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LIsten to the second edition of Amlin European Club Rugby Podcast previewing all the action from Round 2 of the Heineken Cup and Amlin Challenge Cup - 17/10/2013 12:34
Viadana make their return to European rugby following a three-year absence due their involvement with the Aironi franchise.
Last season they returned to Italy's domestic Campionato Eccellenza and duly lifted the title.
As a consequence it is almost five years since they last won a European tie when they beat Mont de Marsan in December 2008.
However out of all the Italian teams, Viadana have the pedigree, form and players to make an impact in this season's Amlin Challenge Cup.
New Zealand wing Kaine Robertson has a track record for scoring tries, prop Marco Pelizzari provides plenty of power while lock Joubert Horn was man of the match in last week's 33-15 over San Dona that put Viadana second in the Italian league.
This will be the first time these teams have met in the Amlin Challenge Cup though Viadana have yet to beat English opponents in ten attempts.
In contrast, London Wasps have never lost to Italian opposition and director of rugby Dai Young has demanded maximum points from his team at Stadio Pierluigi Zaffanella.
Young said: “We need a bonus-point win this weekend, it's as simple as that. Without being disrespectful to Viadana, who will not make it easy for us, if we have any ambitions of progressing in the competition, we have got to go to Italy and get that result in the bag.”
Young is likely to change the look of his team having won just one of their five Premiership games, though all four defeats were by seven points or less.
Vidéo de l'action ayant conduit à la citation d'Adam Jaulhac - 08/11/2013 13:07
Wasps racked up their biggest victory in Europe to kick-off their Amlin Challenge Cup campaign in some style.
It was 16 years since Wasps scored 77 points against Toulouse but that tally always looked set to be toppled as they ran riot at Stadio Pierluigi Zaffanella.
Wasps showed their ruthless streak with a staggering 14 tries in their opening game of Pool 4 that included hat-tricks for both William Helu and Guy Thompson.
Joe Carlisle converted 10 as Wasps tore up the club's record books.
Wasps led 56-3 at half-time as Helu kicked off the rout in the 10th minute after Viadana's Daniel Yakopo was sin binned.
Wasps' scrum then claimed a penalty try followed by a Kearnan Myall effort three minutes later.
Thompson claimed his first on 23 minutes and Thomas Bell followed before Helu crossed twice in the space of three minutes.
Simon McIntyre claimed Wasps' eighth of the half while Viadana, last year's Italian league champions, mustered a response through Andrea Barbieri before half-time.
Flanker Thompson then completed his hat-trick just seven minutes into the second half, while a brace of tries by Jack Winter-Moates saw Wasps surpass that previous highest tally in Europe from back in 1997.
Charlie Hayter and Joe Simpson then completed an historic win after Anthony Fenner grabbed a second score for the hosts.
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