One of the most memorable Irish-French rivalries over the years is rekindled at Kingspan Stadium tonight as Ulster look to pocket their first Champions Cup points of the season against former European kingpins Toulouse.
EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS CUP – POOL 1: Friday, December 11
ULSTER (4th) v TOULOUSE (2nd), Kingspan Stadium, 7.45pm (live BT Sport Europe/beIN Sports/BBC Radio Ulster MW/highlights TG4)
Team News: Rory Best returns to captain Ulster and will start in the front row alongside Wiehahn Herbst and Kyle McCall, who supporters recently voted as Ulster’s Kingspan Player of the Month for November.
Alan O’Connor will take over from the injured Dan Tuohy in the second row, pairing up with the experienced Franco van der Merwe, while Robbie Diack, Chris Henry and Nick Williams make up the loose forward trio.
There is a new centre partnership with Stuart McCloskey and Luke Marshall combining in midfield. Craig Gilroy is recalled to the left wing, with Andrew Trimble (pictured below against Toulouse in 2006) occupying the right wing berth and Louis Ludik completing the back-three. Ruan Pienaar and Paddy Jackson will continue to direct play from the half-back positions.
Rob Herring, who led Ulster to a 14-7 GUINNESS PRO12 win over Edinburgh last weekend, is named on the replacements bench along with fellow forwards Andrew Warwick, Ricky Lutton, Clive Ross and Roger Wilson. Paul Marshall and Ian Humphreys will again provide back-up for Pienaar and Jackson respectively, with Rory Scholes also included in the matchday squad.
Speaking ahead of the crunch European clash, Ulster director of rugby Les Kiss said: “Toulouse are predictably unpredictable. They have a massive squad that is full of internationals, so that gives them some really good options all over the park.
“They’re second in the Top 14 so it’s a huge challenge for us, but the boys have shown great character and we’ll step up to the plate. Hopefully the conditions are good and the supporters will see a quality game of rugby.”
Tickets for the eagerly-awaited Ulster v Toulouse tie are still available through www.ticketmaster.ie. The match will be televised live on BT Sport Europe.
Meanwhile, Toulouse’s new head coach Ugo Mola, with eight wins in 12 matches to date, has made five personnel changes and two positional switches to the side that overcame Oyonnax 27-3 at home last Saturday night.
In an international-laden back-line, Gael Fickou and Maxime Médard return at outside centre and on the left wing respectively with England’s Toby Flood donning the number 12 jersey. Former All Black Luke McAlister features at out-half.
Up front, just a week on from his retirement from international rugby, Thierry Dusatoir will captain Toulouse from openside flanker. A powerful back row combination also includes highly-rated 21-year-old Yacouba Camara and Dusatoir’s long-time international colleague, Louis Picamoles.
Yoann Maestri replaces Romain Millo-Chluski in the second row, while Mola has selected six forwards on the bench in anticipation of some hard-fought exchanges between the packs in Belfast.
Toulouse’s four defeats so far this season have all come away from home – against Pau (9-6), Bordeaux-Begles (12-10) and Racing 92 (28-13) in the Top 14, and also Saracens (32-7) in the opening round of the Champions Cup.
ULSTER: Louis Ludik; Andrew Trimble, Luke Marshall, Stuart McCloskey, Craig Gilroy; Paddy Jackson, Ruan Pienaar; Kyle McCall, Rory Best (capt), Wiehahn Herbst, Alan O’Connor, Franco van der Merwe, Robbie Diack, Chris Henry, Nick Williams.
Replacements: Rob Herring, Andrew Warwick, Ricky Lutton, Clive Ross, Roger Wilson, Paul Marshall, Ian Humphreys, Rory Scholes.
TOULOUSE: Clément Poitrenaud; Vincent Clerc, Gael Fickou, Toby Flood, Maxime Médard; Luke McAlister, Sébastien Bézy; Vasil Kakovin, Corey Flynn, Census Johnston, Yoann Maestri, Joe Tekori, Yacouba Camara, Thierry Dusautoir (capt), Louis Picamoles.
Replacements: Julien Marchand, Cyril Baille, Dorian Aldegheri, Edwin Maka, Gregory Lamboley, Gillian Galan, Jean-Marc Doussain, Alexis Palisson.
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Assistant Referees: Tim Wigglesworth, Paul Dix (both England)
Television Match Official: Graham Hughes (England)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Ulster to win: 8/11; Draw: 16/1; Toulouse to win: 6/5
Pre-Match Quotes: Les Kiss (Ulster) – “There are a lot of permutations that don’t fit the normal European year. Losing can put you on the back foot, but it would be remiss of anyone to define a competition after two games. I don’t think anyone’s been defined after round 2 in this competition before.
“We just need to keep our head about ourselves. It’s important to win because that would put a different kind of pressure on the pool. Toulouse know that it’s a real battle for that second place and you never know what could happen if we do win.
“Saracens know we have that extra game up our sleeves. You don’t think they’ll take their eye off the ball, but it does put extra pressure on them.”
Vincent Clerc (Toulouse) – “The next two games in the European Cup are essential to qualification. We will have to go and get a result in Ulster, that’s obvious.
“You really get the European Cup in mind and we are in a situation where we have the pressure. We must negotiate our way through these ties.
“We had a difficult match in difficult conditions at Oyonnax (in the league last week) with a slippery ball. That could help us prepare for Ulster where we could have the same conditions.”
Current Form – Ulster – (GUINNESS PRO12): Won 28-6 at home to the Ospreys; Lost 22-12 away to the Scarlets; Won 48-7 at home to Benetton Treviso; Lost 16-10 away to Edinburgh; Won 24-17 at home to Cardiff Blues; Lost 32-28 away to Munster; Won 19-12 away to Newport Gwent Dragons; (European Champions Cup): Lost 27-9 at home to Saracens; (GUINNESS PRO12): Lost 8-3 away to Leinster; Won 14-7 at home to Edinburgh
Toulouse – (Top 14 Championship): Won 24-7 at home to Brive; Won 20-9 away to Agen; Won 37-20 at home to Castres Olympique; Lost 9-6 away to Pau; Won 39-22 at home to La Rochelle; Lost 12-10 away to Bordeaux-Begles; Won 33-25 away to Montpellier; Won 52-12 at home to Grenoble; (European Champions Cup): Lost 32-7 away to Saracens; Won 24-18 at home to Oyonnax; (Top 14 Championship): Lost 28-13 away to Racing 92; Won 27-3 at home to Oyonnax
Top Scorers – 2015/16 European Champions Cup: Ulster – Points: Paddy Jackson 9; Tries: -; Toulouse – Points: Luke McAlister 9; Tries: Christopher Tolofua, Maxime Médard, Gael Fickou, Timoci Matanavou 1 each
Previous European Meetings: 7
Sunday, January 21, 2007 – Pool 5 – Toulouse 28 Ulster 13, Stade Ernest Wallon
Saturday, October 21, 2006 – Pool 5 – Ulster 30 Toulouse 3, Ravenhill
Friday, October 27, 2000 – Pool 3 – Ulster 25 Toulouse 29, Ravenhill
Sunday, October 22, 2000 – Pool 3 – Toulouse 35 Ulster 35, Stade Municipal
Friday, December 11, 1998 – Quarter-final – Ulster 15 Toulouse 13, Ravenhill
Friday, October 16, 1998 – Pool C – Ulster 29 Toulouse 24, Ravenhill
Saturday, September 26, 1998 – Pool C – Toulouse 39 Ulster 3, Stade Ernest Wallon
Match Facts –
– Ulster have won three of their four home matches against Toulouse in the European Cup, including a 30-3 victory the last time these sides met in Belfast
– The spoils are split evenly between these teams overall in Europe, however, with each side earning three wins and a draw in the seven games between the two
– Ulster have won only two of their last eight European Cup matches, this after winning six in-a-row prior to that
– Ulster lost their last home game against French opposition, but won five in-a-row against teams from France before that
– Toulouse are one of four teams in the Champions Cup yet to miss a kick at goal so far this season, with the French side slotting all five of their shots at goal
– Toulouse are just 21 points away from scoring their 4000th in the European Cup overall
– Toulouse have made 47 offloads so far in the Champions Cup this season, the most of any team. Louis Picamoles (10), Luke McAlister (7) and Yoann Maestri (5) have made more than any other player
– Toulouse have kicked from hand just 29 times in their two games this season and have the lowest match average of any team (14.5); Ulster, in contrast, put boot to ball 31 times in their opening game
– Ulster gained just 147 metres over the gain-line in their opening game, the fewest of any team in a game so far this season
– Louis Picamoles has made a competition-high 37 carries this season, eight more than any other player
European Cup Records:
Ulster –
2014/15: Failed to qualify from Pool 3
2013/14: Reached the quarter-finals
2012/13: Reached the quarter-finals
2011/12: Runners-up
2010/11: Reached the quarter-finals
2009/10: Failed to qualify from Pool 4
2008/09: Failed to qualify from Pool 4
2007/08: Failed to qualify from Pool 2
2006/07: Failed to qualify from Pool 5
2005/06: Failed to qualify from Pool 4
2004/05: Failed to qualify from Pool 6
2003/04: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
2002/03: Failed to qualify from Pool 6
2001/02: Failed to qualify from Pool 2
2000/01: Failed to qualify from Pool 3
1999/00: Failed to qualify from Pool 3
1998/99: Champions
1997/98: Failed to qualify from Pool B
1996/97: Failed to qualify from Pool C
1995/96: Failed to qualify from Pool B
Toulouse –
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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