Pool One

Chris Robshaw is absent from the Harlequins team to face Wasps after picking up what the club have described as a “minor knock” in training this week. Marcus Smith, fresh from signing a long-term contract with the club, is rested so James Lang makes his Champions Cup debut at fly-half. Wasps, third and needing a victory to keep alive their hopes of reaching the knockout stage, are boosted by the return of their captain, Joe Launchbury, to the second row. Kyle Eastmond and Brendan Macken also come into the side in the centre. Christian Lealiifano makes his last home appearance for Ulster against La Rochelle before returning to Australia.

Pool Two

Liam Williams has been named on the wing for Saracens in his first appearance since November following injury. The two-times champions also welcome back Jamie George at hooker in their pivotal match away to Ospreys. Will Skelton partners Maro Itoje at lock, with George Kruis on the bench. Ospreys recall the centre Owen Watkin, who has recovered from head and neck injuries. Northampton have resisted making wholesale changes for the visit of Clermont despite four defeats from four European matches so far but Kieran Brookes comes in to start at tighthead prop. Clermont have a host of injuries in their backline but are boosted by the return of Rémi Lamerat. Luke McAlister starts at fly-half.

Pool Three

Seán O’Brien is set to miss the start of the Six Nations after Leinster confirmed on Friday that he has undergone hip surgery. O’Brien has not played for Leinster since they became only the side, along with Clermont, to win all four of their European matches, overcoming Exeter in Dublin last month. Elsewhere, Leo Cullen gives first European starts to the 20-year-old rising star Jordan Larmour and the New Zealander James Lowe against Glasgow. The Warriors are already eliminated and are without Stuart Hogg, Finn Russell, Tommy Seymour and Jonny Gray. Jack Nowell again misses out for Exeter against Montpellier, having suffered an ankle injury on New Year’s Eve but the Chiefs’ cause is aided with Don Armand, Harry Williams, Luke Cowan-Dickie and Jonny Hill returning. Montpellier have a star-studded lineup including Aaron Cruden, Louis Picamoles and Nemani Nadolo but have problems at scrum-half and Vern Cotter therefore hands a start to the 19-year-old Georgian Gela Aprasidze starts.

Pool Four

Leicester, another side already out of contention for the knockout stage, have rested their England contingent of Dan Cole, Ben Youngs, George Ford and Jonny May – as well as the centres Matt Toomua and Manu Tuiliagi for the trip to Castres. Ford’s older brother, Joe, gets a rare start at fly-half as Greg Bateman captains the side from loosehead prop. Munster, top of the pool, travel to second-placed Racing 92, and recall Peter O’Mahony and Chris Cloete to their back row, while Simon Zebo is at full-back against his future employers. For Racing, Donnacha Ryan lines up against his old club in the second-row as Leone Nakarawa shifts to No8. Dan Carter is still missing so Rémi Talès starts at No10 in an all-French backline.

Pool Five

Chris Ashton starts on the left wing for Toulon with Hugo Bonneval at full-back for the three-times champions against Benetton. Mathieu Bastareaud and the former All Black Ma’a Nonu are paired together at centre while Anthony Belleau is named at fly-half. Benetton have selected only six of the 17 players called up by Conor O’Shea for Italy’s Six Nations training squad in their starting lineup – Ian McKinley at fly-half, scrum-half Edoardo Gori, Tommaso Benvenuti on the wing, Marco Fuser at lock and Sebastian Negri and Federico Ruzza in the back row.