Tigers put faith in Varndell to hit ground running

Tom Varndell, the quickest wing in England and a live contender for next year's World Cup squad, despite the sneering and scoffing that accompanies the very mention of his name these days, started the season in such dire form that he was packed off to second division Bedford as an act of mercy. Suddenly, he is deemed good enough to face the European champions in the biggest game of the campaign to date. Truly, the Leicester coach, Pat Howard, works in mysterious ways, his wonders to perform.

Varndell starts for the Midlanders against Munster at Welford Road tomorrow - a heavyweight bout scheduled for 80 minutes, but pregnant with knock-out potential as far as the home side are concerned. Defeat would leave Leicester so far up a gum tree in respect of their Heineken Cup ambitions, they might easily fall victim to altitude sickness. Hence Howard's decision to shake up his ailing back division in the hope that passes might start sticking and tries might start being registered.

Back comes Daryl Gibson, the midfield organiser supreme, at the expense of Dan Hipkiss; out goes Andy Goode, who started England's most recent international at outside-half, as a result of last week's Premiership performance at Northampton - a game Leicester won in spite of their back division rather than because of it.

Paul Burke wears the No 10 shirt tomorrow against his old team, and the pressure will be on. Goode may not have enjoyed the best of afternoons on the strategy front at Franklin's Gardens, but he did kick the goals that decided the contest.

It is Varndell's selection that sends the eyebrows in a northerly direction, however. Back from his loan spell at Bedford, where he rediscovered his bearings by running in tries from 80-plus metres before breaking down with knee trouble, he replaces Johnny Murphy on the left wing.

"At his best, Tom offers us good finishing power," Howard explained yesterday. The problem? No one has the faintest idea how close the 21-year-old is to the optimum. He started both Tests in Australia last June, only to find himself dumped from the élite player squad in August - a decision that did precisely nothing for his self-belief. If he is still low on confidence, Munster are perfectly equipped to exploit it. They are the last team on earth to give a sucker an even break.

Gloucester, who face Leinster in Dublin this evening, also have their share of youngsters, the difference being that Ryan Lamb, Anthony Allen and Jack Adams have assurance oozing from every pore.

Many expect them to struggle just a little tonight - after all, they will find themselves confronted by Felipe Contepomi, Gordon D'Arcy and Brian O'Driscoll, a state-of-the-art midfield if ever there was one - but if the West Country forwards, bolstered by a couple of high-class Italians, put their opponents on the back foot, the three 20-year-olds have the panache to press home the advantage. And if that happens, Allen, in particular, could find himself in the England frame for next month's meeting with New Zealand.

Dean Ryan, the Gloucester director of rugby, is well aware that his babes-in-arms could find themselves tipped out of the cot by O'Driscoll and company. "We have a low percentage of players who have been exposed to rugby at Heineken Cup level, while Leinster produced the best performance of last season's tournament when they went to Toulouse and won," he admitted.

"There is no greater stage in European rugby than a big match at Lansdowne Road, and this represents an enormous challenge. I am sure we will learn more about this group of players during the course of the game. I am also sure we are capable of winning."

If Munster and Leinster expect to spearhead the Celtic challenge, both Ulster and Cardiff Blues could add themselves to the mix today. The Irish province welcome an unusually reticent Toulouse to Ravenhill - "Everyone knows there are certain games you are not expected to win in this tournament, and away to Ulster is definitely one of them," said the visiting coach, Guy Noves - while the Blues head for Bourgoin with a spring in their step.

"No one gives us a chance of going through, but if you look at where we were this time last season, we are miles in front of that," said David Young, their director of rugby. "Someone has to win the group, and I don't see why it can't be us. We'll attack this challenge with everything we have."

Cardiff's everything has turned out to be precious little in recent seasons, but there is a whiff of something good going on at the Arms Park. A Welsh capital presence in the knock-out stages for the first time since 2001? Victory this afternoon would at least raise the possibility.