Britain and Ireland will go into this week's Vivendi Trophy - the renamed Seve Trophy - as underdogs because they have been so badly hit by withdrawals.

Britain and Ireland have beaten Continental Europe four times in a row but captain Paul McGinley is without his four highest-ranked players.

Paul Casey, Padraig Harrington, Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter are missing, as are Luke Donald and Justin Rose.

Europe captain Thomas Bjorn is without Sergio Garcia and Martin Kaymer.

Casey and Kamyer are both injured, while the other players are unavailable.

Despite eight such high-profile names not showing up for a variety of reasons, 18 of the 20 players on show are in the world's top 100.

The exceptions are Steve Webster and Robert Rock, two of the eight English players taking part.

Unlike the Ryder Cup, the competition at St Nom la Breteche in Paris is over four days rather than three.

Fourballs are played on Thursday and Friday, followed by greensomes (when partners both drive on each hole, but then choose one ball) and foursomes on Saturday and then singles on Sunday.

European Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie will be in attendance looking at candidates for his side at Celtic Manor next year, and for 20-year-old Rory McIlroy and 21-year-old Chris Wood it will be a first taste of international team golf as professionals.

McIlroy's rise to world number 24 makes him Britain and Ireland's top player on paper, while Wood's performances in the last two Open Championships - fifth as an amateur then third as a pro - have thrust him into the limelight.

Montgomerie said: "You can't do anything about players who are injured (Kaymer and Casey) and scheduling is also difficult.

"What I would rather focus on is who is there because there is an awful lot of talent in both teams.

"Also, due to players not being there, it gives an opportunity to others who otherwise might not have been involved. It is a very important four days."

Continental Europe team: Henrik Stenson, Robert Karlsson, Soren Kjeldsen, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Soren Hansen, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, Alvaro Quiros, Peter Hanson, Anders Hansen, Francesco Molinari.
Non-playing captain: Thomas Bjorn

Britain and Ireland team: Rory McIlroy, Ross Fisher, Oliver Wilson, Graeme McDowell, Chris Wood, Simon Dyson, Robert Rock, Nick Dougherty, Steve Webster, Anthony Wall.
Non-playing captain: Paul McGinley