Connacht V Toulouse

Since noones doen it:

Connacht: 15 Gavin Duffy, 14 Tiernan O'Halloran, 13 Eoin Griffin, 12 Dave McSharry, 11 Brian Tuohy, 10 Miah Nikor, 9 Paul O'Donohoe, 8 George Naoupu, 7 John Muldoon, 6 Mike McCarthy, 5 Dave Gannon, 4 Michael Swift, 3 Rodney Ah You, 2 Adrian Flavin, 1 Brett Wilkinson.
Replacements: 16 Ethienne Reynecke, 17 Ronan Loughney, 18 Dylan Rogers, 19 TJ Anderson, 20 Ray Ofisa, 21 Frank Murphy, 22 Niall O'Connor, 23 Henry Fa'afili.

Stade Toulousain: 15 Clément Poitrenaud, 14 Maxime Medard, 13 Florian Fritz, 12 Yannick Jauzion, 11 Vincent Clerc, 10 Lionel Beauxis, 9 Luke Burgess, 8 Louis Picamoles , 7 Thierry Dusautoir, 6 Jean Bouilhou, 5 Yoann Maestri, 4 Grégory Lamboley, 3 Census Johnston, 2 William Servat, 1 Yohan Montes.
Replacements: 16 Gary Botha, 17 Jean-Baptiste Poux, 18 Johnson Falefa, 19 Romain Millo-Chluski, 20 Nicolas Vergallo, 21 Yannick Nyanga, 22 Luke McAlister, 23 Gillian Galan.

from
http://www.sportinglife.com/rugbyunion/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=rugby/11/11/18/manual_140342.html&BID=504

Toulouse have named a matchday 23 featuring some 19 internationals for Saturday's Heineken Cup clash with Connacht at the Sportsground.

There are a handful of changes to the side that beat Gloucester last week as France captain Thierry Dusautoir returns to the back-row and record-breaking try-scorer Vincent Clerc starts on the left wing. He is joined in the back three by France team-mate Maxime Medard.

Centre Yannick Jauzion moves up from the bench while fly-half Lionel Beauxis starts ahead of Luke McAlister.

Up front William Servat starts ahead of Gary Botha at hooker for the four-time European champions.

Meanwhile, Connacht will play their 100th game of European rugby this weekend, with 98 of those having been in the Challenge Cup.

Toulouse have attracted a 9,000 sell-out crowd at one of the most unique grounds in world rugby and a venue where Connacht have won their last seven games in European competition.

Connacht have made just one change from the team that came close to victory last weekend against Harlequins. Dave Gannon joins Michael Swift in the second row and Ray Ofisa moving to the bench.

Mike McCarthy will take his place at blindside flanker with John Muldoon at openside and George Naoupu at number number eight. Brett Wilkinson, Adrian Flavin and Rodney Ah You make up the front row.

The backline that outscored Harlequins two tries to one last weekend remains unchanged with Paul O'Donohoe partnering Miah Nikora at half-back.

Have to say with that team Toulouse a putting out means they are taking Connacht very seriously.

Thats really shows how far Connacht have come over the last year that noone takes them lightly anymore, and need to put out their 1st team.

This would be one of the greatest wins in the history of Irish rugby if they can pull this off!

SUFTCM!!!

Oh sweat jesus it's Connacht vs France.

I think just about every one bar Toulouse fans will be cheering Connacht on, can they do the impossible?

I think they can yes. Obviously they will need Toulouse to underperform but the Connacht defence is very good and aggressive and if Toulouse don't have the stomach for a real fight here then who knows.

This really is David v Goliath but Connacht are much improved side these days.

So what happened to Connacht? Were Toulouse really really good or did Connacht crumble or something?

Bit worrying after their match against Quins that Toulouse can win so easily away at theirs.

I don't think Toulouse got a bonus point, and are the toughest team in the group, and put out the best team they could.
Toulouse look like h-cup contendors.

Connacht will beat one of the English teams in Glaway i'm sure of that.

At the Stoop, the ref let Connacht get away with a lot of illegal killing of the ball at the breakdown, and their first try was the result of one of their players, several yards offside, tripping Quins' best tackler.

The only way Quins could get quick ball was to avoid the breakdown altogether and just offload their way upfield - which they did twice to decisive effect. But you can't play like that all game.

Bear in mind that Toulouse got an even bigger fright at home from Glaws, and Quins dismantled Glaws at Kingsholm. For my money, the Quins/Toulouse double header could well be the best matches of the pool stages. But then I'm biased.

Poorfour wrote:At the Stoop, the ref let Connacht get away with a lot of illegal killing of the ball at the breakdown, and their first try was the result of one of their players, several yards offside, tripping Quins' best tackler.

The only way Quins could get quick ball was to avoid the breakdown altogether and just offload their way upfield - which they did twice to decisive effect. But you can't play like that all game.

Bear in mind that Toulouse got an even bigger fright at home from Glaws, and Quins dismantled Glaws at Kingsholm. For my money, the Quins/Toulouse double header could well be the best matches of the pool stages. But then I'm biased.

Agree with all of this, but then you have to ask why Quins couldn't commit more and get them off the ball quicker. If Toulouse do the same and get awau with it then we could be in trouble.

Two week ban for McCarthy after his high tackle on Clerc.