice Mach, Saimone Taumoepeau, Michael Coetzee, Christophe Samson, Ibrahim Diarra, Julien Tomas, Daniel Kirkpatrick, Max Evans

Referee: Luke Pearce (England)
Assistant Referees: Dean Richards (England), Robin Goodliffe (England)
TMO: Geoff Warren (England)

Final Score: Ospreys 21 /12 Castres

 

Glasgow Warriors v Cardiff Blues
(Scotstoun Stadium – Kick-off: 20.00; 20.00 GMT)

Teams:

Glasgow: 15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Sean Maitland, 13 Byron McGuigan, 12 Alex Dunbar, 11 Tommy Seymour, 10 Ruaridh Jackson, 9 Niko Matawalu, 8 Ryan Wilson, 7 Tyrone Holmes, 6 Rob Harley, 5 Al Kellock (captain), 4 Leone Nakarawa, 3 Jon Welsh, 2 Pat MacArthur, 1 Ryan Grant.
Replacements: 16 Dougie Hall, 17 Jerry Yanuyanutawa, 18 Ed Kalman, 19 Josh Strauss, 20 Chris Fusaro, 21 Chris Cusiter, 22 Duncan Weir, 23 DTH van der Merwe.

Cardiff Blues: 15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 Alex Cuthbert, 13 Richard Smith, 12 Rhys Patchell, 11 Harry Robinson, 10 Gareth Davies, 9 Lloyd Williams, 8 Robin Copeland, 7 Rory Watts-Jones, 6 Macauley Cook, 5 Filo Paulo, 4 Chris Dicomidis, 3 Taufa’ao Filise, 2 Kristian Dacey, 1 Sam Hobbs (captain).
Replacements: 16 Marc Breeze, 17 Thomas Davies, 18 Benoit Bourrust, 19 James Down, 20 Ellis Jenkins, 21 Andries Pretorius, 22 Lewis Jones, 23 Dan Fish.

Referee: Pascal Gauzère (France)
Assistant referees: Laurent Cardona (France), Jean-Luc Rebollal (France)
TMO: Philippe Bonhoure (France)

Final Score: Glasgow Warriors 7/9 Cardiff Blues 

 

Saturday 14 December

Toulon v Exeter Chiefs
(Stade Felix Mayol – Kick-off: 14.35; 13.35 GMT)

Teams:

Toulon: Drew Mitchell; Alexis Palisson, Mathieu Bastareaud, Maxime Mermoz, David Smith; Matt Giteau, Sebastien Tillous-Borde; Florian Fresia, Jean-Charles Orioli, Carl Hayman, Jocelino Suta, Ali Williams, Juan Smith, Steffon Armitage, Chris Masoe (c)

Replacements: Benjamin Noirot, Xavier Chiocci, Martin Castrogiovanni, Virgile Bruni, Delon Armitage, Jonny Wilkinson, Frederic Michalak, Konstantine Mikautadze

Exeter Chiefs: Luke Arscott; Jack Nowell, Ian Whitten, Phil Dollman, Tom James; Henry Slade, Haydn Thomas; Ben Moon, Jack Yeandle, Hoani Tui, Dean Mumm (c), James Hanks, Tom Johnson, Don Armand, Dave Ewers

Replacements: Chris Whitehead, Brett Sturgess, Alex Brown, Damian Welch, Ben White, Will Chudley, Ceri Sweeney, Sam Hill

Referee: John Lacey (Ireland)
Assistant referees: David Wilkinson (Ireland), Michael Black (Ireland)
TMO: Dermot Moloney (Ireland)

 Final Score: Toulon 32/20 Exeter

 

Treviso v Ulster
(Stadio Comunale di Monigo – Kick-off: 14.35; 13.35 GMT)

Teams:

Treviso: Brendan Williams; Ludovico Nitoglia, Michele Campagnaro, Alberto Sgarbi, Luke McLean; Alberto Di Bernardo, Edoardo Gori; Michele Rizzo, Leonardo Ghiraldini, Lorenzo Cittadini, Antonio Pavanello (c), Cornelius van Zyl, Alessandro Zanni, Manoa Vosawai, Robert Barbieri

Replacements: Giovanni Maistri, Alberto de Marchi, Ignacio Fernandez Rouyet, Valerio Bernabo, Dean Budd, Paul Derbyshire, Tobias Botes, James Ambrosini

Ulster: Jared Payne; Andrew Trimble, Darren Cave, Luke Marshall, Craig Gilroy; Paddy Jackson, Ruan Pienaar; Tom Court, Rob Herring, John Afoa, Johann Muller (c), Dan Tuohy, Robbie Diack, Sean Doyle, Roger Wilson

Replacements: Nial Annett, Callum Black, Declan Fitzpatrick, Neil McComb, Mike McComish, Paul Marshall, Michael Allen, David McIlwaine

Referee: Greg Garner (England)
Assistant referees: Steve Lee (England), Roy Maybank (England)
TMO: Trevor Fisher (England)

Final Score: Treviso 3/35 Ulster

 

Scarlets v Clermont Auvergne
(Parc y Scarlets – Kick-off: 15.40; 15.40 GMT)

Teams:

Scarlets: Liam Williams; Nick Reynolds, Gareth Maule, Scott Williams, Jordan Williams; Rhys Priestland, Gareth Davies; Phil John (c), Ken Owens, Samson Lee, Jake Ball, George Earle, Josh Turnbull, John Barclay, Rob McCusker

Replacements: Emyr Phillips, Rob Evans, Rhodri Jones, Richard Kelly, Johan Snyman, Rhodri Williams, Aled Thomas, Adam Warren

Clermont: Jean-Marcel Buttin; Sitiveni Sivivatu, Aurelien Rougerie (c), Regan King, Naipolioni Nalaga; Mike Delany, Thierry Lacrampe; Thomas Domingo, Benjamin Kayser, Clement Ric, Jamie Cudmore, Julien Pierre, Julien Bonnaire, Julien Bardy, Damien Chouly

Replacements: Ti’i Paulo, Raphael Chaume, Vincent Debaty, Nathan Hines, Fritz Lee, Ludovic Radoslavjevic , Brock James, Noa Nakaitaci

Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Assistant referees: Matthew Carley (England), Nigel Carrick (England)
TMO: David Grashoff (England)

 Final Score: Scarlets 13/31 Clermont Auvergne

 

Saracens v Zebre
(Allianz Park – Kick-off: 15.00; 15.00 GMT)

Teams:

Saracens: Alex Goode; Chris Ashton, Marcelo Bosch, Duncan Taylor, David Strettle; Owen Farrell, Richard Wigglesworth; Richard Barrington, Jamie George, James Johnston, Steve Borthwick (c), George Kruis, Jackson Wray, Jacques Burger, Billy Vunipola

Replacements: Schalk Brits, Mako Vunipola, Matt Stevens, Alistair Hargreaves, Ernst Joubert, Neil de Kock, Charlie Hodgson, Ben Ransom

Zebre: Gullo Palazzani; Leonardo Sarto, Roberto Quartaroli, Kameli Ratuvou, Giambattista Venditti; Luciano Orquera, Brendon Leonard; Matias Aguero, Andrea Manici, Luciano Leibson, Quintin Geldenhuys, Marco Bortolami (c), Mauro Bergamasco, Nicola Cattina, Samu Vunisa

Replacements: Davide Giazzon, Andrea de Marchi, Dario Chistolini, Mike Van Vuren, Emiliano Caffini, Alberto Chillon, Tommaso Iannone, Giiulio Toniolatti

Referee: Dudley Phillips (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Peter Fitzgibbon (Ireland), Kieran Barry (Ireland)
TMO: Alan Rogan (Ireland)

Final Score: Saracens 64/3 Zebre

Perpignan v Munster
(Stade Aime Giral – Kick-off: 16.40; 15.40 GMT)

Teams:

Perpignan: Joffrey Michel; Richard Haughton, Lifeimi Mafi, Watisoni Votu, Sofiane Guitoune; Tommy Allan, Nicolas Durand; Sebastien Taofifenua, Romain Terrain, Paulica Ion, Sebastien Vahaamahina, Guillaume Vilaceca, Dan Leo, Alasdair Strokosch, Luke Narraway (c)

Replacements: Guilhem Guirado, Pascal Cotet, Jean Baptiste Custoja, Justin Purll, Tom Ecochard, David Marty, Tommaso Benvenuti, Jean-Pierre Perez

Munster: Felix Jones; Keith Earls, Casey Laulala, James Downey, Johne Murphy; Ian Keatley, Cathal Sheridan; James Cronin, Damien Varley, BJ Botha, Donnacha Ryan, Paul O’Connell, Peter O’Mahony (c), Sean Dougall, James Coughlan

Replacements: Duncan Casey, Dave Kilcoyne, Stephen Archer, Donncha O’Callaghan, Tommy O’Donnell, Duncan Williams, JJ Hanrahan, Denis Hurley

Referee: JP Doyle (England)
Assistant referees: Martin Fox (England), Paul Dix (England)
TMO: Rowan Kitt (England)

Final Score: Perpignan 17/18 Munster

 

Leinster v Northampton Saints
(Aviva Stadium – Kick-off: 18.00; 18.00 GMT)

Teams:

Leinster: Rob Kearney; Dave Kearney, Brian O’Driscoll, Gordon D’Arcy, Luke Fitzgerald; Ian Madigan, Eoin Reddan; Jack McGrath, Sean Cronin, Mike Ross, Devin Toner, Mike McCarthy, Rhys Ruddock, Sean O’Brien, Jamie Heaslip (c)

Replacements: Aaron Dundon, Michael Bent, Martin Moore, Leo Cullen, Shane Jennings, John Cooney, Jimmy Gopperth, Zane Kirchner

Northampton Saints: Ken Pisi; Jamie Elliott, Dom Waldouck, Luther Burrell, George North; Steve Myler, Lee Dickson; Alex Waller, Dylan Hartley (c), Salesi Ma’afu, Courtney Lawes, Christian Day, Calum Clark, Tom Wood, Samu Manoa

Replacements: Mikey Haywood, Ethan Waller, Tom Mercey, Sam Dickinson, Phil Dowson, Kahn Fotuali’i, Glenn Dickson, Tom Collins

Referee: Jérôme Garcès (France)
Assistant referees: Sébastien Clouté (France), Patrick Pechambert (France)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (France)

Final Score: Leicester 9/18 Northampton Saints

 

Connacht v Toulouse
(The Sportsground – Kick-off: 18.00; 18.00 GMT)

Teams:

Connacht: Robbie Henshaw; Fionn Carr, Eoin Griffin, Dave McSharry, Matt Healy; Dan Parks, Kieran Marmion; Brett Wilkinson, Jason Harris Wright, Rodney Ah You, Mick Kearney, Craig Clarke (c), John Muldoon, Jake Heenan, Eoin McKeon

Replacements: Sean Henry, Denis Buckley, Nathan White, Andrew Browne, George Naoupu, Frank Murphy, Craig Ronaldson, Gavin Duff

Toulouse: Clement Poitrenaud; Yoann Huget, Florian Fritz, Yann David , Maxime Medard; Lionel Beauxis, Jean-Marc Doussain; Schalk Ferreira, Christopher Tolofua, Census Johnston, Romain Millo-Chluski, Yoann Maestri, Yannick Nyanga, Thierry Dusautoir (c), Louis Picamoles

Replacements: Chiliboy Ralepelle, Gurthro Steenkamp, Yohan Montes, Joe Tekori, Gillian Galan, Gael Fickou, Hosea Gear, Sebastien Bezy

Referee: Leighton Hodges (Wales)
Assistant referees: Gwyn Morris (Wales), Chris Williams (Wales)
TMO: Paul Adams (Wales)

Final Score: Connacht 9/37 Toulouse

 

Sunday 15 December

Harlequins v Racing Metro
(Twickenham Stoop – Kick-off: 12.45; 12.45 GMT)

Teams:

Harlequins: Mike Brown; Charlie Walker, Matt Hopper, Tim Molenaar, Sam Smith; Nick Evans, Danny Care; Joe Marler, Dave Ward, Will Collier, Charlie Matthews, George Robson, Luke Wallace, Chris Robshaw (c), Nick Easter

Replacements: Joe Gray, Mark Lambert, Paul Doran-Jones, Nick Kennedy, Joe Trayfoot, Karl Dickson, Ben Botica, Ollie Lindsay- Hague

Racing Metro:  Juan Martin Hernandez; Adrien Plante, Henry Chavancy, Jamie Roberts, Virimi Vakatawa; Jonny Sexton, Mike Phillips; Davit Khinchagishvili, Virgile Lacombe, Soane Tonga’uiha, Fabrice Metz, Karim Ghezal, Dan Lydiate, Antoine Battut (c), Camille Gerondeau

Replacements: Jeremie Maurouard, Eddy Ben Arous, Luc Ducalcon, Juandre Kruger, Bernard Le Roux, Maxime Machenaud, Jonathan Wisniewski, Benjamin Fall

Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Sean Gallagher (Ireland), Gary Conway (Ireland)
TMO: Simon McDowell (Ireland)

 

Gloucester v Edinburgh
(Kingsholm – Kick-off: 15.00; 15.00 GMT)

Teams:

Gloucester: Rob Cook; Martyn Thomas, Henry Trinder, Billy Twelvetrees (c), Jonny May; Freddie Burns, Tavis Knoyle; Yann Thomas, Darren Dawiduik, Shaun Knight, Elliot Stooke, James Hudson, Sione Kalafamoni, Matt Kvesic, Ben Morgan

Replacements: Huia Edmonds, Dan Murphy, Sila Puafisi, Tom Hicks, Matt Cox, Dan Robson, Mike Tindall, Charlie Sharples

Edinburgh: Greig Tonks; Douglas Fife, Joaquin Dominguez, Ben Atiga, Jack Cuthbert; Harry Leonard, Grayson Hart; Lodewicus Blaauw, Ross Ford (c), Willem Nel, Grant Gilchrist, Izak Van Der Westhuizen, Tomas Leonardi, Roddy Grant, Cornell Du Preez

Replacements: Aleki Lutui, Alasdair Dickinson, Geoff Cross, Ollie Atkins, Ross Rennie, Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, Lee Jones, Tom Brown

Referee: Romain Poite (France)
Assistant referees: Cyril Lafon (France), Stéphane Boyer (France)
TMO: Jean-Pierre Pellaprat (France)

 

Montpellier v Leicester Tigers
(Stade Yves du Manoir – Kick-off: 16.00; 15.00 GMT)

Teams:

Montpellier: Pierre Berard; Lucas Dupont, Anthony Tuitavke, Wynand Olivier, Yohann Artru; Enzo Selponi, Benoit Paillaugue; Yvan Watremez, Mickael Ivaldi, Nicolas Mas, Robins Tchale Watchou, Thibaut Privat, Alexandre Bias, Mamuka Gorgodze (c), Alex Tulou

Replacements: Thomas Bianchin, Na’ama Leleimalefaga, Paea Fa’anunu, Johnnie Beattie, Mickael Demarco, Eric Escande, Thomas Combezou, Anthony Floch

Leicester Tigers: Scott Hamilton; Niall Morris, Vereniki Goneva, Dan Bowden, Miles Benjamin; Toby Flood (c), Ben Youngs; Marcos Ayerza, Tom Youngs, Dan Cole, Louis Deacon, Graham Kitchener, Jamie Gibson, Julian Salvi, Thomas Waldrom

Replacements: Neil Briggs, Boris Stankovich, Fraser Balmain, Ed Slater, Jordan Crane, David Mele, Matt Smith, Ryan Lamb

Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant referees: Sean Brickell (Wales), Wayne Davies (Wales)
TMO: Derek Bevan (Wales)