Bath and Biarritz Olympique Pays Basque go head-to-head in a Pool 4 tie at the Rec.

Bath went all the way to lift the trophy in 1998 and 10 years later went on to win the Amlin Challenge Cup.

Biarritz Olympique are perhaps one of the most unlucky teams in the competition’s history. Despite making two finals and another two semi-finals, they are yet to win the biggest prize in European club rugby.

The last of those finals was of course last year’s heartbreaking 21-19 loss to Toulouse at the Stade de France.

The two sides have met on three occasions in previous competitions, Bath currently leading with two wins. Those two victories came in the pool stages in 2002 but Biarritz avenged that with an 18-9 win in a 2006 semi-final.

Both sides have enjoyed mixed starts in their domestic competitions and lie in mid-table positions. They also both enter the competition with out some key players; Butch James and Lewis Moody the most noticeable absentees from Bath and Fabien Barcella from Biarritz.