IAIN Balshaw insists that thinking of England is the last thing on his mind as he prepares for his return to Bath colours.

The World Cup winner is pencilled in for a 40-minute run-out for his club in the Parker Pen Challenge Cup quarter-final first leg clash against Beziers in France (7.30pm).

The prospect of a return for Balshaw this weekend and colleague Mike Catt for the return in a week's time is a major boost for Sir Clive Woodward, given the current rash of injuries that have hit the England squad ahead of the Six Nations Championship opener in Italy on February 15.

But Balshaw is looking no further than tomorrow's assignment at the Stade de la Mediterranee after recovering from the calf injury that has restricted him to just two club appearances since the World Cup.

"It has been a long time in coming, but it is great to finally be back,'' said Balshaw, who expected to start at full-back against Beziers.

"The calf feels great, but I think the idea is for me to have a half on Saturday to ease my way back into action."

"At this stage I am not looking beyond this weekend.

"I am still not match fit and just need to get some game time under my belt that is the sole target."

Meanwhile, Bath head coach John Connolly admits Beziers are something of an unknown quantity to him as he prepares for the quarter-final.

The Queenslander faced tomorrow's opponents during his stint as coach at Stade Francais, but made no secret of the fact that he expected to be facing Grenoble beaten 43-23 over two legs by Beziers at this stage.

"I have to say we don't know a great deal about Beziers and we have not studied any tapes of their games yet,'' admitted Connolly.

"But they are a forward-orientated side with a strong Georgian influence in their front row.

"Behind the scrum, wing and captain Philippe Escalle is also a class player.

"Beziers really did well against Grenoble at the weekend.

"I would expect an extremely tough encounter on Saturday and we will need to step up a gear if we are to beat them.''

Balshaw's return could allow Simon Danielli to revert to his favoured wing position.

But the Bath bench is still likely to be packed with forwards, as the three-quarter injury crisis goes on.

Beziers too have massive injury problems that will rob them of at least 10 players.

These include Argentinian Gonzalo Quesada, top points scorer in the 1999 World Cup, former Gloucester full-back Chris Catling (knee), plus French international Arnaud Costes (ankle sprain).

Quesada's Argentinian colleague Juan Miranda is inelligible for this competition, as is Georgian lock Vano Nadiradze.

Bath (from): Balshaw, Danielli, Higgins, Crockett, Maggs, Blake, Barkley, Malone, Wood, Martens, Flatman, Barnes, Humphreys, Mears, Bell, Stevens, Fidler, Grewcock (capt), Beattie, Gray, Lipman, Scaysbrook, Feaunati.