Only four London Welsh players who started the win over Pontypridd last week retain their place for today’s match at London Scottish – providing the game passes a morning pitch inspection.

Joe Ajuwa, Sonny Parker, Richard Thorpe and Ollie Stedman are the only survivors from the side which won 26-23 at the Kassam Stadium.

Welsh go into the game four points adrift of Scottish in Pool 2 and looking for their first win over James Buckland’s team this season, having lost both of their previous meetings – the most recent coming on December 21 in the home Greene King IPA Championship clash.

“We’re approaching Saturday’s game with the same intent as if it was a Championship decider for a place in the top-four, and our team selection speaks for itself,” said London Welsh head coach Justin Burnell.

“We’ve made 11 changes and we will be going all guns blazing for the win, but also for the momentum to take back into our league campaign.

He added: “We’ve lost four times this season out of 16 games and 50 per cent of those losses have been to London Scottish.

“That proves they’re a very good side, but it also adds a little bit more flavour to Saturday’s game.”

London Welsh: Awcock, Stegmann, May (capt), Parker, Ajuwa, Jewell, Cook, Trevett, Vella, Tideswell, Lees, Browne, Thorpe, Kirwan, Stedman. Reps: Morris, Hepburn, Edwards, West, Denbee, Frost, Robinson.

London Welsh are only guaranteed to reach the quarter-finals if they finish top of Pool 2.

To do this, they are likely to need a bonus-point win, with Scottish picking up fewer than two points.

Should any two teams finish level on points, positions will be determined by points difference.