Preview: Challenge Cup Pool 2

Threat: Toulon's Marc Andreu

The Challenge Cup got its own Pool of death this year, with English duo Northampton and Bristol matched up with French pair Montpellier and Toulon.

Toulon v Northampton

Saints' first match in Europe since April 2007 sees them return to the Stade Felix Mayol for the first time in 12 years.

Toulon were promoted to the French top flight last season and are renowned for having assembled a top-class squad which includes All Blacks legend Jerry Collins, Australian international Matt Henjak and former rugby league star Sonny Bill Williams (none of whom are actually playing).

"The standard of our European pool is extremely high, right up there with the Heineken Cup," Saints coach Jim Mallinder said.

"Toulon have a squad with plenty of international players and their coach, Tana Umaga, was one of the most respected All Blacks captains. Like ourselves, Toulon are a very ambitious club and the Challenge Cup is an important competition."

The Toulon crowd is also renowned for its passion and support, but Mallinder says that this will just add to the occasion.

"It will be a massive occasion, so the challenge for us is to keep calm and stick to our game plan, and put in plenty of hard work throughout the 80 minutes."

Be the biggest names there or not, Toulon have a hefty-looking team, with big powerful back-rows from Polynesia and the electric pace of Marc Andreu and youngster Clement Imbert on the wings.

Toulon: 15 Sonny Falconetti, 14 Marc Andreu, 13 Olivier Grimaud, 12 Tusiata Pisi, 11 Clement Imbert, 10 Sébastien Fauque, 9 Anthony Giacobazzi, 8 Fotunuupule Auelua, 7 Thomas Sourice, 6 Soane Toevalu, 5 Jocelino Suta, 4 Yoann Maestri, 3 Davit Kubriashvili, 2 Phillip Fitzgerald (c), 1 Nicolas Agnesi.

Replacements: 16 Anthony Muleta, 17 Jérome Filitoga, 18 Sisaro Koyamaibole, 19 Olivier Missoup, 20 Luke Rooney, 21 Damien Vidal, 22 Orene Ai'i.

Northampton: 15 Bruce Reihana (c), 14 Chris Ashton, 13 Joe Ansbro, 12 James Downey, 11 Sean Lamont, 10 Stephen Myler, 9 Ben Foden, 8 Roger Wilson, 7 Scott Gray, 6 Mark Hopley, 5 Courtney Lawes, 4 Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe, 3 Euan Murray, 2 Dylan Hartley, 1 Tom Smith.

Replacements: 16 Paul Shields, 17 Soane Tonga'uiha, 18 Matt Lord, 19 Ben Lewitt, 20 Lee Dickson, 21 Barry Everitt, 22 Paul Diggin.

Date: Thursday, October 9

Venue: Stade Felix Mayol

Kick-off: 20.45 (19.45GMT)

Referee: Peter Fitzgibbon (Ireland)

Touch judges: Michael Black (Ireland), Richard Kerr (Ireland)

Television match official: David Keane (Ireland)

Montpellier v Bristol

Montpellier kick-off their campaign at home to Bristol, and despite losing centre Grant Rees for two months, field a strong side.

The back-line is littered with internationals, Francois Trinh-Duc slots in at full-back, Ollie Smith at outside centre, Fédérico Todeschini at fly-half and a certain Justin Marshall at scrum-half.

Despite a lack of big names in the pack Montpellier will be more than a match for their English opponents, fielding an experienced set of forwards.

Having had a busy start to the season Bristol have opted to utilise their full squad, as several fringe players get a chance to prove their worth.

Ireland centre Kevin Maggs gets a rare outing in the twelve jersey, whilst Vunga Lilo comes in at full-back. In the pack Matt Salter lends experience to an otherwise youthful back-row, that features exciting young flanker Redford Pennycock.

Montpellier: 15 Francois Trinh-Duc, 14 Jean-Matthieu Alcalde, 13 Ollie Smith, 12 Sylvain Mirande, 11 Thierry Brana, 10 Fédérico Todeschini, 9 Justin Marshall, 8 Mamuka Gorgodze, 7 Jérome Vallée, 6 Warren Britz, 5 Drickus Hancke, 4 Michel Macurdy, 3 Clément Baïocco, 2 Fabien Rofes, 1 Sébastien Petit.

Replacements: 16 Mickael Ladhuie, 17 Pieter Van Niekerk, 18 Philémon Toleafoa, 19 Benjamin Goze, 20 Vassili Bost, 21 Adrien Tomas, 22 Olivier Sarraméa.

Bristol: 15 Vunga Lilo, 14 Lee Robinson, 13 Greg Barden, 12 Kevin Maggs, 11 Tom Arscott, 10 Adrian Jarvis, 9 Haydn Thomas, 8 Iain Grieve, 7 Redford Pennycook, 6 Matt Salter, 5 Robert Sidoli, 4 Mariano Sambucetti, 3 Peter Bracken, 2 David Blaney, 1 Mark Irish.

Replacements: 16 Mark Regan, 17 Alex Clarke, 18 Dave Attwood, 19 James Phillips, 20 Graeme Beveridge, 21 Chris Ashwin, 22 Neil Brew.

Date: Friday October 10

Venue: Stade Yves du Manoir

Kick-off: 19.00 (18.00 GMT)

Referee: Andy McPherson (Scotland)

Touch judges: David Changleng (Scotland), Alan Forrest (Scotland)

Television match official: Iain Heard (Scotland)