Ulster v Toulouse: Champions Cup preview
Last Updated: 11/12/15 10:52pm
Rory Best is back to captain Ulster against Toulouse in the European Champions Cup clash on Friday.
Best watched from the side-lines as Ulster got back to winning ways against Edinburgh in the PRO12 last weekend, and is calling on the Kingspan faithful to be the 16th man against the French heavyweights.
"Toulouse are the most successful team in Europe, Best told the clubs official website.
"They are sitting third on the Top 14 table and won their first home game in Europe. They will feel that they are sitting reasonably strong. Even if you have not seen them this season, if you look through their team sheet they are littered with stars. It is going to be a challenge.
"The boys will look at it in a positive light - when we come out on the right side of it on Friday night there will be a real sense of achievement about it.
"Against Toulouse, we want to recreate some of the special nights that we've had in Europe. It's important that the crowd really come out and show us support and give us that lift that the 16th man can give us.
"Hopefully we get a sell-out stadium this weekend and if we do, it's important that we give them something to get behind."
Ulster lost to Saracens in the second round of the Champions Cup after their first round clash against Oyonnax was postponed due to the Paris attacks and will now be played on January 10.
Ulster's director of rugby Les Kiss said: "There are a lot of permutations that don't fit the normal European year. Losing can put you on the back foot, but it would be remiss of anyone to define a competition after two games. I don't think anyone's been defined after round two in this competition before.
"We just need to keep our head about ourselves. It's important to win because that would put a different kind of pressure on the pool.
"Toulouse know that it's a real battle for that second place and you never know what could happen if we do win.
"Saracens know we have that extra game up our sleeves. You don't think they'll take their eye off the ball, but it does put extra pressure on them."
Toulouse got their Champions Cup back on track, following defeat to Saracens, with a 27-3 victory over Oyonnax, however their away form has been a problem of late having lost three of their last four games on the road.
However winger Vincent Clerc said that Toulouse have to go to Ulster and get a win if they want to qualify for the play-offs.
"The next two games in the European Cup are essential to qualification. We will have to go and get a result in Ulster, that's obvious.
"You really get the European Cup in mind and we are in a situation where we have the pressure. We must negotiate our way through these ties."
Ulster: 15 Louis Ludik, 14 Andrew Trimble, 13 Luke Marshall, 12 Stuart McCloskey, 11 Craig Gilroy, 10 Paddy Jackson, 9 Ruan Pienaar; 1 Kyle McCall, 2 Rory Best (c), 3 Wiehahn Herbst, 4 Alan O'Connor, 5 Franco Van Der Merwe, 6 Robbie Diack, 7 Chris Henry, 8 Nick Williams.
Replacements: 16 Rob Herring, 17 Andy Warwick, 18 Ricky Lutton, 19 Clive Ross, 20 Roger Wilson, 21 Paul Marshall, 22 Ian Humphreys, 23 Rory Scholes
Toulouse: 15 Clément Poitrenaud, 14 Vincent Clerc, 13 Gael Fickou, 12 Toby Flood, 11 Maxime Médard, 10 Luke McAlister, 9 Sébastien Bézy; 1 Vasil Kakovin, 2 Corey Flynn, 3 Census Johnston, 4 Yoann Maestri, 5 Joe Tekori, 6 Yacouba Camara, 7 Thierry Dusautoir (c), 8 Louis Picamoles.
Replacements: 16 Julien Marchand, 17 Cyril Baille, 18 Dorian Aldegheri, 19 Edwin Maka, 20 Gregory Lamboley, 21 Gillian Galan, 22 Jean-Marc Doussain, 23 Alexis Palisson.
