British & Irish Cup: London Scottish V Melrose | Currie V Nottingham | Ayr V Bristol

Previews for all the forthcoming B&I Cup matchups

LONDON SCOTTISH V MELROSE

Venue: Athletic Ground, kick-off 3pm.

Melrose bring back Allan Dodds and Chris Hardie on the wings in place of pros Mark Robertson and Simon Webster, while Bruce Dick replaces the injured Joe Helps. Up front, Chris Keen returns at loosehead and Nicky Little switches over for the injured Lewis Niven at tighthead. Andrew Skeen is back from Scotland Sevens duty and Nick McGrath makes his long-awaited return from injury. London Scottish left it late to name their starting XV.

London Scottish: O Grove, A Gosio, B MacDougall, C Hayter, R Westren, J Brown, A Lalanne, A Clarke, A Kwasnicki, L Thiede, S Pape, JT Brown, J Kellard, B Lonergan, W Lipp, T Standfield, A Liffchak, K Rudzki, L Calder, M Heeks, D Mugford, J Sole.

Melrose: F Thomson; A Dodds, J Murray, B Dick, C Hardie; S Wight, B Colvine; C Keen, A Walker, N Little, R Miller, P Eccles, J Dalziel, G Runciman, G Dodds. Subs: R Ferguson, P Tamba, S Johnston, D Crawford, S McCormick, A Skeen, N McGrath.

CURRIE V NOTTINGHAM

Venue: Malleny Park, kick-off 3pm.

Currie coach Ally Donaldson brings back Mark Cairns after Scotland sevens duty for Malcolm Peacock and Edinburgh’s Steve Turnbull takes over from injured Glasgow lock Rob Verbarkel. Currie have a strong bench that includes Andy Kelly, Richard Snedden, Gregor Hunter and John Houston The Green and Whites have a 100 per cent record, but the strange format of the competition means that a win today may still only take them through as a top runner-up.

Currie: J Forbes; B Mansfield, D Fife, A MacMahon, J Johnstone; A Binikos, C Leck; J Cox, F Gillies, C Phillips, S Marcell, S Turnbull, S Burton, M Cairns (capt), R Weston. Subs: A Kelly, R Merrilees, G Temple, M Peacock, R Snedden, G Hunter, J Houston.

Nottingham: Have not yet announced their team but will again rely heavily on academy players.

AYR V BRISTOL

Venue: Millbrae, kick-off 2.30pm.

Ayr pull in Glasgow trio Fergus Thomson, Calum Forrester and Colin Shaw, and Edinburgh elite squad pair Robert McAlpine and Robin Hislop. Ross Curle misses out due to injury. Andy Kelly is in at tighthead and lock Scott Sutherland returns. Bristol are on a four-match winning run, but seeking a first cup win so retain six of the side that beat Plymouth last weekend - Jon Goodridge, Fautua Otto, William Helu, Dan Montagu, Wayne Thompson and captain Ross Johnston.

Ayr: G Anderson; C Shaw, R Dalgleish, M Stewart (captain), C Taylor, R Fergusson, M McConnell; R Hislop, F Thomson, A Kelly, S Sutherland, C White, A Dunlop, R Colhoun, C Forrester. Subs from: S Fenwick, G Sykes, R McAlpine, J Willis, J Dunning, S Diez, AJ MacFarlane, M Beckwith, C Davidson.

Bristol: J Goodridge; J Letherby, F Otto, W Helu, M Williams; M Davies, M Keyte; D Crompton, R Johnston (capt), W Thompson, G Townson, D Barry, J Ovens, M Mama, D Montagu. Subs: R Lawrence, W Davis, H Hone, M Eadie, T Slater, M James, J Gadd.