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Halfpenny has recovered from shoulder injury to start for Toulon. Dan Sheridan/INPHO

If you are an easily frightened Leinster fan, best not to look at Toulon's team for Sunday

Every galactico Leinster didn’t want to face is fit and ready to go.

RUMOURS OF LEIGH Halfpenny’s shoulder injury appear to have been greatly exaggerated as the Welsh dynamo has been selected at fullback in the Toulon team to face Leinster in the Champions Cup semi-final on Sunday.

Halfpenny’s selection means that Delon Armitage has been pushed to the wing, while Aussie flyer Drew Mitchell has been picked on the bench.

But worryingly for Leinster, Matt Giteau is at 12 and after a few weeks of good match practice, he should be close to his best form.

Bernard Laporte has gone with Freddie Michalak at out-half, and while the Frenchman was perfect off the tee against Wasps, his goal kicking isn’t always immaculate when the pressure is on.

And there is one other positive for Leinster, as supreme poacher Steffon Armitage is only named on the bench.

Toulon

15, Leigh Halfpenny

14. Delon Armitage

13. Mathieu Bastareaud

12. Matt Giteau

11. Bryan Habana

10. Frederic Michalak

9. Sebastien Tillous-Borde

1. Xavier Chiocci

2. Guilhem Guirado

3. Carl Hayman (c)

4. Bakkies Botha

5. Ali Williams

6. Juan Smith

7. Juan Fernandez Lobbe

8. Chris Masoe

Replacements: Jean-Charles Orioli, Alexandre Menini, Levan Chilachava, Steffon Armitage, Drew Mitchell, Rudi Wulf, Michael Claassens, Jocelino Suta

It was Sonny Bill v Dan and Richie in New Zealand earlier and the result wasn’t even close

Is this Leinster team good enough to slay Europe’s most formidable giant?

Author
Will Slattery
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