Champions Cup: Wasps v Montpellier - Hosts rest Jack Willis and Joe Launchbury

James Gaskell is one of those promoted into the starting line-up in the absence of Wasps' internationals

Wasps have rested England forwards Jack Willis and Joe Launchbury for their Heineken Champions Cup meeting with Montpellier at the Ricoh Arena.

Scrum-half Dan Robson is also left out as Will Porter comes in at nine.

"Our international players were keen to play, but they have to have a mandated amount of rest," said head coach Lee Blackett.

"We thought it was better to give them a well-deserved break, with a busy period to come."

Blackett's decision means an all-new second row of Tim Cardall and James Gaskell in place of Launchbury and Wales' Will Rowlands, while Ben Morris replaces Willis in the back row.

Wasps secured a bonus-point win away to Dragons in the first of their four matches in the pool stages of this year's competition.

Montpellier suffered a 35-14 defeat to Leinster in their opening match of the tournament.

The French side include 36-year-old former Springbok hooker Bismarck du Plessis and ex Northampton number eight Louis Picamoles in the pack, with another fomer Saint - scrum-half Cobus Reinach - on the bench.

England's Alex Lozowski, on a season-long loan from Saracens, is in the centres.

Wasps head coach Lee Blackett: "It is key over this period that we keep on being adaptable. We can't use anything as an excuse and we definitely won't be.

"Montpellier are a big, physical team that are very confrontational and are going to come at you. They are one of the heaviest sides in the Top 14 and they've got internationals throughout.

"In their last away game, they went away and beat Clermont. I thought they were outstanding. That was them at their best. It will be about not allowing them to impose their game on us and us trying to impose our game on them."

Line-ups

Wasps: Sopoaga; Kibirige, Odogwu, Gopperth, Bassett; Atkinson, Porter; Harris, Cruse, Brookes, Cardell, Gaskell, Morris, Young (c), Barbeary.

Replacements: Oghre, West, Toomaga-Allen, Douglas, Willis, Vellacott, Le Bourgeois, Minozzi.

Montpellier: Immelman; Martin, Lozowski, Vincent (c), Vallee; Foursans, Paillaugue; Forletta, Du Plessis, Lamositele, Van Rensburg, Chalureau, Ouedraogo, Becognee, Picamoles

Replacements: Delhommel, Nariashvili, Chilachava, Camara, Timu, Reinach, Reilhac, Ngandebe

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