TNT Sports
Toulouse eyes record
By
Published 21/10/2005 at 18:19 GMT+1
Heineken Cup holders Toulouse are already installed as favourites for a record-fourth title in Europe which swings into action this weekend. Toulouse completed the hat-trick in Edinburgh last May when they edged French rivals Stade de France in extra time
Eurosport
Image credit: TNT Sports
The 2006 final returns to the Welsh capital in May and Toulouse begin the long journey towards the Millennium Stadium on Saturday with a Pool Six home game against Llanelli Scarlets, who they beat home and away at the same stage last season.
"This cup is massively important for us and even more for me this year -- it would be amazing to go back and play in Cardiff," said Toulouse fullback and Wales captain Gareth Thomas.
"If we can get out of this pool we have got to fancy our chances."
Toulouse, currently top of the French championship, should get through if they can see off Wasps, who begin at Edinburgh on Sunday.
The English champions, who beat Toulouse in a memorable 2004 Heineken final, failed to get through a tough pool last season after finishing behind Leicester and Biarritz and might have to target back-door progress this time as one of the two best runners-up.
Leicester, Heineken champions in 2001 and 2002, also face another battle to reach the knockout stage.
They begin at home to Clermont Auvergne and will later face the Neath-Swansea Ospreys and Stade Francais, who meet in Wales.
The multinational Clermont Auvergne team, guided by the cool head of Wales and Lions flyhalf Stephen Jones, have already beaten Stade in the French championship this season.
The depth of the French challenge was underlined when Stade beat Toulouse the following week.
RECORD CROWD
Despite Toulouse resting several players, that match at the Stade de France last weekend, in front of almost 80,000 was a reminder that the leading French clubs will take some shifting, having provided three of last year's semi-finalists.
"The French have moved up to another level," said Llanelli coach Gareth Jenkins. "They have wised up abroad and I believe the French clubs have decided to adapt to the different conditions of the Heineken Cup -- grounds, referees, playing conditions.
"An outsider would probably predict another all-French final this season."
Stade, also runners up to Leicester in 2001, remain a formidable force while Castres have improved to a level where they are favourites in Pool One despite the presence of Munster.
Castres, buoyed by the prop power of All Blacks Kees Meeuws and Carl Hoeft, begin at home against Newport-Gwent Dragons.
Twice runners-up and regulars in the knockout phase, Munster must find a way of transferring their awesome home form to their travels -- beginning at English Premiership pacemakers Sale on Friday.
Sale won the second-tier European Challenge Cup last season to qualify and coach Kingsley Jones, whose team beat Wasps last week to go top, says his side are not along for the ride.
"We worked hard last season to get into the Heineken Cup and we are not going to waste that effort," he said. "We are not content just to be taking part, we want to make sure we do something in the tournament."
Pool Two, containing Cardiff, Leeds, Perpignan and Calvisano, appears to be wide open and, in the latter rounds, should have the extra appeal of former All Black winger Jonah Lomu in action for the Welsh side.
Pool Five also looks close, with Leinster the favourites ahead of Glasgow, Bath and Bourgoin.
Similarly, Biarritz will expect to cruise through Pool Four, leaving Ulster, Treviso and Saracens scrapping it out behind them.
Related Topics
Advertisement
Advertisement