Hayman back for Toulon

TOULON welcome back Carl Hayman to their extended squad for Sunday’s crunch match with Munster but lost Jocelino Suta after the lock was handed a 20-day suspension.

Former All Black tighthead prop Hayman was named in a 26-man squad to face Munster in the Heineken Cup showdown at a sold-out Stade Mayol having missed last weekend’s Top 14 defeat at Racing Metro with a neck injury.

However, there is still a chance he could miss out as the New Zealander is one of three non-European players in the extended squad. ERC rules permit a maximum of two “foreign” players in a match squad, meaning Toulon director of rugby Philippe Saint-Andre must omit Hayman, Felipe Contepomi or Juan Fernandez Lobbe, who yesterday signed a three-year contract extension, when he names his starting side and replacements later today.

Given the emphasis placed by French clubs on forward power and the form of Toulon’s other fly-half Jonny Wilkinson, Contepomi could be the one jettisoned.

Meanwhile the combative Suta, a French A international, was hit with his ban yesterday following a red card against Bayonne in a Top 14 match on December 29.

Suta’s suspension, for a dangerous tackle when he shoulder-charged Bayonne’s Remy Martin in Toulon’s away defeat, will be completed next Tuesday, meaning he is available to face the Ospreys the following weekend.

Suta was expected to start against Munster alongside English lock Dean Schofield and Saint-Andre named just two other second rows in his 26-man squad for the weekend, Kris Chesney and Christophe Samson. Team captain and number eight Joe Van Niekerk has shown no ill effects following his return to duty as a substitute against Racing Metro in Paris last week, having overcome a virus.

TOULON (squad v Munster): Forwards: S Bruno, K Chesney, J El Abd, L Emmanuellli, J-M Fernandez Lobbe, C Hayman, D Kubriashvili, M Merabet, J-C Orioli, C Samson, D Schofield, G Smith, S Taumoepeau, J Van Niekerk. Backs: F Auelua, F Contepomi, R Lamont, B Lapeyre, C Loamanu, G Lovobalavu, L Magnaval, G Messina, P Mignoni, P Sackey, J Wilkinson, R Wulf.