Fly-half Paddy Jackson will steer London Irish as they begin their first Champions Cup run in more than a decade against French champions Montpellier.

Benhard van Rensburg comes into the centres with Australian internationals Rob Simmons and Adam Coleman at lock.

Samoa’s So’otala Fa’aso’o returns at number eight.

Fa’aso’o will line up against England international Zach Mercer, who is part of the visitors’ line-up.

Former Northampton scrum-half Cobus Reinach is part of an exciting backline that also features Italy’s Paolo Garbisi at inside centre and former All Black George Bridge on the wing.

London Irish’s eighth-place finish in last year’s Premiership secured them the final qualifying spot for the Champions Cup and a return to Europe’s top table for the first time since they finished bottom of their pool in the 2011-12 competition.

Victory over Newcastle ended a run of five successive Premiership defeats and lifted Declan Kidney’s side off the bottom of the table.

London Irish will play South Africa’s Stormers, who won the United Rugby Championship last season, home and away before concluding their pool stage with a return fixture against Montpellier in January.

Montpellier are fifth in the Top 14 this season and will hope to improve on their quarter-final defeat by eventual champions La Rochelle in this competition last season.

What they say

London Irish lock Rob Simmons: “We understand that it’s huge for the club. To have been out of that and now be seated at the top table of the top teams is a real challenge.

“As rugby players, we enjoy challenging ourselves and we get to challenge ourselves against some top, top teams.”

Montpellier centre Arthur Vincent: “We arrive with a lot of humility. We are still small in this competition. The Champions Cup goes faster, hits harder.

“As soon as a match is lost, qualification becomes complicated. It’s a very high level in all areas, close to an international Test.”

Line-ups

London Irish: Loader; Cinti, Joseph, Van Rensburg, Hassell-Collins; Jackson, White; Gigena, Creevy, Chawatama, Simmons, Coleman, Rogerson, Gonzalez, Fa’aso’o

Replacements: Willemse, Fischetti, Hoskins, Munga Cunningham-South, Powell, Jennings, Morisi.

Montpellier: Bouthier; Lam, Darmon, Garbisi, Bridge; Carbonel, Reinach; Forletta, Paenga-Amosa, Haouas, Chalureau, Verhaeghe, Camara, Becognee, Mercer

Replacements: Langdon, Tu’inukuafe, Lamositele, Doumenc, Coly, Tisseron, Dakuwaqa, Tauleigne