In the centre: Luke McAlister
Toulouse have named Lionel Beauxis at fly-half alongside Luke McAlister, with the latter moved to 12 for their Heineken Cup clash with Leicester.
Guy Novés's decision heightens the expectation that the French outfit will adopt a kick-minded approach and back their forwards to win up front.
Thierry Dusautoir returns to that pack alongside Gregory Lamboley and Louis Picamoles while hooker Christopher Tolofua is back in the side.
A further boost to the line-up is Census Johnston coming through a late fitness test, which allows him to start at prop alongside Gurthro Steenkamp. Toulouse arrive with a matchday 23 that features 22 internationals. Only prop Yohan Montes does not have an international cap to his name.
There is just one change to the Leicester side that drew 15-all with Ospreys last week with Thomas Waldrom starting at number eight ahead of Jordan Crane, who drops to the bench.
A sell-out crowd awaits the French side at Welford Road for what is a must-win fixture for the hosts while a losing bonus point or two could be enough for Toulouse to sneak into the quarter-finals.
Toulouse recorded a comfortable 23-9 victory over Richard Cockerill's side in the first game between the sides back in October but will be aware the Tigers will be a different proposition at home in front 24,000 fans.
The Tigers will be desperate to secure a place in the last eight, having failed to make the quarter-finals of European rugby's premier tournament for two of the last three seasons.
Leicester are unbeaten in their last 21 home games in the Heineken Cup since Munster won 21-19 at Welford Road in 2006. But Leicester's only win in their last five encounters with French opponents was 23-19 over Clermont in 2011.
Toulouse's only Round 6 victory since 2008 came at Sale Sharks in 2010.
Leicester have won three of the clashes between these sides, while Toulouse's victory over the Tigers earlier in the campaign was their fourth win against their long-standing rivals.
The only time that Toulouse have missed out on a quarter-final spot since 2001/02 was in 2006/07.
Work is well underway to protect the Welford Road pitch from the current arctic conditions in readiness for Sunday's game.
The playing surface has been protected by frost sheets since last week and has been covered by a heatdome since Wednesday.
Daytime temperatures over the next three days are expected to remain around freezing with overnight lows predicted to be around -4C/-5C. Temperatures at Welford Road reached a low of -8C on Tuesday night.
Snow is forecast for Leicester on Friday afternoon but is expected to clear on Saturday.
The teams:
Leicester: 15 Mathew Tait, 14 Niall Morris, 13 Manu Tuilagi, 12 Anthony Allen, 11 Adam Thompstone, 10 Toby Flood, 9 Ben Youngs, 8 Thomas Waldrom, 7 Julian Salvi, 6 Steve Mafi, 5 Geoff Parling, 4 Louis Deacon, 3 Dan Cole, 2 Tom Youngs, 1 Marcos Ayerza.
Replacements: 16 Rob Hawkins, 17 Logovi'i Mulipola, 18 Martin Castrogiovanni, 19 Ed Slater, 20 Jordan Crane, 21 Sam Harrison, 22 George Ford, 23 Matt Smith.
Toulouse: 15 Clement Poitrenaud, 14 Vincent Clerc, 13 Florian Fritz, 12 Luke McAlister, 11 Yoann Huget, 10 Lionel Beauxis, 9 Jean-Marc Doussain, 8 Louis Picamoles, 7 Thierry Dusautoir, 6 Gregory Lamboley, 5 Patricio Albacete, 4 Yoann Maestri, 3 Census Johnston, 2 Christopher Tolofua, 1 Gurthro Steenkamp.
Replacements: 16 Gary Botha, 17 Vasil Kakovin, 18 Yohan Montes, 19 Romain Millo-Chluski, 20 Yannick Nyanga, 21 Luke Burgess, 22 Yannick Jauzion, 23 Maxime Medard.
Date: Sunday, 20 January
Venue: Welford Road
Kick-off: 15:00
Referee: George Clancy (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Mark Patton (Ireland), Olly Hodges (Ireland)
Television match official: Simon McDowell (Ireland)
Comments
lawynd says...
@rugbylover - Clancy did his best to officiguess the Tigers off the park, does that restore your myopic balance for you?
Posted 09:17 21st January 2013
rugbylover says...
My advice to ANY French team in this, or any competition where they will face a team from the British Isles [a geographical term - but hey, let's add IRELAND] is to demand a neutral - ie a referee form SA, Australia, NZ or anywhere - or just negotiate the (losing) score.
Posted 14:38 20th January 2013
lawynd says...
Should help Toulouse then, right froggy73? ;)
Posted 10:30 19th January 2013
lacroix says...
clancy...oh no. thats a shame and likely to have a bearing on the result.
is the pitch frozen?
Posted 09:43 19th January 2013
froggy73 says...
Clancy is the weekest scrum referee you can get...
Posted 22:53 18th January 2013
pierredelot1 says...
Well if you want to see weak refereeing Clancy is your man. But can't see the reasoining behind Beauxis, Ok all he can do these days is kick, but he's not always very good at that. Great player before he went to Stade Francais and now at Toulouse vin ordinaire. Having said that Allen is nothing to write home about at 12 for Leicester, strikes me he's the nearly man who nearly made it, but just not quite good enough. Census not always the great prop people make him out to be, sure he's strong but technically he has faults and gets away with quite a bit. Too close to call.
Posted 19:59 18th January 2013
Rosbif says...
Freezing weather predicted. Winner takes all game. And a classic selectorial joker played by Noves, the old sorcerer.... He's gone for the monster pack, obviously. The front row clash will be epic. Lamboley ahead of Nyanga to pressure Mafi in the line-out. And behind, there are 3 guys who have played 10 regularly to act as possible first receivers (Doussain, McA and Beaxis) and two full-backs (Poitrenaud and Huget) for the high ball / territory game. In the middle of it all is Fritz, ST's best defender, opposite Tuilagi, Tigers' most potent attacking threat.
It may not be France vs England, but I hear they are calling it "le mini-crunch"....
ALLEZ both teams !!
P.S. Let's hope Clancy has one of his better games. Please, no crazy yellow/red cards, no guess-work penalties at set scrum, and some consistency at the breakdown. Fingers crossed.....
Posted 16:39 18th January 2013
rugby_rockstar says...
George Clancy as referee. The scrum interpretation will be absolutely diabolical on a day when it's going to take centre stage given the weather conditions.
I mean which idiot looked at the Leicester scrum and the Toulouse scrum and decided that an irish ref was the way to go. Jesus wept.
Posted 15:40 18th January 2013
heathy says...
sirtidychris - I agree. I looked at the Toulouse team and thought "jeeps, it is basically an international team!" However, it is a French 'international team' and although there is a splattering of non French players they are still predominantly French! My point being that the French teams can be as terrible on the road as they are great at home. The weather is not going to be good at all and Leicester, for all their huffing and puffing of recent seasons, are still a good outfit and know what it takes to win. Dodgy conditions and a home crowd favours Leicester in this one as if they play the Leicester way and do this well, it won't be pretty but it will be effective. All things considered, I favour the Tigers to get a result here as I'm sure they will and can 'up their game' for this crucial encounter.
Posted 13:59 18th January 2013
makemehappy says...
If Leicester don't dominate up front, then I think they genuinely have no chance, providing the froggies actually turn up!
Posted 13:54 18th January 2013
sirtidychris says...
Both teams played badly last week, but I think this will be nearer test match intensity....looking at the team sheets the senisble money is on Toulouse its a star studded team with a 1st class bench to boot. Tiger have the potential to beat anyone on thier day but need Youngs,Flood, Allen and Tuilagi to fire, recently these guys have been blowing cold.
Posted 13:17 18th January 2013