RUGBY: MARK RODDENfinds the defending champions, fresh from their exciting quarter-final win over BIarritz, planning for their Leinster assignment
FRESH FROM their dramatic extra-time victory over Biarritz on Sunday, Toulouse were yesterday licking their wounds and already looking forward to their semi-final clash with Leinster.
The defending Heineken Cup champions drew on all their experience and a fair share of luck to progress to the last four, having been given a huge scare when Dimitri Yachvili missed a kick that would have given Biarritz victory at the end of normal time.
While the Basques were left wondering why Ilikena Bolakoro had not run nearer the posts to give Yachvili an easier conversion attempt, the Toulouse players were thankful to have made the most of that let-off.
The winning try scorer, Yannick Nyanga, called it a “crazy match” and wing Vincent Clerc said it was one of the most tense he had ever played in.
Cedric Heymans admitted he was still trembling minutes after the game, and it was “the fear that we could have lost this match that dominates”.
Toulouse coach Guy Novès indicated last week he would be resting players for Saturday’s match against Toulon and, with a place in the Top 14 semi-finals all but secured given there is a home banker against bottom-of-the-table Bourgoin to come, he plans to carefully manage his squad as they target two trophies.
“The next 48 hours will be dedicated to recovery,” he said. “We have two semi-finals to prepare for and everyone will understand that we have to manage our players’ bodies.”
The defeat took its toll on his already-depleted side, with Sylvain Nicolas’ shoulder problem and young scrumhalf Nicolas Bézy’s sprained ankle the most worrying fresh injury concerns.
South African prop Daan Human was carrying a knock going into the Biarritz game, while William Servat, Romain Millo-Chluski and David Skrela also felt the effects of a bruising encounter.
Toulouse, of course, beat Leinster at the same stage of the competition last year on their way to winning a fourth Heineken Cup crown. A rematch at the Aviva Stadium will be difficult but, with a budget of €28 million for the season, they will make full use of their considerable squad in the weeks ahead.
Having met Leinster four times since 2006, the French side are well aware of what they will be up against on April 30th.
“We’ve played them several times in the past few seasons, either in the pools or in the knockout stage,” Clerc said. “All in all, Leinster have a huge amount of talent.”
Toulouse followed Leinster’s win over Leicester closely, and forwards coach Yannick Bru said he was impressed by what he saw.
“Frankly what Leinster showed against Leicester, in terms of speed, intensity in the rucks and in the contest in general, it was really impressive. There’s a lot of talent there.
“Last season we were European champions after playing all of the knockout stages in France. Now we’ll be playing on foreign territory. It’s a huge collective challenge and it’s very exciting.”
As for the wily technician who has overseen Toulouse’s dominance on the European stage, Novès revealed he was already thinking about meeting Leinster even before they faced Biarritz in a repeat of last year’s final.
“I was saying to myself that we would be playing a rematch against Biarritz and, if we got through, we’d be playing a rematch against Leinster at their place,” he said. “I think everyone is in agreement in recognising that they’re an unimaginable team – the best in Europe for several years.”
However, he said Toulouse would not be intimidated by a trip to Dublin.
“The players have earned the right to play over there. They will be absolutely determined to put in a big performance.”
