Mike Tindall and Olly Morgan have given Gloucester a significant fitness boost as they aim to keep their slim Heineken Cup hopes alive in Biarritz tonight.

The England backs have recovered from their respective injuries, a dead leg and a dislocated finger, to start against the 2006 finalists at Parc des Sports Aguilera.

But there is no place in Dean Ryan's 22-man matchday squad for fly-half Ryan Lamb, who has not even travelled to France.

Lamb has been replaced by Willie Walker and is one of three players who drop out following last weekend's shattering 16-12 home defeat to Cardiff Blues, the others being Matthew Watkins and Marco Bortolami.

Yet both Welsh centre-cum-wing Watkins and Italian lock Bortolami are named on the replacements' bench, while Lamb has been left at home for a match Gloucester must win – and win well – to have any chance of reaching the last eight.

As it stands, Gloucester are currently the fourth best placed of the six sides sitting second in their pools – with only the top two runners-up going through.

So they know they must beat Biarritz, ideally with a bonus point, and then hope other results go their way tomorrow and on Sunday.

And Gloucester's French hooker Olivier Azam accepts that scoring four tries against an improved Biarritz team, who are preparing for next weekend's crunch Top 14 clash with champions Toulouse, will be anything but easy.

"I think the only option is a five-point win, because that is the only result which can give us a bit of hope to qualify," said the 34-year-old.

"We have to target that, but it's going to be tough because Biarritz are coming into a bit of form.

"They are beginning to win a few games and they are preparing for a big game against Toulouse at home the week after. So they will have their full team out for us on Friday, so it is going to be pretty tough."

Biarritz have named 12 internationals – including Nicolas Brusque, Damien Traille, Dimitri Yachvili and Imanol Harinordoquy – in their starting line-up for tonight's game, while Gloucester's side boasts 14 men with Test experience.

Head coach Ryan, whose side have had to overcome the double difficulty of a five-day turnaround from their last match and the travel to the Basque country, is still without Andy Hazell and Peter Buxton, while Gareth Delve continues his recovery from a serious knee operation. All three could be available for next weekend's Guinness Premiership with London Irish.

In the backs, James Simpson-Daniel – who played 80 minutes against Cardiff as he made his comeback following ankle surgery – retains his place, as does Iain Balshaw, back in the side last weekend after a groin complaint.

They form an experienced three-quarter line along with returning skipper Tindall and inside centre Olly Barkley, while up front Will James comes in for Bortolami to partner Alex Brown in the second row.

Biarritz: N Brusque; P Bidabe, R Cabannes, D Traille, T Ngwenya; J Peyrelongue, D Yachvili; F Barcella, B August, C Johnstone, C Damiani, M Carizza, S Vahafolau, T Hall, I Harinordoquy (capt). Reps: E Coetzee, B Bourrust, J Thion, P Som, A Masi, L Tranier, I Bolakoro.

Gloucester: O Morgan, I Balshaw, M Tindall (capt), O Barkley, J Simpson-Daniel; W Walker, G Cooper; A Dickinson, O Azam, C Nieto, W James, A Brown, A Strokosch, A Satala, L Narraway. Reps: N Wood, A Titterrell, M Bortolami, A Eustace, R Lawson, A Allen, M Watkins.

Cardiff and Wales wing Tom James has been given a two-week ban following the red card he received for butting Gloucester's Azam last weekend.