Hines: Relishing Leicester clash

Former Scotland lock Hines features in a Clermont line-up that cannot afford any further Pool Four setbacks following their defeat against Ulster last month.

And Clermont will face a Tigers side not only bolstered by England centre Manu Tuilagi's return after a long injury absence, but lifted following a run of wins at European and domestic levels.

"People say they have had a rough time in the Premiership recently, but the signs are there that they have started to sort that out and their pedigree in the Heineken Cup is understood by everyone in the competition," Hines said.

"And, more than any other side you play against, you have to have the tools to do the job against Leicester.

"That means you have to have a strong scrum and lineout because they always have powerful set-pieces.

"The Tigers are tough opponents and you have to pay special attention to those parts of their game, and your game, to stand a chance and be competitive against them.

"They will be looking for a quarter-final place and to progress even further than that, but we have ambitions of our own in the Heineken Cup. We are still in the hunt, and we know how important the next couple of rounds are.

"Unlike the Premiership and the (French) Top 14, you can make amends for a bad performance or bad result during the course of a season. In the Heineken Cup, the next two weeks decide your fate.

"There is a pressure there, and it's such an unforgiving competition now. You can win a game, but fail to get a bonus point, and you are out of the Heineken Cup."

Tuilagi is back for Leicester after recovering from a cheekbone injury, with flanker Tom Croft also featuring after missing last weekend's thrilling Premiership victory over Northampton.

While Tigers will remain in the quarter-final hunt whatever happens tomorrow, Bath know a Pool Three home loss to reigning European champions Leinster would leave them facing an uphill qualification struggle.

Fly-half Stephen Donald and flanker Francois Louw are recalled by Bath boss Sir Ian McGeechan, but flanker and former England captain Lewis Moody is sidelined by shoulder trouble.

"If you don't win your home games you will be on the way out of the tournament," Bath scrum-half Michael Claassens said.

"Our pool is very open. There are two points between us and Leinster, a point between us and Glasgow, and Montpellier are close as well.

"All four teams in our group still have a shout of going through. The main thing for us is to make sure we beat Leinster in the next game."

In the second-tier Amlin Challenge Cup tomorrow, Pool Four leaders Newport Gwent Dragons visit Exeter and Worcester are away to Bucharest in Pool One.