Ulster plan not to let Toulouse off as lightly

Whereas Ulster were yesterday able to name a side showing only two changes from that which won in Edinburgh five weeks ago for Friday night's all-ticket visit of Toulouse to Ravenhill, Munster's plans for Sunday's European Cup quarter-final away to Colomiers have been hit by an inordinately long casualty list.

For Ulster, the departure of South African centre Chris van Rensberg, now with Swansea, has been offset by the return of Stanley McDowell, while Stephen Bell's shoulder injury, sustained in training the night after the Combined Provinces-South Africa match, means a call-up for his close scrum-half rival Andy Matchett. These enforced alterations are also the only changes to the team which beat Toulouse at Ravenhill in the pool stages.

McDowell hasn't played for Ulster since sustaining a pulled hamstring in the friendly win over Glasgow at the end of August, save for an abortive 12-minute comeback on the wing in the defeat away to Munster. But after a few games for Ballymena, coach Harry Williams has no doubts about his match fitness.

Of more concern to Williams has been the enforced four-week lay-off. "Of course it has been very difficult to keep the whole continuity going, but we've no option. The international team has to come first," he said.

Though over 1,000 tickets remain, an all-ticket capacity of 12,000 is anticipated for what Williams describes as "the most important game in Ulster's history. Touring sides are one-offs. This is a real competitive match against one of the best sides in Europe. No other Ulster side has done this well.

"They (Toulouse) can't be looking forward to coming here, and I hope it's a cold, wet night. I'm really looking forward to it. I'm nervous already. This is going to be a big, big night."

By contrast, the Munster coach Declan Kidney can only monitor his extensive list of walking wounded. His problems are particularly acute on the wings, where Anthony Horgan has already been ruled out and John Kelly (hamstring) is rated very doubtful after being sidelined since the Combined Provinces match, while the likeliest deputy, John Lacey (groin) has also been sidelined for the last three weeks.

Other Munster players either sidelined at the weekend or unable to take a full part in training this week due to knocks picked up at the weekend were David Corkery, Alan Quinlan, John Hayes, Mark McDermott, Des Clohessy, Peter Stringer, Eddie Halvey, Frank Sheahan and Mick O'Driscoll.

Meanwhile, European Rugby Cup Ltd officials yesterday took a surprisingly lenient view of misconduct charges brought against Toulouse and their international prop Franck Tournaire following a disciplinary hearing in Dublin arising out of events during and after Ebbw Vale's shock 19-11 win over the inaugural winners on November 7th.

While ERC's disciplinary duo - board chairman Tom Kiernan and fellow director Charlie Bisset - cautioned the Toulouse club and "severely warned" Tournaire, the nominal £2,600 costs order, together with reprimands all round, effectively allowed Toulouse and Tournaire to walk free, leaving Ebbw Vale representatives fuming.

By contrast, last season Brive and Pontypridd each received £30,000 fines - £15,000 suspended - for on-pitch violence, while Llanelli and Pau landed £20,000 fines - £10,000 suspended - following trouble when they clashed in south west France.

"Toulouse have got away with it," said Ebbw Vale chief executive Ray Harris, who travelled to Dublin with Gwent-based match commissioner Mal Beynon, touch judge Dickson and representatives of Vale's independent security firm who helped to maintain control at Eugene Cross Park.

"From our point of view, it was a wasted journey. I didn't want to see Toulouse kicked out of the competition but I am disappointed and dumbfounded by the outcome."

A policeman's helmet was knocked off as Toulouse players remonstrated with match officials after the final whistle, while police also attended an incident in the Vale clubhouse later that evening.

Violence marred the encounter, culminating with Scottish referee Ed Murray sending off Toulouse forward Cyrille Vancheri, and there were ugly scenes outside the match commissioner's room before and after Vancheri was hit by a 28-day ban.

The ERC disciplinary panel failed to reach a verdict following seven hours of discussion on Monday. However, yesterday's announcement will be viewed in many quarters as a politically-induced climb-down, bearing in mind ERC officials will be meeting with a delegation of French club representatives, headed by Serge Blanco, at which the French are seeking assurances regarding increased financial rewards and the participation of English clubs before committing themselves to next year's competitions.

Harris added: "What happened in Ebbw Vale that day was something I had never seen before. To witness a club as great as Toulouse behaving in such a fashion was embarrassing. They were making verbal threats, especially towards the match commissioner, and I was especially worried for the police sergeant's safety who was involved in restraining Toulouse players after the final whistle.

"I just wonder what Pontypridd and Llanelli will make of all of this, considering the fines they got last season. Both clubs are going to find today's announcement hard to take."

In a statement, ERC said it viewed the incidents at Ebbw Vale as prejudicial to the tournament and to the game of rugby.

"The Toulouse officials, by their actions, did not conduct themselves appropriately at all times. The committee cautioned the Toulouse club and their officials, and warned them as to their future conduct.

"In the case of the complaint against Franck Tournaire, the committee considered he had made unnecessary contact with the touch judge. The committee did not, however, consider this contact to be threatening, but they emphasised strongly that no contact should ever be made with a match official. The committee severely warned Franck Tournaire as to his future conduct in this regard."

Toulouse have since apologised to Vale officials, a gesture which formed a major part of their Dublin defence, but Harris added: "It is not an apology we've received in writing".

Ulster's game against Toulouse will be covered live by BBC 2, with highlights on RTE that night, but RTE will not be showing any of the Colomiers-Munster game.

Ulster: S Mason; S Coulter, S McDowell, J Bell, J Cunningham; D Humphreys (capt), A Matchett; J Fitzpatrick, A Clarke, R Irwin, M Blair, G Longwell, S McKinty, T McWhirter, A Ward.

Replacements: A Park, B Cunningham, M Edwards, D Topping, S Duncan, G Leslie, R Weir.