Oyonnax v Toulouse: Champions Cup preview
Last Updated: 16/01/16 2:59pm
Toulouse travel to Top 14 rivals Oyonnax on Saturday as they look to finish their Champions Cup Pool 1 campaign on a high after back-to-back defeats to Ulster.
The four-time champions have failed to reach the quarter-finals for the second time in as many years after suffering losses to Saracens and Ulster. Their only win came at home to Oyonnax in round two with a hard-fought 24-18 triumph at Stade Ernest Wallon.
But Oyonnax will fancy their chances in the Rhone-Alps, after coming so close against Ulster in their re-arranged round one fixture.
A flawless first-half performance saw them race into a 23-0 lead at the break. However, Ulster called in the cavalry in the second half as Ruan Pienaar and Paddy Jackson led them to a 24-23 win.
Champions Cup debutants Oyonnax are still without a win in their maiden campaign, and will be determined to overcome European rugby's most successful side in this all-French battle.
Oyonnax: 15 Quentin Etienne, 14 Silvere Tian, 13 Vincent Martin, 12 Eamonn Sheridan, 11 Uwa Tawalo, 10 Nicky Robinson, 9 Fabien Cibray (c); 1 Laurent Delboulbès, 2 Jody Jenneker, 3 Antoine Guillamon, 4 Geoffrey Fabbri, 5 Fabrice Metz, 6 Maurie Fa'asavalu, 7 Olivier Missoup, 8 Viliami Maafu
Replacements: 16 Jeremie Maurouard, 17 Soane Tonga'uiha, 18 Giorgi Vepkhvadze, 19 Valentin Ursache, 20 Pierrick Gunther, 21 Julien Blanc, 22 Regis Lespinas, 23 Guillaume Bousses.
Toulouse: 15 Clément Poitrenaud, 14 Kunatani Kunabuli, 13 Toby Flood, 12 Paul Perez, 11 Timoci Matanavou, 10 Luke McAlister, 9 David Mele; 1 Cyril Baille, 2 Julien Marchand, 3 Nemiah Tialata, 4 Romain Millo-Chluski, 5 Joe Tekori, 6 Thierry Dusautoir (c), 7 Gregory Lamboley, 8 Gillian Galan.
Replacements: 16 Dorian Aldegheri, 17 Vasil Kakovin, 18 Gert Muller, 19 Patricio Albacete, 20 Francois Cros, 21 Christopher Tolofua, 22 Jean-Marc Doussain, 23 Vincent Clerc.