London Irish v Toulouse

[An Tarbh]

<div align='center'>

London Irish v Toulouse

</div>

Well it's another journey into the unknown for London Irish as they take on Toulouse at Twickenham this Saturday, although whether that journey continues all the way to Cardiff remains to be seen. Toulouse may well have lost Clerc but they still have the experience and talent to get the job done.

Toulouse have certainly had to come through a much tougher pool than Irish and that should stand to them when they take to Twickenham on Saturday.

So can Irish stop this star studded lineup or will it be as expected with Toulouse on their way to Cardiff next May???

 

[Sir Speedy]

Despite Toulouse's shattering loss last week and losing Clerc, I think they'll still have too much firepower for London Irish.
Toulouse by 20+ for me.

 

[Vambo]

Hard to see Toulouse not winning it given their history in this comp and the Exile's relative inexperience at this stage.

 

[DonBilly]

Very bad news for Toulouse, Courrent was injured during training and won't be available for Saturday's match.

 

[danny]

Hard to see past Toulouse but we must remember that this will be like a home game for Irish and Toulouse are a typical French team on the road. If Irish can get a good start and rattle Toulouse`s confidence they could pull it off. Its a lot of if`s but not impossible.

 

[Stillknox]

Despite Toulouse's shattering loss last week and losing Clerc, I think they'll still have too much firepower for London Irish.
Toulouse by 20+ for me. [/b]

Not that much, considering that there is no available winger to replace Clerc... Du Toit, Donguy and Kunavore are still injured. Heymans cannot be back at wing, he's the only fullback available too.

Ahoteiloa (a tongian centre) may play at wing and the unexperienced Mermoz (-21 world champion in 2005) or even... Yannick Nyanga may play at centre instead of him. That's a very experimental team, and with the latest injury of Courrent there maybe 0 backs on the bench. For such an offensive team like Toulouse it's harsh !

If the Irish can be as good as they were against Perpignan in lineout and tactical kicking (where Toulouse is more or less poor) they might have a chance against a weakened Toulouse side... but I think that the strong pack and the experience will make the difference for the third time H-Cup winner.
Toulouse by + 11

 

[An Tarbh]

So no Catt for Irish but Toulouse have a rake of injuries of their own but still this promises to be a more than decent game.

London Irish: Peter Hewat; Topsy Ojo, Peter Richards, Seilala Mapusua, Sailosi Tagicakibau; Shane Geraghty, Paul Hodgson; Dan Murphy, David Paice, Faan Rautenbach, Nick Kennedy, Bob Casey (capt), Declan Danaher, Steffon Armitage, Phil Murphy.
Replacements:Tonga Lea'aetoa, Stuart Mackie, James Hudson, Richard Thorpe, Juan Leguizamon, Nils Mordt, Eoghan Hickey.

Toulouse: Cédric Heymans; Maxime Medard, Manu Ahotaeiloa, Yannick Jauzion Yves Donguy; Jean-Baptiste Elissalde, Byron Kelleher; Daan Human, William Servat, Salvatore Perugini, Fabien Pelous (capt), Patricio Albacete, Jean Bouilhou, Yannick Nyanga, Shaun Sowerby.
Replacements: Alberto Vernet Basualdo, Omar Hasan, Romain Millo-Chluski, Grégory Lamboley, Thierry Dusautoir, Vincent Courrent/Finau Maka, Maxime Mermoz.

 

[Mr.cyclopede]

I've read that Twinckenham is expected to be only 25% filled...

As I can easily see the difficulties for Toulouse's fans to make the long trip, I don't understand why so few british supporters in London.

Is the competion and rivality beetween "Irish" Londoners and others city clubs so hard, is it because they find the result too much predictive ?

Whatever, I find that so few people for such a rendez-vous is quite sad, seems from here that there is a bit of disaffection of rugby in the british stadiums from a while (theses were already empty during the last WRC, exept the France vs NZ quarter final)

 

[An Tarbh]

I was a bit confused why they chose Twickenham in the first place, I think they'd sold 22000 tickets during the week with only 33000 on sale, still a decent crowd but it'll be lost at Twickenham, slight problem that none of the London grounds bar Arsenal are available this weekend so that probably made them go for Twickenham.

I've read that Twinckenham is expected to be only 25% filled...

As I can easily see the difficulties for Toulouse's fans to make the long trip, I don't understand why so few british supporters in London.

Is the competion and rivality beetween "Irish" Londoners and others city clubs so hard, is it because they find the result too much predictive ?

Whatever, I find that so few people for such a rendez-vous is quite sad, seems from here that there is a bit of disaffection of rugby in the british stadiums from a while (theses were already empty during the last WRC, exept the France vs NZ quarter final)
[/b]

Most English fans would want Irish to win today because it would guarantee a seventh spot for England next season in the HEC, that still won't get them going to the match though.

 

[mabi59]

Hello,

Toulouse is playing at home in Twickenham. He has the changing room of residence.
Toulouse will play in the red's shirt.

Go Toulouse Go :bana:

 

[M Two One]

This is a great match so far. A couple mistakes by Cédric Heymans has allowed the Irish to lock things up 15-15.

 

[DC]

geraghty at the end thought for sure that was gonna be the match winner, man i never knew that guy was that quick!

 

[Mr.cyclopede]

London Irish are a very nice team to see. They really deserved to be at this level of the competition. I found them much more brilliant and creative than versus Perpignan. Tagicakibau and Ojo are fantastic, Dogherty was a lighter.
Fortunately for us Cat's eyes were not on the field !
Long live to them

Toulouse deserved mainly because of the big heart they had despite their fragile position. They should search for a private clinic as main sponsor...
Thanks to Kelleher for his definitive tackles, Pelous deceiving (one terrible pass, and a missed try after he broke the line but completely forgot Medard -not sure it was him- on is right).

 

[zabbo]

Though the exiles were unlucky, they do play a lovely style of rugby.

 

[Stillknox]

Toulouse was the better side imo, Tagikikikikibau and Ojo are certainly excellent runners, but they can be thankful to Heymans's terrible defense on their tries. Heymans was incredible at the beginning of the season, I think that te RWC/6 nations + the fact that there is no other fullback at Toulouse burned him, he clearly needs to rest. Same thing for JB Elissalde who was heroic, playing an entire half with one leg...

And a very good game from the old guys, Pelous & Servat. Now I hope that the Irish will return at the same level of the competition next year. They play a very entertaining rugby, just like Toulouse.