London Welsh’s visit to in-form French side Bordeaux Begles tonight is set to give fringe players the chance to force their way into the struggling first team, writes SIMON WILLIAMS.

The Exiles, who are yet to register a win in the Aviva Premiership this season, take a five-week break from league action with games in the European Challenge Cup and then the LV= Cup.

And assistant coach Ollie Smith said some more established players would be rested for this European tie.

“It is a good opportunity for people to come in and press a claim,” he explained.

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Smith cited the example of prop Ben Cooper, who has been a regular replacement for Welsh this season, but hasn’t started in the Premiership.

The Exiles cannot qualify for the next stage of the European Challenge Cup, having lost all four games in their pool to date – including a heavy 52-20 defeat at home to Bordeaux in October.

Smith said tonight’s match and next weekend’s game against Lyon at Oxford’s Kassam Stadium would bring a welcome change of focus from the league campaign.

“When you are looking to improve, there are no such things as ‘nothing games’,” he said.

“If we perform well in France against a very, very good team, that will give us confidence.

“It’s about continuing to improve and eventually we will have improved enough to win. At the moment, we are a bit off the pace.”

Bordeaux are fifth in the France Top 14 league.

Smith said: “Bordeaux are a typical French team. They have good set pieces and like to go forward.

“We know they are going to play and attack with a lot of pace. But they can drop off defensively.”

Welsh go into tonight’s game on the back of a 38-7 defeat at Newcastle Falcons on Sunday.

But Smith said: “We can’t sit and mope, we have to get on with it.”

Welsh lock Ben West said the post mortem in training this week had been constructive.

And he added that the match against Bordeaux would give players more freedom, adding: “It is an opportunity to play into some form.”

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