Still winless, European giants Toulon and Munster on the hunt for survival
PULLING STRINGS: Munster chief playmaker Jack Crowley. Pic: Morgan Treacy, Inpho
You can criticise the current format of the Champions Cup pool phases all you want but there is nothing in this Pool 3 match-up between former champions Toulon and Munster this afternoon that suggests its bottom two teams will be going through the motions at Stade Felix Mayol.
With two rounds to go in a six-team pool and four clubs able to progress to April’s knockout rounds, there is still plenty of incentive for this still winless pair at the halfway stage of the qualifying phase.
And the ability of both head coaches, Pierre Mignoni and Munster’s Graham Rowntree to pick strong sides for this first rematch since the 2018 quarter-finals suggests a couple of organisations willing to give their everything to stay alive in the competition.
Munster are undoubtedly boosted by the timely returns of frontline senior players Peter O’Mahony, Alex Nankivell and Niall Scannell to the starting line-up and Joey Carbery to the bench following injuries as they bid to claim their first win in either Europe or the URC since December 1.
Their comebacks also afford the restoration of some stability to a still injury-depleted squad with O’Mahony’s reappearance at blindside flanker for the first time since a shoulder injury against Stormers on November 18 allowing lock Tom Ahern to return to the second row and Gavin Coombes to vacate his recent residency there for the more effective environs of No.8.
There are six changes and two positional switches in all from the side that lost at Connacht on January 1 as half-backs Craig Casey and Jack Crowley return to direct operations and John Ryan starts at tighthead prop as Oli Jager continues to go through his return to play protocols following the head injury that ended his New Year’s afternoon in Galway.
Ahern vacates the number six jersey after a spell that has marked him out as a longer-term occupant down the track to form a second row with Tadhg Beirne, who captains a Munster side for possibly the first time in a decade with O’Mahony back among the foot soldiers.
Not that the Ireland Test centurion will be taking a back seat, as Gavin Coombes attested to in an interview this week.
“I don’t think he could stop leading,” the No.8 said of former skipper O’Mahony. “That’s what comes naturally to him. He’s a person that just has a presence, regardless of where he is and it demands respect from the room, be it in team meetings and in huddles. That’s huge as well and everyone has so much respect for him and what he’s done in the game.
“Last season he captained us to the URC and it’s always big to get fellas back like that. You can see he’s buzzing to go again. He hasn’t played since November and it’s exciting to get him back.”
Nankivell’s return at inside centre for the first time since an ankle injury on December 26 renews a midfield partnership with Antoine Frisch and with a settled back three of full-back Simon Zebo and wings Shane Daly and Calvin Nash, there is something resembling normality after a fraught six weeks of make do and mend.
Munster are not out of the woods yet, of course and key players are still missing, but this is a major step on the exit trail and much needed given the size of the task lying in wait at the Mayol, neatly outlined by Mike Prendergast.
Munster’s attack coach sees the three-time champions rediscovering the sort of stature under current head coach Mignoni and a coaching ticket also including Sergio Parisse and Andrea Masi that led to their “galacticos” ruling Europe between 2012 and 2015.
“You can see there’s more structure about them, especially in attack,” Prendergast said.
“Add on their physical power athletes. Add on more shape in what they do in terms of their attack and then add in X-factor players they’re after bringing in and getting back as well, Leicester Fainga’anuku, the Kiwi they’re after bringing in, Waisea (Nayacalevu), the Fiji captain at 13, I coached him in Stade Francais, (Facundo) Isa at No.8.
“They’ve world-class players, Dan Biggar, spread out around the place. And now you’re talking structure, they’re on the path where they want to go, they’ve got those X-factor players, they have that power.
“They have a bit of everything and it will be hard to break down but, we’re looking forward to it.”
M Jaminet; J Wainiqolo, W Nayacalevu, D Paia'a, L Fainga'anuku; D Biggar, B White; D Priso, C Tolofua, K Brookes; M Halagahu, D Ribbans - captain; C du Preez, S Tolofua, F Isa.
J Singleton, B Devaux, B Gigashvili, B Alainu'uese, J Coulon, J Danglot, J Sinzelle, S Tuicuvu.
S Zebo; C Nash, A Frisch, A Nankivell, S Daly; J Crowley, C Casey; J Loughman, N Scannell, J Ryan; T Ahern, T Beirne - captain; P O’Mahony, J Hodnett, G Coombes.
E Clarke, J Wycherley, S Archer, B Gleeson, A Kendellen, C Murray, J Carbery, S O’Brien.
Nika Amakusheli (Georgia).
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