Toulon wheel out the big guns

JONNY WILKINSON, Pierre Mignoni, Johann van Niekerk, Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, Sonny Bill Williams, Tana Umaga and the rest of Toulon’s stellar cast have been included in a 27-man squad for Friday’s Amlin Challenge Cup semi-final at the Sportsground, as head coach Philippe Saint-André stays true to his word to target this tournament as well as the French Championship.

If Toulon reach the final it will be held in Marseilles, where Toulon beat reigning French champions Perpignan in front of 50,000 at the Stade Velodrome a fortnight ago. Lured by that carrot, Saint-André gambled in last weekend’s final round of matches away to Brive by resting a number of his star men, such as Wilkinson, but bringing on the likes of Mignoni and van Niekerk in the second-half, Toulon recovered from 16-6 down to win 29-26 and secure a place in their domestic semi-finals.

This also afforded them a rest week following the Challenge Cup, which has permitted Saint-André to recall Wilkinson and others, although Felipe Contepomi doesn’t make the cut.

“They have surprised me,” Saint-André said yesterday of his players, who have been unbeaten in 11 games since losing in Clermont on January 3rd. “There is still a doubt about (Mafi) Kefu and one or two others, but we are able to welcome back fresh players like Wilkinson and (Luke) Rooney. We will have a mixed group, with some leaders and some players who lack games but the goal is still the same. We want to win this match and qualify for the final.”

Regarding Connacht, Saint-André said: “I’ve watched five of their recent games. Their team plays a little bit like the Irish team. They have a very powerful number eight, George Naoupu, a pair of strong centres who get over the gain line quickly, a powerful winger and another one who is very fast. They put a lot of enthusiasm and heart into their rugby, and they are strong in the contact zone.”

“The group is arriving at peak form at the right moment,” said Fernandez Lobbe, who captained Argentina against Ireland in November 2008, and he added: “All is possible.”

By contrast, the Toulouse coach Guy Noves yesterday repeated his assertion that winning the double of Heineken Cup and the Bouclier de Brennus is “impossible”, all the more so as Toulouse have not qualified automatically for the semi-finals domestically, and hence Saturday’s semi-final against Leinster at Le Stadium would be the first of five successive knock-out matches to achieve the double.

“If the other contenders for the title of champions of France had also five matches to play I would answer that it is impossible. The problem is that we are the only ones in this position at the end of the season. One example, Perpignan will benefit from three weeks of rest to prepare for the semi-final. That’s the hardest bit and for that reason it is difficult to combine your ambitions in several competitions.”

Toulouse still have doubts over both Census Johnston and fellow prop Dan Human, though French loosehead Jean-Baptiste Poux is expected to return to the starting line-up, as might Vincent Clerc, Maxime Medard and Shaun Sowerby, all of whom were rested for last Saturday’s win over Castres.

TOULON (squad v Connacht): Forwards: Auelua, Bastères, Beal, Bruno, Chesney, Fernande Lobbe, Fitzgerald, Lea’atoa, Lozada, Ryan, Sourice, Suta, Taumoepeau, Van Niekerk. Backs: Barthélémy, Henjak (cap.), Kefu, Lovobalavu, Marienval, May, Mignoni, Rooney, Sinzelle, Umaga, Wilkinson, Williams.