Le Roux: Toulouse will beat Munster
Le Roux has faced both outfits this year, enjoying a Magners League win against Munster in Musgrave Park while experiencing victory and defeat in his European bouts against Toulouse.
“If I were to make a prediction, Toulouse are going to win this competition. They are a really good side, with a really quick backline with big players. It’s like playing Tana Umaga and Jonah Lomu and those guys.
It’s that same feeling with the pace they play the game. They put you under a lot of pressure and they’ve got good forwards. I think they’ll win the competition.”
Never slow to offer his opinion, le Roux is still coming to grips with northern hemisphere rugby and feels the Heineken Cup stands up well against the Super 14 but has struggled with the stop-start nature of the club season here.
He plays his first game in a month today against Cardiff in the Magners League (RDS, 7.30pm) — his last outing being the European loss at Leicester.
You’re changing competitions the whole time. It would be much nicer if you could have the Heineken Cup and then the Magners League, or finish the competition and carry on.”
Le Roux wasn’t helped by a rib problem which sidelined him for four weeks but that was a rare injury in a career boasting 360-odd first-class games since 1993.
Employed on a seven-month deal at Leinster, he is eager to pay back his handsome contract and has indicated his desire to return next season.
Another noticeable difference are the numbers. Here, young talent is nurtured like a mother bird would an egg. In South Africa, such potential is 10-a-penny and the competition therefore is far more cutthroat.
“In South Africa I was 130kg, one of the most mobile guys you could see playing in the front row. If I had played for Ireland, I would have been in the team for 10 or 12 years.”
It is a topic that crops up elsewhere in conversation when the 34-year old is asked his opinion on the Irish pack’s ability to destroy their French counterparts in the second half in Paris.
“The Irish side is quite settled. They’ve got a pack that’s been around so you’d expect that against a younger French pack that haven’t got the experience.
“You always get good old props because they’ve been f**ked up enough to learn how to survive, that’s what we always say.”
Shane Horgan returns from injury to make his 132nd Leinster appearance and could reach a landmark because his next try will be his 50th for the province.
Leinster are further boosted by the return of scrumhalf Chris Whitaker who partners Felipe Contepomi at halfback, with Michael Berne lining up alongside Christian Warner at centre.
LEINSTER: L Fitzgerald; S Horgan, C Warner, M Berne, G Brown; F Contepomi, C Whitaker; C Healy, O le Roux, S Wright, T, Hogan, L Cullen (c), C Jowitt, K Gleeson, S Keogh.
Replacements: B Blaney, S Knoop, D Toner, K McLaughlin, C Keane, E O’Malley, F Jones.
CARDIFF BLUES: B Blair, J Roberts, J Robinson, G Thomas, T James, N Macleod, J Spice; J Yapp, G Williams, T Filise, S Morgan, P Tito, M Molitika, R Sowden Taylor, X Rush (c).
Replacements: G Powell, T Rhys Thomas, B White, M Lewis, R Rees, R Jones, T Selley
Referee: Peter Allan (SRU)
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