On Thursday, January 14, 2010 Vicarage Road plays host to the usual cosmopolitan mix of rugby players. A tad more cosmopolitan than most, as, while the home side name a squad of 23 featuring players of 7 nationalities, RC Toulon bring a total of 12 different nationalities. 

The visitors have chosen to rest a few more players than the hosts for whom Wikus Van Heerden takes a well-earned rest to make room for his compatriot, Justin Melck. Of the visitors, Rory Lamont remains on the Cote D’Azur, as does Juan Fernandez-Lobbé who was excellent in Round 2 but is now carrying a niggle. Sébastien Fauqué, who has been a more than adequate understudy for Guess Who? at fly-half, is also missing, so the comically enriched travellers have to scrape the barrel with Felipe Contepomi on the bench. Also missing is the veteran scrum-half Pierre Mignoni, as well as Fabien Cibray who, having been signed mid-season, may not be eligible; the occasionally troubled Matt Henjak will therefore enjoy a rare start with the novice Frenchman Anthony Giacobazzi as understudy.

However, to the pleasure of many of the home crowd, long-serving veteran of Vicarage Rd, Southgate Rd and even Bramley Rd, Kris Chesney, is listed to start at lock for Les Toulonnais.

The visitors’ bench has an unbalanced look to it, and we may well see changes to that announced. Skeate and El Abd are unavailable due to injury, but with no sign of Sourice, Suta, Senekal (a Namibian who would have brought the nationality tally to 13), César,  Braille or Auelua, all of the five forwards named are of the front-row variety, including three specialist props and a German (Tussac) who has been known to hook as well as prop for his national side, but has made only two appearances for Toulon, both against Rovigo in this season’s Amlin Challenge Cup. Philippe Saint-André has been known to use hookers as flankers, and this fate may await Sébastien Bruno, if no specialist can be found (would it be heresy to suggest that Kris Chesney’s gallivanting days may be behind him?)

The visitors have enjoyed mixed fortunes away from home, but are unbeaten at Stade Félix Mayol, where they defeated Saracens, denying the visitors a bonus point. It would be foolhardy for the English club to imagine that anything other than a bonus point win awaits Toulon in Round 6 when they host the already eliminated Castres who have made no secret of their intention to concentrate upon their domestic league where they have only recently relinquished top spot. Accordingly the hosts, who shared a similar domestic fate to Castres at the start of the year (let’s hope the similarity ends there) need to win with a bonus point and deny the visitors anything, winning buy 8+, if their fate is to be in their own hands after this game.

Between Xmas and New Year, both combatants suffered away reverses in their domestic leagues with Toulon looking alarmingly out-of-sorts at Stade Marcel Michelin. Frenchrugbyclub.com, (http://frenchrugbyclub.com) the English-language website reported that match thus:

"Fly-half Jonny Wilkinson suffered a rare off day as Toulon were crushed 39-3 by free-running Clermont Auvergne.

Vern Cotter's team followed up Wednesday's seven-try demolition of Brive with five more in their convincing home win at Stade Marcel Michelin.

Toulon paid dearly for twice being temporarily reduced to 14 men, conceding 17 points during the two 10-minute periods. They also lacked Wilkinson's usual goal-kicking accuracy, with the England No 10 failing with three penalties and a drop-goal before being replaced by Sébastien Fauqué at half-time.

Clermont were already 10-0 up by then, courtesy of Jamie Cudmore's 31st-minute try (while Toulon skipper Joe Van Niekerk was off the pitch), and five points from the boot of France scrum-half Morgan Parra.

Fauqué slapped a 40m drop-goal within a minute of coming on, but that was it as far as Toulon's scoring went. After that it was merely a question of how many 'Les Jaunards' would rack up, with Parra himself going over next before adding the conversion and a further penalty.

Joe El-Abd's 57th-minute sin-bin sparked further scoring, with Parra converting a 59th-minute penalty try, before French winger Julien Malzieu raced in for their fourth try eight minutes later.

Prop Davit Zirakashvili went close late on before replacement scrum-half Kevin Senio continued Parra's good work with try number five. The only surprise was that Brock James, on as a late sub for Tasesa Lavea, missed the conversion.

But the win was enough for Clermont to claim outright second spot as they made it 91 points in five days and a maximum 10 out of 10 in the league."

This match was notable for Van Niekirk’s yellow card, given for two high tackles within a second of one another, displaying a rare level of dexterity! It takes a great deal to provoke French refs into awarding yellow cards(*) for violence, unless parity can be achieved by dismissing one miscreant from each side, but the South African’s feat was deemed sufficiently exceptional.

(*) Wimping out at scrum time enjoys no such laxity from les abitres, as England’s loosehead should have known before trying it on at Welford Road (you’re digressing, Ed).

Also shocking was the appalling form of Johnny Wilkinson who was hauled off at half-time having missed four place kicks out of four, in contrast to the unflustered control he brought to bear when these teams met in the South of France. The Hertfordshire faithful may be hoping that England’s erstwhile saviour may have acquired the French disease of giving up when away from home, but your correspondent hears that the man with seven drop goals behind him this season (is that why Derrick Hougaard has been named to start for Sarries?) was suffering from a bout of gastro-enteritis (under-cooked bulots, perhaps), and so may be back to his imperious best for this clash.

RCT returned to winning form at home in Round 18 of the Top-14, reported by http://frenchrugbyclub.com as follows:

“Toulon climbed back into the top six following their 18-7 home win against Montauban at the Stade Félix Mayol.

Philippe Saint-André's team were given an early shock when Fijian winger Vilimoni Delasau sprinted in from 90m after overturning Toulon ball, but Jonny Wilkinson's 16th-minute penalty appeared to settle the hosts.

Three minutes later scrum-half Fabien Cibray went over in the corner for his first try since joining from Biarritz after a close-in blindside break with Gabriele Lovobalavu, and Wilkinson was on the money again to make it 10-7. The England fly-half then added a 38th minute drop-goal for good measure as Toulon went to half time with a six point lead.

The Toulon pack continued to dominate after the break and a second try duly came when lock Jocelino Suta touched just seven minutes after the restart. Wilkinson failed to convert this time, but the home side held on to win 18-7 and maintain their unbeaten home record this season.

The victory lifted them four points clear of Biarritz - who had been in sixth position.”

It would be a massive achievement for Sarries to achieve the comprehensive victory needed against this opposition. The teams have been announced as follows:

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