Toulon v Bath: Champions Cup preview
Last Updated: 10/01/16 5:20pm
Centre Jonathan Joseph will make his 50th appearance for Bath when they play Toulon in the Champions Cup on Sunday.
It's a must-win game for Bath, who have struggled domestically as well as in the Champions Cup this season, as a loss would rule them out of a place in the quarter-finals with two rounds still remaining.
In the club's first ever competitive meeting with the three-time European champions, Stuart Hooper returns to captain the team in the second row where he partners Dominic Day.
Nick Auterac and David Wilson pack down either side of hooker Rob Webber in the front row, while the back row of Matt Garvey, Francois Louw and No 8 Leroy Houston is the same that started in Bath's 19-16 Champions Cup victory over Leinster in November.
Chris Cook and George Ford form the half-back pairing, while Kyle Eastond links up with Joseph in the midfield. Matt Banahan and Semesa Rokoduguni are the wingers and full-back Anthony Watson completes the back three.
Toulon are forced to do without Matt Gituea after it was revealed the Wallaby has not fully recovered from an injury he suffered in last season's Top 14 semi-final.
"Apparently it's not a groin strain," coach Bernard Laporte said. "But when he plays, he suffers after half-time."
Quade Cooper comes into the side at 10, and will be distributing the ball to the formidable centre pairing of Ma'a Nonu and Mathieu Bastareaud.
Juan Smith, Juan Fernandez Lobbe and Duane Vermeulen form the back row while Steffon Armitage occupies the bench.
Toulon are three-time defending champions in the tournament, but the match against Bath is a game both sides must win or almost certainly see their knock-out hopes end.
Both have two wins and a defeat from three games but trail Pool 5 leaders Wasps by six points.
Bath: 15 Anthony Watson, 14 Semesa Rokoduguni, 13 Jonathan Joseph, 12 Kyle Eastmond, 11 Matt Banahan, 10 George Ford, 9 Chris Cook; 1 Nick Auterac, 2 Rob Webber, 3 David Wilson, 4 Stuart Hooper (c), 5 Dominic Day, 6 Matt Garvey, 7 Francois Louw, 8 Leroy Houston.
Replacements: 16 Ross Batty, 17 Max Lahiff, 18 Henry Thomas, 19 Charlie Ewels, 20 David Denton, 21 Jonathan Evans, 22 Rhys Priestland, 23 Tom Homer.
Toulon: 15 James O'Connor, 14 Josua Tuisova, 13 Mathieu Bastareaud, 12 Ma'a Nonu, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Eric Escande; 1 Florian Fresia, 2 Guilhem Guirado, 3 Levan Chilachava, 4 Jocelino Suta, 5 Konstantine Mikautadze, 6 Juan Smith, 7 Juan Fernandez Lobbe, 8 Duane Vermeulen.
Replacements: 16 Anthony Etrillard, 17 Xavier Chiocci, 18 Matt Stevens, 19 Steffon Armitage, 20 Frederic Michalak, 21 Maxime Mermoz, 22 Sebastien Tillous-Borde, 23 Thibault Lassale.