Wallabies abroad: Mitchell to start, Barba to debut for Toulon

Ben Barba is in line for his Toulon debut, named on the bench for the team’s clash with Brive.

Drew Mitchell will start at fullback for Toulon, with Barba his most likely replacement in the reserves.

Matt Giteau will steer the ship at flyhalf, as they face a crunch game against 10th-placed Brive, with Toulon clinging to their top six spot with eight games to go.

James O’Connor is missing from the side, temporarily suspended over cocaine charges.
Peter Kimlin will line up at blindside flanker for Grenoble against Racing 92, while Sitaleki Timani will start at lock for competition leaders Clermont against Castres.

MIke Harris’s Lyon will take on Montpellier on Monday morning (AEDT), while Will Genia and Adam Ashley-Cooper look like going head-to-head when Stade Francais meets Bordeaux.

Those teams are yet to be named ahead of the weekend.

PREMIERSHIP

Exeter notched a big win over Leicester overnight, though there were plenty of Aussies missing for the Chiefs.
Peter Betham and Lochie McCaffrey were both on the Tigers side, with Betham coming on in the 57th minute and McCaffrey playing the last seven minutes in the backrow.

None of Dave Dennis, Lachie Turner or Greg Holmes suited up for the Chiefs.

Kurtley Beale will start at fullback for Wasps, up against Bath, with Ben Tapuai at inside centre for the southerners.