PARIS: A highly-emotional European Champions Cup match will be guaranteed at Munster on the weekend while French giants Toulon face a must-win away match at Sale to realistically keep their hopes alive.
Munster will entertain Glasgow at their Thomond Park ground in Limerick on Saturday just a day after the burial of club great and former Ireland international Anthony Foley, who died suddenly last weekend in Paris at the age of 42 due to a pulmonary edema.
Tournament organisers European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) have asked for all clubs in the Champions and Challenge competitions to observe a minute’s silence or applause in memory of the Munster head coach, who as a player captained the Irish province to their European title in 2006.
While Munster’s match at Racing 92 was postponed after Foley’s death last Sunday, three-time former champions Toulon slipped to a 31-23 defeat by defending title holders Saracens.
With just the winners of each of the six groups guaranteed a place in the knock-out phases, along with the two next-best second-placed finishers, the pressure is immediately on Toulon as they travel to play Sale.
“Every game in this European Cup is a must-win so we’re going to have to turn around this week and win away from home,” said Toulon’s Australian winger James O’Connor.
“You want to win every game. There’s a bit more emphasis on this week because it’s a must-win. When it’s a must-win it’s a little bit more draining mentally.
“But we did it last year,” O’Connor said in reference to last season when Toulon lost to Wasps in their opener before rebounding with five straight pool victories.
Off the paddock, Toulon president Mourad Boudjellal, whose riches have helped the club to three European titles (2013, 2014, 2015) and the French championship in 2014 over the last 10 years, is readying to sell out to French film producer and businessman Gerard Barba and lawyer Lucien Simon in a reported 10 million euro ($11 million) deal.
One of Boudjellal’s last signings was former Bath and England coach Mike Ford, who admitted that Sale will be relishing the thought of taking on Toulon after the latter’s error-ridden display against Saracens.
“There were some schoolboy errors there,” Ford acknowledged. “We left ourselves with a mountain to climb.
“All we can do now is get back down to work. We have Sale which will be tough and they will be licking their lips, but we have superb players and they will respond.”
Saracens entertain Scarlets on Saturday in Pool 3’s other match.
The Llanelli-based Scarlets beat Sale last weekend as all four Welsh regions unusually won in European competition.
“They have got some players who are on top of their game at the moment and riding the crest of a wave, not only with England and the international side but at club level they have won everything,” said Scarlets coach Wayne Pivac.
“They have set the benchmark for other clubs to follow I guess. It’s a massive step up this week but also a great challenge.”
In Pool 4, Northampton had Stephen Myler to thank for an injury-time penalty that sealed a 16-14 win over Montpellier last week and they will be looking for a second victory over a French side when they travel to Castres, who were themselves beaten by Leinster.
In a mouth-watering all-French clash, Clermont will host Bordeaux-Begles in Pool 5, the two teams unbeaten having seen off Ulster and Exeter in the first round of action.
Sunday’s Pool 1 match sees Racing 92 travel to Leicester, who were well beaten by Glasgow last week.
Toulouse entertain Wasps in Pool 2, Italian whipping boys Zebre welcoming Connacht, who recorded a vital win over the French team last weekend.
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