Rhetoric over, time to act

Toulouse v Leinster: The rhetoric emanating from the Leinster camp in media briefings has been impressively defiant. Today in the south of France they are charged with providing substance to the assertion that they are not fodder for European rugby's premier club side.

Toulouse bring a wonderful pedigree to the contest, manifest not alone in Heineken European Cup triumphs but the manner in which they play the game.

The French side are a fusion of flair and power, capable of producing a quality of rugby to which many aspire but few teams get past the foothills of that ambition.

In Leinster, the French club may see, while not quite a mirror image yet, a team that bears more than a passing likeness: the slashing brushstrokes of a backline capable of filleting the best defences and a pack choc-full of mobility and athleticism. The relationship could be distilled to that of master and apprentice.

Leinster coach Michael Cheika has railed against the suggestion that his side should travel in trepidation to the backyard of the European Cup's most celebrated force. The Australian believes that his side have nothing to fear. Toulouse demand respect but Leinster aren't there to tug the forelock.

That defiance must translate to the players, for it is the collective attitude that could foretell their fortune. Leinster must believe they can win; not hope, not wish. There is no room for doubt because Toulouse will prey on any insecurity or uncertainty.

Felipe Contepomi, Leinster's Argentinian playmaker and catalyst, offered an analogy his team-mates would do well to adopt. He spoke about how his beloved Argentina have beaten France on the last four occasions the teams have met. He pointed out that Argentina weren't a better team than France going into those matches and in victory still weren't better than the French.

But for those 80-minute contests they prevailed because of a deep-seated belief in what they could achieve as a group.

That's what today is all about for Leinster: winning a match.

It's not to belittle the task, given Toulouse's fantastic record in their home city, but history shouldn't have any bearing on this European Cup quarter-final, unless the Leinster players' allow it. They demonstrated in beating Bath at the Recreation Ground the capacity to play without fear and be rewarded.

There's no point in searching out mitigation in a lack of preparation. It's a tough beat but life's not fair.

The Leinster pack has been coursed from pillar to post about a lack of power, dismissed as lightweights. It does them a huge disservice and as they demonstrated against a Bath eight regarded as the best unit in the English Premiership, they don't have to kow-tow to anyone.

Against Toulouse they have to be clever, trying to keep the set scrums to a minimum and introduce a rhythm and speed to the lineout. Malcolm O'Kelly must be a totem in every respect, so too Keith Gleeson, Reggie Corrigan and Will Green.

Contepomi has been Leinster's outstanding player this season and it's his running threat that will worry Toulouse coach Guy Noves. The Argentinian takes pressure off Gordon D'Arcy and Brian O'Driscoll, giving them space and time to wreak havoc. It'll be instructive to see if Yannick Nyanga is asked to assist the occasionally defensively brittle Freddie Michalak in closing down that channel.

Yannick Jauzion's presence is a huge plus for the home side as he is the fulcrum in attack and defence. They have serious pace out wide in Cedric Heymans and Vincent Clerc but then there is as much quality in Leinster's three-quarter line. Both teams will crave quick ball.

Llanelli showed that Toulouse don't possess the most resolute defence and can be exposed but equally Leinster's concentration has to be unblinking, especially when the French side rattle through the phases. Much has been made of Trevor Brennan playing against his friends and former team-mates but for 80 minutes as far as Brennan is concerned they'll just be blue jerseys.

Toulouse's pack harbours a little more brute force than their opponents but it's hard not to escape the feeling that Fabien Pelous is not the player he was on the evidence of recent performances. Their lineout creaked against Agen and will miss the athleticism of Gregory Lamboley who starts on the bench.

The latent quality of this Toulouse team is inescapable, while to advance Leinster's claims is reliant on what they can potentially achieve. Ireland's Triple Crown, the prompting of their excellent coaching team in Cheika and David Knox, and high quality players should guarantee a confident Leinster.

The crux though is whether they genuinely believe they can win this match and possess the inner steel and mental fortitude to carry it off.

History trumpets Toulouse as potential winners but Leinster have the wherewithal to re-write that script.

Previous meetings: (HC 1997-1998) Pool: Leinster 25 Toulouse 34; Toulouse 38 Leinster 19. (HC 2001-2002) Pool: Leinster 40 Toulouse 10; Toulouse 43 Leinster 7.

European Cup (2005-2006): Toulouse - bt Llanelli Scarlets (h) 50-28; drew with London Wasps (a) 15-15; bt Edinburgh Gunners (a) 20-13; bt Edinburgh Gunners (h) 35-13; bt London Wasps (h) 19-13; bt Llanelli Scarlets (a) 49-42. Leinster - lost to Bath (h) 22-19; bt Glasgow Warriors (a) 33-20; bt Bourgoin (h) 53-7; lost to Bourgoin (a) 30-28; bt Glasgow Warriors (h) 46-22; bt Bath (a) 35-23.

Leading points scorers: Toulouse - Jean-Baptiste Ellisalde 59. Leinster - Felipe Contepomi 104.

Leading try scorers: Toulouse - Vincent Clerc 6. Leinster - Felipe Contepomi 6.

Odds (Paddy Power): 2/9 Toulouse, 25/1 Draw, 3/1 Leinster. Handicap betting (= Leinster +11pts) 10/11 Toulouse, 25/1 Draw, 10/11 Leinster.