Encouraged by back-to-back home wins over Edinburgh and Ulster, Connacht return to the top tier of European rugby by welcoming French giants Toulouse to their Galway citadel.
EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS CUP – POOL 2: Saturday, October 15
CONNACHT v TOULOUSE, the Sportsground, 5.35pm (live Sky Sports 4 HD/beIN Sports/Galway Bay FM/Newstalk/highlights TG4)
Team News: Connacht head coach Pat Lam has made just one change to the team that registered a bonus point win over Ulster in the GUINNESS PRO12 seven days ago.
Second row Quinn Roux returns for his third start this season, while his Ireland international colleague Ultan Dillane moves to the bench.
Also among the replacements is Galway man Sean O’Brien who makes a welcome return from injury to be included in his first Connacht matchday squad of the season.
Kieran Marmion, the try-scoring man-of-the-match in Connacht’s famous 2013 away win over Toulouse, has recovered from injury to take his place among the reserve backs.
Commenting on the eagerly-awaited Pool 2 opener, Lam said: “Tomorrow is a big occasion for Connacht Rugby with Champions Cup rugby returning to the Sportsground. While we’re aware of the excitement surrounding the fixture, our focus has been on ensuring our week’s preparation has followed our normal routine of getting better every day.
“With Toulouse having a squad full of quality internationals, it’s vital we bring our team structures and systems to give us a chance of winning. It is important to start well in Europe and the fact that we are at home gives us a massive boost.
“Hopefully as many of our supporters as possible from Sligo, Leitrim, Roscommon, Mayo and Galway can get to the game to create that special Connacht atmosphere. I know it will mean a lot to the boys and it will play a big part in getting us over the line.”
The players currently on the province’s injured/unavailable list are Tom McCartney, Denis Buckley, Dominic Robertson-McCoy, Ivan Soroka, Conan O’Donnell, Ben Marshall, Nepia Fox-Matamua, Eoghan Masterson, Rory Moloney, John Cooney, Marnitz Boshoff, Peter Robb, Matt Healy, Josh Rowland, Darragh Leader, Ciaran Gaffney and Cormac Brennan.
Meanwhile, Toulouse boss Ugo Mola has made six changes to the side that secured a losing bonus point in a 29-25 defeat away to Clermont Auvergne last Sunday.
An international quartet – Maxime Médard, Yoann Huget, Samoa’s Paul Perez and Sébastien Bézy – bolsters the visitors’ back-line, which is marshalled by outside centre and captain Florian Fritz.
Bézy replaces Portuguese international Samuel Marques in the half-backs where he links up with Jean-Marc Doussain, a debutant for France in the 2011 Rugby World Cup final.
The other two changes are up front, Scotland lock Richie Gray and Samoan powerhouse Piula Fa’asalele coming into a pack that was particularly impressive at scrum time in Clermont, most notably 21-stone tighthead Census Johnston.
Toulouse may be four-time European Cup winners, but they have struggled to make their mark in recent years. Indeed, they have lost all three of their Top 14 away matches so far this season and were beaten by Montpellier, Saracens, Oyonnax and Ulster on their last four European trips.
CONNACHT: Tiernan O’Halloran; Niyi Adeolokun, Bundee Aki, Craig Ronaldson, Cian Kelleher; Jack Carty, Caolin Blade; Finlay Bealham, Dave Heffernan, Conor Carey, Quinn Roux, Andrew Browne, Eoin McKeon, Jake Heenan, John Muldoon (capt).
Replacements: Shane Delahunt, Ronan Loughney, JP Cooney, Ultan Dillane, Sean O’Brien, Kieran Marmion, Shane O’Leary, Stacey Ili.
TOULOUSE: Maxime Médard; Yoann Huget, Florian Fritz (capt), Yann David, Paul Perez; Jean-Marc Doussain, Sébastien Bézy; Cyril Baille, Christopher Tolofua, Census Johnston, Richie Gray, Joe Tekori, Francois Cros, Piula Fa’asalele, Carl Axtens.
Replacements: Julien Marchand, Vasil Kakovin, Dorian Aldegheri, Edwin Maka, Gregory Lamboley, Talalelei Gray, Toby Flood, Gael Fickou.
Referee: Luke Pearce (England)
Assistant Referees: Matthew O’Grady, Jonathan Healy (both England)
Television Match Official: Stuart Terheege (England)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Connacht to win: 17/10; Draw: 20/1; Toulouse to win: 8/15
Pre-Match Quotes: John Muldoon (Connacht) – “Where we were at the time (in December 2013), and considering the history of where we had come from, it (the 16-14 win at Stade Ernest Wallon) still marks up there as one of the better days in my career.
“Pat (Lam) ensured we went over with a plan and a belief. I don’t think anyone from the outside looking in thought that could happen. The fact Sky Sports changed their live match halfway through showed they didn’t think anything was going to happen either.
“Pat has converted a lot of us by showing what you do right in training you do right in matches, and by doing it right, the result takes care of itself. The whole time through the (recent early season) losses no one was panicking and thankfully it only took us three weeks.”
Maxime Médard (Toulouse) – “We must not forget everything, it is important to remember some losses. Every game is important, every point is really big, more than before. We were not ready last season after the terror attacks in Paris, but we will be ready from the start this time.”
Current Form – Connacht – (GUINNESS PRO12): Lost 41-5 v Glasgow Warriors (home), Lost 32-11 v Ospreys (home), Lost 17-8 v Scarlets (away), Won 28-15 v Edinburgh (home), Won 30-25 v Ulster (home)
Toulouse – (Top 14 Championship): Won 20-12 v Montpellier (home), Won 22-17 v Bordeaux-Bègles (home), Lost 28-14 v Racing 92 (away), Lost 32-15 v Toulon (home), Lost 25-20 v Lyon (away), Won 23-18 v Stade Francais (home), Won 31-3 v Grenoble (home), Lost 29-25 v Clermont Auvergne (away)
Top Scorers – 2015/16 European Champions Cup: Connacht – Points: N/A; Tries: N/A; Toulouse – Points: Luke McAlister 19; Tries: Maxime Medard, Gael Fickou, Gillian Galan, Luke McAlister 2 tries each
Previous European Meetings: 4
Saturday, December 14 – Pool 3 – Connacht 9 Toulouse 37, the Sportsground
Sunday, December 8, 2013 – Pool 3 – Toulouse 14 Connacht 16, Stade Ernest Wallon
Saturday, January 14, 2012 – Pool 6 – Toulouse 24 Connacht 3, Stade Ernest Wallon
Saturday, November 19, 2011 – Pool 6 – Connacht 10 Toulouse 36, the Sportsground
Match Facts –
– The teams have met four times in the pool stages of Europe’s top tier in 2011/12 and 2013/14, Toulouse winning three and Connacht one
– Toulouse’s three victories all came by 20-plus points, while Connacht’s win against the four-time champions in 2013 was by a two-point margin
– This is Connacht’s first appearance in the Champions Cup since 2013/14 when they won three of their six games
– Toulouse have lost their last four away matches in the competition, however they have never lost five on the bounce away from home
– Toulouse averaged 20.3 offloads per game last season, over three more per game than any other side
European Cup Records:
Connacht –
2013/14: Failed to qualify from Pool 3
2012/13: Failed to qualify from Pool 3
2011/12: Failed to qualify from Pool 6
Toulouse –
2015/16: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
2014/15: Failed to qualify from Pool 4
2013/14: Reached the quarter-finals
2012/13: Failed to qualify from Pool 2
2011/12: Reached the quarter-finals
2010/11: Reached the semi-finals
2009/10: Champions
2008/09: Reached the quarter-finals
2007/08: Runners-up
2006/07: Failed to qualify from Pool 5
2005/06: Reached the quarter-finals
2004/05: Champions
2003/04: Runners-up
2002/03: Champions
2001/02: Failed to qualify from Pool 6
2000/01: Failed to qualify from Pool 3
1999/00: Reached the semi-finals
1998/99: Reached the quarter-finals
1997/98: Reached the semi Finals
1996/97: Reached the semi-finals
1995/96: Champions
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