Bayonne and London Wasps are becoming something of regular cross-border opponents - but the carrot of automatic qualification for the knock-out stages of the Amlin Challenge Cup for the Pool 3 winners means their back-to-back contests coming up in Rounds 3 and 4 are virtual knock-out matches.
Wasps top the group on 10 points with Bayonne on nine but with the French club enjoying home advantage this weekend as Dai Young's men head to the south of France for Saturday night's first clash before Wasps' home game the following Thursday evening at Adams Park.
The two sides are pretty familiar with each other and Wasps are now the team Bayonne have faced the most often in the Amlin Challenge Cup.
Wasps have won three of their four encounters against Bayonne in this competition - losing once away from home 12 months ago.
But with international stars like Mike Phillips, Cedric Heymans and Joe Rokocoko in their side Bayonne should pose a huge chalenge in front fo their own fans while the clash at Adams Park on December 13 could decide things as those players go head to head with the likes of Joe Simpson, Hugo Southwell and Christian Wade.
Bayonne currently sit in 11th position in the French Top 14 table and with Wasps heading them by just that single point, the points up for grabs in these back-to-back fixtures will surely be key in determining who qualifies for the knock-out stages.
However, Bayonne have only lost once in their last eight home games in the Amlin Challenge Cup while London Wasps have only lost twice in their six tournament games played in France.
