Preview: Perpignan v Toulouse

The defending champions face an in-form Toulouse side gunning for an historic double at Stade de la Mosson in Montpellier on Friday.

The defending Top 14 champions face an in-form Toulouse side gunning for an historic double at the 32,900-seater Stade de la Mosson in Montpellier on Friday.

“Impossible” is the most-heard word coming out of Toulouse these days. If we are believe Toulouse manager Guy Novès, there is no way les Rouge et Noires could possibly do the Euro-domestic double.

But you can bet your bottom Dollar/Euro/Pound/Rand that there was a very different discourse going down at training this week.

For the all the “we can't do it” hot air that came out of La Ville Rose, Toulouse were in scintillating form in their play-off against Castres. After demolishing Leinster's pack a week before, no one will deny that the seventeen-time French champions are in top form, despite not having a weekend off since February.

Of course, Perpignan present a very different kettle of fish to Castres.

The defending champs finished regular season at the summit of the standings for a reason. A couple of good reasons in fact: 59 tries in the regular season make them the championship's second best attack (only Clermont have scored more tries.)

With their European campaign long over, the Catalans have been able to focus their energy on the Top 14. Four wins from their last five games Рincluding wins against Biarritz, Stade Fran̤ais and Castres Рpoint to a Perpignan side in good form.

While Nov̬s are co. try convince us all that Perpignan have been waiting patiently to topple Toulouse Рwho will be playing their seventeenth consecutive semi-final, the question must be asked if those three weeks without competition have actually worked in the Catalans favour.

Toulouse will no doubt be feeling the effects of a couple of weeks of hard rugby, but three weeks is a long time without match practice meaning Perpignan could be a little rusty in the open minutes. As Byron Kelleher has pointed out, playing top level rugby every week has helped Toulouse maintain a certain rhythm.

All things considered it's bound to be close match. Apart from the neutral venue, the history booked have the sides neck and neck. Out of 37 matches Perpignan have won 19 times to Toulouse's 17. The average score between them is…18-all! Perpignan have won two of the three times they have met in French first division finals, but Toulouse won their Heineken Cup Final in 2003.

Novès has stuck to his guns and opted to rest a number of key players with one eye on their Heineken Cup final against Biarritz on May 22.

France captain Thierry Dusautoir, hooker William Servat, winger Vincent Clerc and scrum-half Byron Kelleher are among those who have been omitted from the starting XV in a total of twelve changes.

Virgile Lacombe will wear the number two shirt, while Fijian flier Vilimoni Delasau comes in on the wing.

In the absence of Jean-Baptiste Elissalde, youngster Mathieu Bezy gets the chance to shine at scrum-half, while Finau Maka joins Shaun Sowerby and Jean Bouilhou in the back-row.

Cédric Heymans, David Skrela, Shaun Sowerby, Census Johnston and Clément Poitrenaud, who were all absent for the play-off with Castres, are back in the team.

Versatile forward Gregory Lamboley, who had a storming game against Castres has been ruled out with a thigh injury. Dusautoir is bracketed on the bench with Yann David. It's worth noting that all Toulouse's replacements are internationals.

Perpignan coach Jacques Brunel has doubts over the fitness of Nicholas Laharrague ahead of Friday's semi-final.

The fly-half has been struggling with a calf strain, forcing Perpignan to call in Catalan scrum-half Florian Cazenave as cover to the squad. Gavin Hume, who would slot in at number if Laharrague fails to recover in time, also faces a fight to be fit.

The reigning domestic champions will also be without Julien Candelon (broken arm) and Adrien Plante (thigh) for the clash.

Players to watch:

For Perpignan: Former Toulouse centre Maxime Mermoz has gone from strength to strength since moving to Perpignan two seasons ago and is now considered one of the best midfielders in France. Up against his old mentor Yannick Jauzion, the form centre in Europe, Mermoz has a chance to highlight his talent.

For Toulouse: The emergence of precocious talent Maxime Medard two years ago didn't bode well for Clément Poitrenaud but the experienced French international has replied by coming back from injury to have one of his best seasons for years. Toulouse love to counter attack and there is no better man to create the unexpected from deep than Poitrenaud.

Head-to-head: The highlight of Toulouse's last two games has been the strength of their pack. But with a modified front row the former champs will face stiff opposition from the current title holders. They take scrummaging very seriously in Perpignan, there could be some sore necks on Saturday morning.

The teams:

USA Perpignan: 15 Jerome Porical, 14 Farid Sid, 13 David Marty, 12 Maxime Mermoz, 11 Christophe Manas, 10 Nicholas Laharrague/ Gavine Hume, 9 Nicolas Durand, 8 Jean-Pierre Pérez, 7 Henry Tuilagi, 6 Ovidiu Tonita, 5 Robins Tchale-Watchou, 4 Olivier Olibeau, 3 Nicolas Mas (c), 2 Guilhem Guirado, 1 Perry Freshwater.
Replacements: 16 Marius Tincu, 17 Jerome Schuster, 18 Guillaume Vilaceca, 19 Gregory Le Corvec, 20 David Mélé/ Florian Cazenave, 21 Jean-Philippe Grandclaude, 22 Philip Burger, 23 Kisi Pulu.

Stade Toulousain: 15 Clément Poitrenaud, 14 Vilimoni Delasau, 13 Florian Fritz, 12 Yannick Jauzion, 11 Cédric Heymans, 10 David Skrela, 9 Mathieu Bezy, 8 Shaun Sowerby, 7 Finau Maka, 6 Jean Bouilhou, 5 Patricio Albacete, 4 Yoann Maestri, 3 Census Johnston, 2 Virgile Lacombe, 1 Daan Human.
Replacements: 16 Maxime Medard, 17 Vincent Clerc, 18 Thierry Dusautoir/Yann David, 19 Romain Millo-Chluski, 20 Jean-Baptiste Poux, 21 Wiliam Servat, 22 Benoit Lecouls, 23 Louis Picamoles.

Previous results: USAP won 17-15 in Perpignan; Toulouse won 22-11 in Toulouse.
Prediction: Tough one to call. Fresh legs might be difference. Perpignan by a whisker
Kick-off: 20:45 (19.45 GMT)
Referee: Romain Poite

By Ross Hastie