HEINEKEN CUP PREVIEWS
Benoît Lecouls, Byron Kelleher, Thierry Dusautoir and Frédéric Michalak won’t feature while French centre Yannick Jauzion’s dip in form has prompted coach Guy Novès to leave him on the bench in favour of the erratic Clément Poitrenaud at number 12. Biarritz have also been handicapped by the absence of injured front rowers Benoît August and Fabien Barcella, while centre Damien Traille was last night ruled out with a bruised heel.
Biarritz’s Australian full-back Dane Haylett-Petty is out meaning Iain Balshaw shifts role, allowing Fijian Ilikena Bolakoro to start on the left wing.
BIARRITZ OLYMPIQUE: I Balshaw; T Ngwenya, M Bosch, C Gimenez, I Bolakoro; J Peyrelongue, D Yachvili; E Coetzee, R Terrain, S Marconnet, J Thion, E Lund, M Lund, I Harinordoquy (c), R Lakafia.
Replacements: E Guinazu, J Afoa, C Johnstone, P Taele, W Lauret, Y Lesgourgues, L Tranier, A Mignardi
TOULOUSE: C Heymans; V Clerc, F Fritz, C Poitrenaud, M Medard; D Skrela, N Bezy; D Human, W Servat, C Johnston, R Millo-Chluski, P Albacete, J Bouilhou (c), S Nicolas, L Picamoles
Replacements: V Lacombe, J Poux, Y Montes, Y Maestri, J Doussain, Y Jauzion, Y Nyanga, G Lamboley
Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)
*****
HISTORY will be made at Barcelona’s Olympic Stadium today in the all-French Heineken Cup quarter-final between Perpignan and Toulon (3.30pm, Irish, Sky Sports 2). With all 55,000 tickets sold, the Catalan capital will set a new European quarter-final attendance record, bettering the benchmark of 48,500 set at Lansdowne Road when Leinster hosted Leicester Tigers in 2005.
Perpignan, bidding to make it past the quarters for the first time since 2003, have shown good form, stringing together five consecutive wins before losing narrowly to Toulouse last weekend. They face a Toulon side which defeated Munster in the group stages and hammered Stade Français in the Top 14 last weekend.
Perpignan are boosted by the return of David Marty from suspension to partner Philippe Grandclaude in midfield but are without injured hooker Marius Tincu (knee) and loose forward Jean-Pierre Pérez (shoulder). Toulon have left Felipe Contepomi on the bench as Jonny Wilkinson and Gabi Lovobalavu form the 10-12 partnership. Gavin Henson is ineligible, having played for Saracens while ex England winger Paul Sackey is in the replacements.
PERPIGNAN: J Porical; A Plante, D Marty, J Grandclaude, J Candelon; N Laharrague, F Cazenave; J Schuster, G Guirado, N Mas (c), G Vilaceca, R Tchale Watchou, B Guiry, D Chouly, H Tuilagi.
Replacements: C Geli, P Freshwater, K Pulu, R Alvarez Kairelis, D Mele, G Hume, J Michel, O Tonita
TOULON: R Lamont; R Wulf, G Messina, G Lovobalavu, C Loamanu; J Wilkinson, P Mignoni; L Emmanuelli, S Bruno, D Kubriashvili, K Chesney, D Schofield, J Fernandez Lobbe, G Smith, J van Niekerk (c)
Replacements: J Genevois, S Taumoepeau, D Tussac, J El Abd, F Contepomi, P Sackey, F Cibray, C Samson
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England).
