Munster will need to be on red alert against talented Toulouse

The Heineken Cup as we know it has just seven games to run. When it is consigned to history at the end of the season in favour of its successor, the proposed new European Champions Cup, we will look back with fond memories on the last 19 seasons of memorable European action and the joy the tournament brought for rugby supporters across the competing nations.

Central to the success of the tournament from the outset are Munster and Toulouse who between them won the Heineken Cup on six occasions along with contesting 10 finals including the 2008 decider at the Millennium Stadium. In the four contests between the sides over the years, the spoils are split evenly with two wins apiece but ironically Toulouse have never played at Thomond Park. It is only right and fitting then that in the twilight of this great tournament, that anomaly will be rectified on Saturday.

That fact isn’t lost either on the Toulouse players, many of whom were on board throughout their countless successes in Europe, chief amongst them former French full back Clement Poitrenaud.