The top two nations will win places in the IAAF World Cup in September and prospects for both teams are encouraging.

UK Athletics Performance Director Max Jones said: "We have picked two strong teams despite several of our leading athletes being unavailable because of injury.

Among those missing are:

• Katharine Merry
• Paula Radcliffe
• Mark Richardson

Radcliffe is suffering from a slight virus and will recuperate with a week of easy training.

Otherwise, the teams will line up much as expected, with Dwain Chambers, Jonathan Edwards and Steve Backley leading the way for the men.

Chambers demonstrated the kind of form he is in by blasting to victory in the 100m in Saturday's Commonwealth Games trials.

He recorded an impressive 10.03 seconds, with Mark Lewis-Francis running a personal best 10.07 to finish in second place.

The women's team includes Kelly Holmes, who pulled out of the trials at the last minute because of a viral complaint.

And Natasha Danvers will be boosted after her season's best performance to win the 400m hurdles in 56.44secs at the trials.

At last year's European Cup in Bremen, Germany, the men finished fifth and the women fourth.

Jones believes those places can be improved upon.

He said: "The women's team look set to give their strongest showing for several years and we hope to press Germany for second place.

"In the men's competition, Poland start as favourites after last year's outstanding result.

"But I think we will be disappointed if we don't qualify for the World Cup by finishing in the first two. If the men compete well, they can win.

"After some outstanding results at the Aqua-Pura Commonwealth Trials in Manchester, the team should be in top form for Annecy and there should be some outstanding individual performances."