Leinster in rude health for trip to Toulon

Leinster travel to Toulon today in readiness for Sunday's quarter-final away to the defending Heineken Cup champions in confident mood, buoyed both by a run of achievements in European rugby over the last five seasons unmatched by any other team around and by being bulk suppliers to Ireland's Six Nations title success.

For all the confident noises emanating from the holders on foot of a perfect ten home wins out of ten in this competition, Leinster can cite a run of 13 wins out of 14 in the knock-out stages of European competition over the last five seasons in winning three Heineken Cups and one Amlin Challenge Cup.

The only blemish was an away semi-final defeat to Toulouse four seasons ago, since when they have beaten Clermont in Bordeaux in the semi-finals two years ago, as well as winning in Harlequins and Wasps, not to mention their epic quarter-final win away to Toulouse in 2006 and four finals on neutral venues.

This season, Leinster have also won away to the Ospreys, Northampton and Castres, and in supplying 17 players who featured in Ireland’s Six Nations campaign, 15 of their number were amongst the match-day squad which beat France in Paris to seal the title.

“We understand that they are favourites, and rightfully so, they should be favourites, but we are ready for the battle,” vowed Matt O’Connor yesterday. “And off the back of what Leinster have done in the pool stages, what Leinster have done over the last three or four years in Europe, we are mentally up for the challenge of going to Toulon. The boys are very excited. We think it’s a huge opportunity as a squad to demonstrate what we are made of.”

“In regard to the mental side of it, the squad is in really good shape,” he added. “We got those blokes back from Test rugby, they have been very successful in that environment and we understand what winning at the very, very top end takes. That proven resilience gives the group a lot of confidence.”

Experienced core
Leinster no longer have Johnny Sexton or the injured Seán O'Brien, but they do have a core of experienced players.

“Our leaders will be as good as there are in the game and we are pretty well battle-hardened in this competition and the test environment, and off the back of that there is a lot of faith in the group about going down there and doing the job.”

Viewed in that light, it would be no surprise if O'Connor recalled the experience of Shane Jennings – a viable contender for man of the match against Munster and a key figure in Leinster's defence – as well as the more dependable kicking game of Jimmy Gopperth.

Cian Healy should be restored to the frontrow in an otherwise unchanged tight five, with Rhys Ruddock and Dave Kearney also restored if fit again. Although there are rumours of Luke Fitzgerald being doubtful, O'Connor maintained they have a fully fit squad to choose from, but did admit that last week's performance had given him food for thought.

“Yeah, definitely, in relation to what we got in the first-half from Munster, that was the perfect curtain raiser for this week. The performances on Saturday have certainly strengthened or weakened guys’ arguments for sure.”

'Tiny margins'
O'Connor coached Leicester when they lost at this stage 12 months ago in the Stade Felix Mayol, by 21-15, prompting him to reflect: "It's tiny margins. That's the beauty of the Heineken Cup . . . Everything matters from minute zero-to-80. That brings a huge excitement to the contest from everyone's perspective because the momentum will swing or change off the back of a refereeing decision or a special involvement or a missed opportunity."

For their part, Toulon will be without their hugely influential pair of seasoned locks, ex-All Black Ali Williams and ex-Springbok Bakkies Botha, after neither, as expected were named in a 27-man squad yesterday. Martin Castrogiovanni, sidelined since Ireland's win over Italy four weeks ago, has been included.

The expectation is that Jonny Wilkinson and Matt Giteau will return at 10 and 12 in an otherwise unchanged backline. “Giteau is a tremendous player . . .” said O’Connor. “I had the pleasure of coaching him back in Oz and he’s probably played his best rugby over the last two years, he’s doing a great job for them and he works very well with Jonny and Bastareaud and those inside backs. They’re very good, I mean it. But our blokes aren’t too bad.”