It is make-or-break time for Leinster in the European Champions Cup as they face into the first of their back-to-back clashes with defending champions Toulon, knowing that only a win will do at the partizan Stade Félix Mayol.
EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS CUP – POOL 5: Sunday, December 13
TOULON (4th) v LEINSTER (3rd), Stade Félix Mayol, 4.15pm local time/3.15pm Irish time (live Sky Sports 3 HD/FR2/beIN Sports/RTÉ Radio 1/highlights TG4)
Team News: With last weekend’s game against the Glasgow Warriors falling victim to the elements and to Storm Desmond, Leinster’s starting line-up has a number of changes to the team that played against Ulster at the RDS two weeks ago.
In the backs Fergus McFadden, Rob Kearney and Isaac Boss come in, while in the pack it is a completely new front row for the trip to Stade Félix Mayol.
The fit-again Kearney starts at full-back for only his second Leinster game this season. McFadden and captain Isa Nacewa have scored 81 points between them so far in the 2015/16 campaign, including four tries, and start on the right and left wing respectively.
Luke Fitzgerald and Ben Te’o start in the centre with the experienced Boss partnering Jonathan Sexton paired together at half-back.
Up front, it is as you were in the back row with Rhys Ruddock, Josh van der Flier and Jamie Heaslip named to start. It will be van der Flier’s first start for Leinster in the Champions Cup having impressed off the bench against Bath in round 2, scoring a try in the process, and when starting against Ulster last time out in the PRO12.
The second row is also unchanged from that recent interprovincial clash with Devin Toner (pictured below) partnering Mike McCarthy, who makes his 59th appearance for Leinster but 299th senior club appearance in total.
Finally, the front row sees a new combination of Ireland internationals Cian Healy, Richardt Strauss and Mike Ross line up against the reigning European champions. Ten of the Leinster side also started last season’s agonising 25-20 semi-final extra-time loss to Toulon in Marseille.
Meanwhile, New Zealand’s Rugby World Cup-winning centre Ma’a Nonu and French powerhouse Mathieu Bastareaud will feature in the centre for Toulon as they look to bounce back from their heavy pool defeat to Wasps.
Bernard Laporte’s side have gained momentum with back-to-back Top 14 wins over Clermont Auvergne and Agen, scoring 88 points in the process. From last week’s 53-23 victory over Agen, there are four changes in personnel as Bryan Habana, Guilhem Guirado, Matt Stevens and Steffon Armitage all return.
South African winger Habana starts in place of James O’Connor on the right wing, with Champions Cup debutant Nonu, Bastareaud, Matt Giteau and Eric Escande retained as the centre and half-back combinations respectively.
Guirado and Stevens join Florian Fresia in the front row, while ever-influential openside Armitage takes over from injured Argentinian captain Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe in the back row.
TOULON: Delon Armitage; Bryan Habana, Mathieu Bastareaud, Ma’a Nonu, Drew Mitchell; Matt Giteau, Eric Escande; Florian Fresia, Guilhem Guirado, Matt Stevens, Samu Manoa, Romain Taofifenua, Mamuka Gorgodze, Steffon Armitage, Duane Vermeulen.
Replacements: Anthony Etrillard, Xavier Chiocci, Levan Chilachava, Juan Smith, Tom Taylor, Maxime Mermoz, Anthony Meric, Jocelino Suta.
LEINSTER: Rob Kearney; Fergus McFadden, Ben Te’o, Luke Fitzgerald, Isa Nacewa (capt); Jonathan Sexton, Isaac Boss; Cian Healy, Richardt Strauss, Mike Ross, Devin Toner, Mike McCarthy, Rhys Ruddock, Josh van der Flier, Jamie Heaslip.
Replacements: Sean Cronin, Jack McGrath, Martin Moore, Tom Denton, Jordi Murphy, Eoin Reddan, Ian Madigan, Dave Kearney.
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Gwyn Morris, Wayne Davies (both Wales)
Television Match Official: Derek Bevan (Wales)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Toulon to win: 1/8; Draw: 25/1; Leinster to win: 6/1
Pre-Match Quotes: Ben Te’o (Leinster) – “I think defence is going to be a big factor. I’m sure the coaches have a great game-plan to go against these guys. That would be my opinion – focus on ourselves, get our game in order, then go down there and try and have a great start.
“It’s all about teamwork. We’ve got to make our tackles, we’ve got to be aggressive, we’ve got to be physical and work together. It’s going to be a great atmosphere and we need to feed off that as well.
“Every game is a big game for us, but in the context of this game, where we’re at in the competition, it’s do-or-die for us. We need to win this game or we’re out. It’s going to be a big build-up. I can already sense that the boys are very focused.”
Leo Cullen (Leinster) – “I almost feel it was more daunting going back 10 to 15 years ago when there was the sense of going into the unknown when you went away for some of these French trips. I remember going to Toulouse before and that felt more daunting, I think.
“Of course, it’s daunting because Toulon have got big names of world rugby. But there is a certain sense of familiarity. We’ve played against all these guys before. We’ve played in Stade Félix Mayol as well.
“You could look back at the game against Wasps and we lost 33-6 but Toulon lost by a similar margin. The teams are close in this pool and Wasps have stolen a pretty significant march on everyone else but we just need to focus on what we can focus on now.
“You look at the match-ups and the quality players they have and we’ve got really good quality players there as well. I have a lot of faith in the squad, a lot of faith in the players that are there so that gives me the confidence going into this game.”
Current Form – Toulon – (Top 14 Championship): Lost 27-22 at home to Racing 92; Lost 24-9 away to Castres Olympique; Won 20-13 away to Stade Francais; Won 45-24 at home to La Rochelle; Lost 29-26 away to Brive; Won 61-3 at home to Oyonnax; Lost 33-29 away to Grenoble; Won 52-8 at home to Montpellier; (European Champions Cup): Lost 32-6 away to Wasps; (Top 14 Championship): Won 35-9 away to Clermont Auvergne; Won 53-23 at home to Agen
Leinster – (GUINNESS PRO12): Lost 16-9 away to Edinburgh; Won 23-15 at home to Cardiff Blues; Won 37-13 at home to Newport Gwent Dragons; Lost 25-14 away to the Scarlets; Won 23-18 at home to Glasgow Warriors; Won 27-3 away to Benetton Treviso; Won 19-15 at home to the Scarlets; (European Champions Cup): Lost 33-6 away to Wasps; Lost 19-16 away to Bath; (GUINNESS PRO12): Won 8-3 at home to Ulster
Top Scorers – 2015/16 European Champions Cup: Toulon – Points: Jonathan Pelissie 6; Tries: -; Leinster – Points: Jonathan Sexton 17; Tries: Josh van der Flier 1
Previous European Meetings: 2
Sunday, April 19, 2015 – Semi-final – Toulon 25 Leinster 20 (aet), Stade Vélodrome
Sunday, April 6, 2014 – Quarter-final – Toulon 29 Leinster 14, Stade Félix Mayol
Match Facts –
– These teams have faced each other twice before with Toulon taking the spoils on both occasions, although they have never clashed before in the pool stages
– Toulon have played 35 matches in the European Cup and lost consecutive games only once, however after defeat to Wasps last time out they will be aiming to avoid back-to-back defeats for the first time since 2011
– Toulon have won their last six matches against Irish opponents in the European Cup with those victories coming by an average margin of 15 points
– Leinster have suffered three consecutive losses in the Champions Cup but have never lost four in-a-row in their previous 138 games in the competition
– Leinster have won four of their last six matches against French teams in the European Cup though their two losses in that run have both been against Toulon
European Cup Records:
Toulon –
2014/15: Champions
2013/14: Champions
2012/13: Champions
2010/11: Reached the quarter-finals
Leinster –
2014/15: Reached the semi-finals
2013/14: Reached the quarter-finals
2012/13: Failed to qualify from Pool 5
2011/12: Champions
2010/11: Champions
2009/10: Reached the semi-finals
2008/09: Champions
2007/08: Failed to qualify from Pool 6
2006/07: Reached the quarter-finals
2005/06: Reached the semi-finals
2004/05: Reached the quarter-finals
2003/04: Failed to qualify from Pool 3
2002/03: Reached the semi-finals
2001/02: Reached the quarter-finals
2000/01: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
1999/00: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
1998/99: Failed to qualify from Pool A
1997/98: Failed to qualify from Pool A
1996/97: Failed to qualify from Pool B
1995/96: Reached the semi-finals
This website uses cookies.
Read More