Pressure on Berne to fill Sexton void

PREVIEW: Toulouse v Leinster

It hardly came as a shock when word of the out-half’s absence was confirmed shortly before noon yesterday and, though Leinster have had ample time to work on Plan B, it would be impossible to overstate the magnitude of his loss.

Three teams have gone to Toulouse and won in the European Cup since 2006 – Leinster, Scarlets and Glasgow, though the Irish province are the only one to win at Le Stadium, which will host today’s clash – and between them the Celtic clubs racked up a grand total of 115 points.

The message? If you want to beat Toulouse in their own patch you have to be prepared to have a go and that makes severe demands of the man pulling the strings.

Shaun Berne is a solid pro but he is no Sexton. Most of his career in Australia, England and Ireland has been spent in the centre rather than the number ten cockpit and his place-kicking is a worry.

While the rest of the visiting back line reads impressively, Shane Horgan’s form is a worry. The wing made an awful error that cost Leinster a try against Clermont Auvergne in the last eight which was symptomatic of his troubles.

The problem is that Michael Cheika is light on cover in terms of backs, as evidenced by the fall-back options on the bench. How the Australian could do with the injured Luke Fitzgerald right about now.

Rob Kearney has, thankfully, been given the green light and the reigning champions can only keep their fingers crossed that the collection of minor injuries recently suffered by a number of their other backs don’t resurface.

Matters are more clearcut in the pack, aside from the front row. The selection of Cian Healy in front of CJ van der Linde, who has been the preferred loose-head option of late, is something of a surprise.

Healy’s form hasn’t been winning any plaudits since the Six Nations but the South African has had a history of toe problems since arriving in Ireland and that has played its part in hampering his contribution.

Facing them is a Toulouse side that begs no such equivocations. Guy Noves, predictably, has named his strongest possible selection with the only question as to whether William Servat will be fit in time to pack down.

If anything epitomises Toulouse’s strength, in fact, it is their bench where serious talent in the form of Jean-Baptiste Poux, Louis Picamoles, Jean-Baptiste Elissalde and Maxime Medard lie in wait for a chance to shine.

They are still sniffing around for a domestic and European double after a season in which the losses column is in double figures and, like Leinster, their league form has been iffy. This, however, is the Heineken Cup. No French team has embraced the continental element to the extent the Toulousain have and a sixth year without a title just wouldn’t be acceptable in this part of the world.

At their best, they are capable of winning a game in a handful of moves but this Leinster team has proven in recent seasons that it will not be shaken off lightly.

That alone, and the knowledge that they have conquered Europe once already, is enough for them to travel with genuine hope and belief but, when the respective plusses and minuses are added up, it is hard to go against Toulouse.