IT’S ALL SET up for a Toulon win, and a convincing one at that.
The reigning back-to-back champions, comfortable 29-14 victors in the sides’ quarter-final meeting last year and current leaders of the Top 14 against Matt O’Connor’s so-far unimpressive Leinster.
Sean O’Brien, Jamie Heaslip and Devin Toner provide international class. Source: Ryan Byrne/INPHO
Toulon are the bookmakers’ firm favourites, 11-point favourites in many places. They don’t get these things wrong too often.
Surely some semblance of form would be encouraging for Leinster, surely they would be more comfortable coming into this European meeting with the confidence of a winning streak behind them?
But head coach O’Connor is happy with Leinster’s underdog position ahead of the 15.15 kick-off [Irish time]. All the pressure is on Toulon as they seek out three in a row, while few expect Leinster to pull it off.
“If we were coming down here with a bit of form, a bit of confidence, all those things, I don’t know if the fight would be enough. It’s going to take an enormous effort from us and I’d back our blokes to deliver it.”
Of course, the likes of Matt Giteau, Bakkies Botha, Ali Williams, Leigh Halfpenny and Chris Masoe have a track record of dealing with pressure comfortably, channeling it into impressive performances.
The have pedigree in fixtures of this nature and the Stade Vélodrome will hold no fears for them.
Michalak directs Toulon from the out-half position. Source: Inpho/Billy Stickland
Whatever about their form, Leinster too have a handful of big-game behemoths, men like Sean O’Brien and Jamie Heaslip. Devin Toner is a second row of proven international class, while Mike Ross and Cian Healy know their way around the Test arena.
This is cup rugby and Leinster have a pack full of players who will be equally undaunted by the scale of the day.
“Most definitely, we’ve got a lot of guys in our environment who are Test players and who have played on the biggest stages there are,” said O’Connor.
O’Connor is more aware than anyone that Leinster’s performances this season have not been up to the standard the province expects of itself, but today represents another chance to turn the situation around.
The Australian coach has been focusing his players’ minds on their better European displays and asking them to build from there.
“We looked at the Wasps first half and the Bath first half and they were as good as we’ve been all year, those two first halves.