Back at 12 for Toulouse: Clément Poitrenaud
Toulouse must take at least two points from Friday's clash with Gloucester at Kingsholm to be assured of a spot in the Heineken Cup quarter-finals.
The four-time champions will be looking to qualify for the knock-out stages for an incredible fourteenth time.
The current champions of France have faced their West Country hosts just once before in European competition, winning 21-17 in a tight game in Toulouse in the first match of Pool Six this season.
The Cherry and Whites cannot qualify for the Heineken Cup knock-out stages or the Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-finals and have nothing to play for but pride in the final game of their European campaign.
If pool leaders Toulouse get two points on English soil (a draw or two bonus points) and rivals Harlequins fail to beat Connacht with a bonus point - thus leaving them both on 20 points - the French side will top the pool on the head-to-head ruling.
Gloucester Head Coach Bryan Redpath has kept faith with the majority of the side that ran Harlequins so close last weekend with Rupert Harden's return at tighthead the only change to the starting line up.
The Cherry and Whites led at half time at Quins last Saturday and also for the majority of the second half until a wicked bouncing ball just minutes from full time allowed the hosts to pounce for the winning score.
Gloucester have been more than competitive in this group and were only denied a famous victory in the first meeting between these two teams by a controversial late score.
Talking to the media ahead of the game, Redpath admitted that it's been small margins that have cost his team in Europe this year.
"Toulouse and Quins away, we could have had several more points in the bag. They're small margins. We put in a very good performance at Toulouse and lost to a try seven minutes from time," said Redpath.
"Last weekend, we played pretty well. They (Quins) had two opportunities and the ball bounced badly for us and they capitalised on them."
"I can't fault the players' effort, it's just been one or two little things that have let us down. Some things you can't control. But you can't let these things get you down, you have to keep plugging away.
"But to bring Toulouse back to Kingsholm on a Friday night is probably one of the biggest games you'll get in club rugby for a Gloucester player.
"It's a great opportunity for our players to go toe to toe with one of the very top teams in Europe. It's a reputation game and a chance to shine."
Meanwhile, Toulous have made six changes to the starting XV that beat Connacht last week.
Record try-scorer Vincent Clerc drops to bench with Yves Donguy starting on the left wing. There new midfield as Yannick Jauzion returns and is joined by Clément Poitrenaud.
Lionel Beauxis takes over from Luke McAlister at fly-half while Yannick Nyanga comes into the loose trio ahead of veteran Jean Bouilhou.
The teams:
Gloucester: 15 Jonny May, 14 Charlie Sharples, 13 Mike Tindall, 12 Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu, 11 James Simpson-Daniel, 10 Freddie Burns, 9 Rory Lawson, 8 Luke Narraway (c), 7 Akapusi Qera, 6 Alasdair Stroskoch, 5 Alex Brown, 4 Jim Hamilton, 3 Rupert Harden, 2 Scott Lawson, 1 Nick Wood.
Replacements: 16 Darren Dawidiuk, 17 Dan Murphy, 18 Shaun Knight, 19 Will James, 20 Matt Cox, 21 Dave Lewis, 22 Ryan Mills, 23 Henry Trinder
Stade Toulousain: 15 Maxime Medard, 14 Timoci Matanavou, 13 Yannick Jauzion, 12 Clément Poitrenaud, 11 Yves Donguy, 10 Lionel Beauxis, 9 Luke Burgess, 8 Louis Picamoles , 7 Thierry Dusautoir, 6 Yannick Nyanga, 5 Patricio Albacete, 4 Yoann Maestri, 3 Census Johnston, 2 William Servat, 1 Gurthro Steenkamp.
Replacements: 16 Christopher Tolofua, 17 Jean-Baptiste Poux, 18 Dan Human, 19 Grégory Lamboley, 20 Jean Bouilhou 21 Jean-Marc Doussain, 22Vincent Clerc, 23 Shaun Sowerby,
Date: Friday, January 20
Venue: Kingsholm, Gloucester
Kick-off: 20.00 GMT
Referee: George Clancy
Comments
TheDazzler0911 says...
Ah, they have Elissalde on the sideline, I heard he brought his boots. They'll be grand. No more bad news regarding the Toulouse line up please @Rosbif, I have already backed them and can't get a refund.Ha
Posted 16:19 20th January 2012
Rosbif says...
....now heard clerc is only 50% likely to play since still carrying knock from last week. fritz was on the plane he's also only 50% there...... some-one's going to end up playing on one leg, or sowerby will have to stand-in at 15.........
Posted 14:26 20th January 2012
Rosbif says...
ooops. forgot to mention nyanga can play wing in extremis.....
Posted 11:46 20th January 2012
Rosbif says...
@ TheDazzler0911. hope you're right. I'm totally behind ST, as you probably know.
Just worried about possible injury to Beauxis (or to lesser extent Jauzion). My point is that with only 2 backs on the bench, a make-shift backline of 9 Burgess 10 Doussain 11 Donguy 12 Poitrenaud 13 Medard 14 Matanavou and 15 Clerc would lack (i) a goal kicker, (ii) a specialist 15, and (iii) a 10 12 13 that have ever player together!! Hence why the gloucester backline (which looks pretty good to me, and have 3 on the bench) could make some inroads....
But i agree 100% that the ST starting backline is full of menace. No question!
PS... just a small point.... but Poitrenaud was not at RWC (despite the protestations of many at ST)... we have Lievremont's friendship with Traille to thank for that (but that is a whole different story, not fit for the internet....)
Allez !!! :-)
Posted 11:38 20th January 2012
TheDazzler0911 says...
@Rosbif "that backline would be no match for the gloucester flyers..." - Medard, Clerc, Poitrenaud (all world cup finalists) are no match for an average Gloucester backline..I'd have to disagree.
I expect Toulouse to dominate in the pack and will be too strong and clinical out wide. Tolouse have to win to ensure a top place finish, while Gloucester on the other hand have nothing to play for. I expect Toulouse to win this by 10/12 points...maybe more
Posted 08:58 20th January 2012
froggy73 says...
Bad news for Toulouse, the ref is Clancy. He goes with the crowd. That's him who gave the victory to Saracens over Biarritz last week !
Posted 14:02 19th January 2012
Rosbif says...
Two nice looking back-lines!
Looking at the benches, seems to me that Gloucester have 2 young guys (Trinder, Mills) who can play centre in case of injury to Tindall or EFS. Meanwhile, ST have no back-up, and have only one recognised centre in the match-day 23, Jauzion. Fritz, David and Mcalister all carrying knocks apparently.
Leads me to conclude a simple game-plan for Gloucester: Take out Beauxis and/or Jauzion early on. Different game with Doussain at 10 (taking the kicks?) and/or Medard covering 13 (leaving no specialist at 15). No matter how strong ST's pack is, that backline would be no match for the gloucester flyers...
Posted 14:01 19th January 2012