Biarritz Olympique need a bonus-point victory over Zebre on Italian soil to keep their own slim chances of a Heineken Cup quarter-final place in this season's tournament alive.
Imanol Harinordoquy's Top 14 side know their destiny is now out of their hands and that Pool leaders Harlequins only need a point from their last two Pool games to secure qualification.
Biarritz are only a point ahead of Connacht in the Pool but both sides have won two of their games but need two wins to stand any chance of keeping their own Heineken Cup ambitions alive.
New Italian Franchise, who are in their first season of Heineken Cup rugby, are still looking for their first victory in any competition but will take heart from their recent performance against Pro12 champions, the Ospreys.
The Italian side only lost 16-15 at the Liberty Stadium in Swansea and proved they are steadily improving side and they would love to shock European rugby by beating the Basques in Parma.
Aironi, the side which Zebre replaced in the Pro12 and Heineken Cup, famously recorded their first competitive win in any competition over Biarritz in the Heineken Cup pool stages back in 2011.
Match Facts
- Zebre lost by over 20 points to Biarritz in their previous meeting this season, but scored more points against the French side than they have against their other group opponents (17).
- Biarritz have suffered two losses to Italian opposition in this competition, securing 13 victories.
- The French side have been on a run of form in this tournament which has followed a victory with a loss for the last 10 matches. Should that continue, they'd lose this game. Should they win, it'd be their first back-to-back victories in this tournament since October 2010.
- Only five players have made more tackles than Biarritz's Wenceslas Lauret this season (43).
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