Connacht head to a familiar ground this time around, but the challenge is as daunting as ever.
CONNACHT
Starting XV: 15 Robbie Henshaw, 14 Fionn Carr, 13 Eoin Griffin, 12 Dave McSharry, 11 Matt Healy, 10 Dan Parks, 9 Kieran Marmion
1 Brett Wilkinson, 2 Sean Henry, 3 Nathan White, 4 Mick Kearney, 5 Craig Clarke (c), 6 John Muldoon, 7 Jake Heenan, 8 George Naoupu
Replacements: 16 Jason Harris-Wright, 17 Denis Buckley, 18 Rodney Ah You, 19 Michael Swift 20 Eoin McKeon, 21 Frank Murphy, 22 Craig Ronaldson, 23. Gavin Duffy
Unavailable/Injured: Ronan Loughney, Aly Muldowney, Willie Faloon, Mata Fifita, Aaron Conneely, Danie Poolman, Tiernan O’Halloran, Miah Nikora, and Kyle Tonetti.
Starting XV: 15 Robbie Henshaw, 14 Fionn Carr, 13 Eoin Griffin, 12 Dave McSharry, 11 Matt Healy, 10 Dan Parks, 9 Kieran Marmion
1 Brett Wilkinson, 2 Sean Henry, 3 Nathan White, 4 Mick Kearney, 5 Craig Clarke (c), 6 John Muldoon, 7 Jake Heenan, 8 George Naoupu
Replacements: 16 Jason Harris-Wright, 17 Denis Buckley, 18 Rodney Ah You, 19 Michael Swift 20 Eoin McKeon, 21 Frank Murphy, 22 Craig Ronaldson, 23. Gavin Duffy
Unavailable/Injured: Ronan Loughney, Aly Muldowney, Willie Faloon, Mata Fifita, Aaron Conneely, Danie Poolman, Tiernan O’Halloran, Miah Nikora, and Kyle Tonetti.
Toulouse
Starting XV: 15 Clément Poitrenaud, 14 Yoann Huget, 13 Florian Fritz, 12 Yann David, 11 Hosea Gear, 10 Jean-Pascal Barraque, 9 Jano Vermaak
1 Gurthro Steenkamp, 2 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 3 Census Johnston, 4 Edwin Maka, 5 Yoann Maestri, 6 Yacouba Camara, 7 Thierry Dusautoir (c), 8 Louis Picamoles
Replacements: 16 Jaba Bregvadze, 17 Schalk Ferreira, 18 Yohan Montes, 19 Romain Millo-Chluski, 20 Christopher Tolofua, 21 Jean-Marc Doussain, 22 Lionel Beauxis, 23 Timoci Matanavou
Starting XV: 15 Clément Poitrenaud, 14 Yoann Huget, 13 Florian Fritz, 12 Yann David, 11 Hosea Gear, 10 Jean-Pascal Barraque, 9 Jano Vermaak
1 Gurthro Steenkamp, 2 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 3 Census Johnston, 4 Edwin Maka, 5 Yoann Maestri, 6 Yacouba Camara, 7 Thierry Dusautoir (c), 8 Louis Picamoles
Replacements: 16 Jaba Bregvadze, 17 Schalk Ferreira, 18 Yohan Montes, 19 Romain Millo-Chluski, 20 Christopher Tolofua, 21 Jean-Marc Doussain, 22 Lionel Beauxis, 23 Timoci Matanavou
Venue: Stade Ernest Wallon, Toulouse
Date: Sunday, 08th December 2013
Kick-off: 15:00 GMT / 16:00 Local Time
TV Broadcasts: France 2, Sky Sports 2 - Red Button (15:00), Sky Sports Xtra (15:45), Rabo Matchday Live
Referee: Marius Mitrea (FIR)
MATCH DISCUSSION THREAD ON THE FORUM
Date: Sunday, 08th December 2013
Kick-off: 15:00 GMT / 16:00 Local Time
TV Broadcasts: France 2, Sky Sports 2 - Red Button (15:00), Sky Sports Xtra (15:45), Rabo Matchday Live
Referee: Marius Mitrea (FIR)
MATCH DISCUSSION THREAD ON THE FORUM
It's just over two years since Connacht first faced a Toulouse side on the rugby pitch, and nearly two years since the equivalent match was played in the HEC in the 11/12 season. Both of those occassion resulted in Connacht bravely fighting a losing battle a side not studded with class, but encrusted. Tomorrow they face another such battle in the Stade Ernest Wallon, a stadium that is winning a special place in the hearts of Connacht fans.
In January of 2012 Gavin Duffy lead out a relatively young side, with Tonetti and McSharry in the centres and Fets and TOH on the wings. O'Donohoe and Niall O'Connor performed the half-back duties and McCarthy, Ofisa and Flavin were still stalwards of the Connacht pack. Connacht fans packed into a corner and filled the stadium on a day when Connacht showed Stade Toulousain that they were there to be counted. Although the score-line did not reflect the possession, the territory or the endevour of the Connacht side all involved left that pitch with their pride more than intact.
Connacht face into tomorrow's match in a very similar position to where they were in January 2012. At that stage of the season Connacht were on a losing streak of 12 matches in all competitions, and had had some issues in integrating new faces into the team. They were without Ronan Loughney at prop and were facing a side with Steenkamp and Johnson up front, and the likes of Médard, Clerc, David, and Fritz in the backline. They raised their game that day but failed to get across the line, the main theme of this painful season so far. Connacht are apparently getting another shot.
Connacht's lineout tomorrow is pretty strong and the main source of hope for many fans will be the return of the talismanic Muldoon to the backrow, where his passion will ensure that the Toulouse loose forwards will have a fight on their hands. He is joined by the recovered Naoupu who was a source of gain-line success during the last meeting, and Heenan whose form has been consistently top-drawer this season but is required to make a huge step-up in class as he is in direct competition with Thierry Dusautoir. Mick Kearney is preferred as a partner to Craig Clarke with Swift taking a bench spot. In the front row Wilkinson is the only member of the front row from 2012 to remain, with White and Henry starting alongside him.
Robbie Henshaw starts at fullback and is partnered in the outside backs by Carr and Healy. In the centre McSharry will start his second match in Stade Ernest Wallon but this time will have Eoin Griffin outside him in place of Kyle Tonetti. Parks and Marmion step into the shoes of O'Connor and O'Donohoe. This backline seems cut out for an attacking approach, with Healy and Carr hopefully creating space with their jinking runs which can then be taken advantage of by powerful runs from Henshaw, McSharry and Griffin.
In fact right across the pitch Toulouse have a team which is extraordinarily physical, from the 21st Census Johnson, to 22st Edwin Maka, to 18st Louis Picamoles, to 16st Hosea Gear this Toulouse side are as likely to attempt to roll over Connacht as to run around them. Though they certainly have the quality to do that as well, with the talented young Jean-Pascal Barraque playing at out-half (he can play across the backline) and South-African Vermaak providing the ball (cleaned out by the experienced Toulousain backrow) to the likes of David and Fritz Connacht's defensive organisation will be under the spotlight, and quite a bit of pressure. Any mistake will be ruhtlessly exposed by this side.
The Connacht Clan are gathering in The Dáil Bar (upstairs) to watch the match from quarter to 3 onward. There will be finger food, and moral support.
