TOULOUSE MIGHT HAVE a lengthy list of injury concerns in their backline but they look like being at close to full throttle up front when they arrive in Thomond Park on Saturday to take on Munster in the Champions Cup round of 16.
It’s expected that head coach Ugo Mola will welcome hooker Julien Marchand and loosehead prop Cyrill Baille back into his starting front row after both of them excelled in France’s Six Nations campaign.
It’s likely that former All Blacks tighthead Charlie Faumuina, still going strong at 34, will be alongside them in an imposing Toulouse front row that should ensure Munster have another major challenge in that area a week on from Leinster getting on top of them.
Flanker Rynhardt Elstadt will be missed – he was ruled out due to recently returning to South Africa to take a pilot exam – but the French side can choose from players like Rory and Richie Arnold, Joe Tekori, France-capped François Cros and Selevasio Tolofua, and Alban Placines in the back five of their pack.
Munster hooker Niall Scannell feels last weekend’s test against an excellent Leinster pack was timely in view of what is to come on Saturday.
“It does help that we played against Leinster last week and you’re playing against an all-international front row, and I think they have an all-international front row off the bench as well,” said Scannell.
“So we’ve got to that standard last week and we’ve just got to do it again and replicate it. Obviously, there will be minute changes in terms of technique and things like that. It’s going to be a huge challenge but it’s something I’m looking forward to.
“I’ve never played, for example, against Julien Marchand and that’s a guy that you want to test yourself against and see where you’re at, and that’s a challenge all three of us across the front row will be looking at and the same for anyone who comes off the bench.
“These are the challenges you want as a front row. People probably think there’s a fear factor but there’s nothing better than going after a pack that’s bigger than you and coming out the other side of it, so that’s a challenge for us because they are physically a lot bigger.
“So it’s definitely going to be an exciting week… but they are very big, I just thought I’d underline that!”
Munster will need a huge response after the disappointment of last weekend’s defeat to Leinster in the Guinness Pro14 final.
Toulouse, who also have backline stars like Antoine Dupont, Romain Ntamack, and Cheslin Kolbe, will fancy their chances at Thomond Park without any fans, so Munster are fighting to keep their European season alive.
“What other choice do we have now but to come out swinging?” said Scannell. “That is what Munster do and that is what we will have to do.
“Don’t get me wrong, we would prefer not to be putting ourselves in these positions but it is a great chance of redemption this weekend that you don’t ordinarily get after losing a final.
“Sometimes you just really have to dwell on it and do a pre-season, but yes we are in a bit of a corner now.
“I’m sure Toulouse know that and equally we know that we are dealing with one of the superpowers of European rugby coming over here with some of the best X-factor in the world looking to do the same, so yes we’re certainly after putting ourselves in that scenario.
“We’re definitely going to come out swinging, I think no one would expect anything different from us.”
Ahhh here, dont we ever learn. Niall would be more effective coming out of Tesco with his shopping bags Swinging.
@Kevin O’brien: always about “not having enough passion” etc, it’s killing me… especially when we have the skill sets and player pool. Have to take the next step
I like Scannell but for me Kevin o Byrne is munster best Hooker. He’s all round game is superior and we could do with he’s skillset this weekend.
@Anthony O Connell: A fully fit Marshall is ahead of NS too. Wouldn’t even have him on the bench this weekend.
@thesaltyurchin: agreed. Marshall has never really let us down to be fair.
Just up the Pashun, that will do it. Few extra angry faces won’t do any harm either.
Swinging your handbags more like
@Paul1980: Hope the players aren’t feeling as negative as you & Kevin. SUAF.
@TL55: your one of the problems at the moment at the club. You have to open your eyes at the bigger picture, we’ve not come close to winning anything in 10 years and the typical “come out fighting” won’t cut it anymore. If Scannell said something like they have been working on defence and stopping line breaks after Leinster then fair enough but it always resorts back to the passion and hard work…. which hasn’t worked since Paulies time and that team had a lot more than passion. If we don’t change the mentality and standards of the club we will be Connacht in a few years, and even they have won more than us in recent years….
@TL55: agreed 100%,it’s just negativity non stop.
@Stanley: what do you mean “you’ll be Connacht in a few years”? If Connacht received half of the resources squandered by the IRFU on Munster in recent years they’d have won more than just the one trophy more they’ve won than Munster in the last 10 years.
@TL55: The 42 are publishing a serious amount of Munster articles lately, the click bait is very high as it draws in a serious amount of Leinster supporters sticking their ore in. For some reason Munster top brass are letting this happen. This was a week to keep the head down and do their talking on the pitch on Saturday against Toulouse instead of appearing in the media everyday. This wouldn’t have happened under Kidneys rein.
@Patrick O Connell: well said Patrick.
@Patrick O Connell: Good point
@Stanley: Any rugby team that doesn’t “come out fighting” will get dominated like Munster last Saturday. I never suggested that’s all that’s needed. As clearly a lot more is but a team in a final must bring it’s maximum aggression. We didn’t Leinster did. They should have beaten us by an awful lot more but you couldn’t say that about their other recent wins.
@Stanley: I think you mean if connacht were to slip further back they would be as bad as Munster, Friend is probably telling the lads we need to win this weekend, christ lads we dont want to be like Munster. If Andy had the player pool and resources of Munster he’d be picking his spot in the cabinet for champions cup.
Baffled as to how Scannell continues to get picked ahead of KOB! For me he is 3rd choice, at best, behind KOB and Rhys
@Wedger: Scannell hasn’t had good game in 2- 3 years for munster and he just walked back into the starting line-up when he came back form injury? he’s line-out is poor and offers v little around the park on both sides of the ball it baffles me how he still gets picked. And the same goes for Rory he’s been off form for a while now he’s not big enough for a crash ball centre and not crafty enough for the 2nd playmaker role there is alot of deadwood in the munster squad that should been moved on unless they really pull their socks up in the way they perform week-in week-out
@Keith Browne: 100%. There are for sure some names there who held a lot of promise a few years back but for a variety of reasons didn’t get reach the standard of play that merited consideration for international duty. Ultimately if you want silverware then at least 1 to 15 need to be test calibre. If players aren’t showing that by their late 20s, then you have to wonder why we’re not giving the opportunity instead to younger players who could yet make it.
“That’s what Munster *did”.