Malta starts its European Nations Championship campaign with a tough match in Riga, against Latvia today.

National coach Damian Neill has selected a record number of four locally based players in his starting line-up for this match. They are Ian Borda, Pierre Mangion and Robert Bonavia, all of Kavallieri RFC, and Malcom Attard of Stompers RFC.

The full squad :

Starting line-up: Ian Borda, Jason Ramage, Saviour Zarb, Pierre Mangion, Robert Bonavia, Guy Kennedy, Steven Kempster, Dominic St George, John Dimond, Jamie Caruana, James Finlason, Thomas Watts, Malcolm Attard, Lee Culnane and Oliver Sacco.

Substitutes: Leo Mifsud, Michael McArdie, David Gasan, Piers Allen, Matthew Mirabelli, John Attard and Ryan Robson.

German referee M. Reinecke will be controlling the match.