BBC SPORT | WALES | French memories for Cardiff duo

For Cardiff hooker Jonathan Humphreys there is the chance to avenge the 1996 European Cup final defeat.

For centre Pieter Muller there is the chance of putting one over on his former team-mates.

And for Cardiff, there is the knowledge a win over Toulouse at Les Sept-Deniers on Saturday would guarantee them a home tie in the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup.

Humphreys was in the Cardiff side defeated 21-18 in extra time by the French side in the inaugural European Cup final in 1996.

There are flares going off and it is more like a football crowd than a rugby one

Jonathan Humphreys

Adrian Davies slotted six penalties, the last of which took the game into extra time, before a Thomas Castaignede drop goal sealed a Toulouse win.

The Cardiff hooker has more experience than most of his side of partisan French crowds and described them graphically.

Lions tour

"It is hard to say what it is like. There are flares going off and it is more like a football crowd than a rugby one and it can be intimidating," he said.

But the Cardiff hooker had no doubt even the youngest of his team-mates - centre Jamie Robinson - would cope with the pressure.

Robinson scores a try
Jamie Robinson will cope with French crowd
"Even the youngsters are internationals and Jamie is playing the best out of all of us at the moment," he said.

Muller meanwhile will return to the ground where he spent four months as a player in 1997, as a break between an Australian rugby league contract and the Lions tour to South Africa.

"Toulouse was one of the real rugby towns if France and the fans will be out to support the team.

"There were great people out in France, but when you play against them it is a different story," Muller said, urging his colleagues not to take the already eliminated Toulouse too lightly.

Team news

Cardiff name a squad of 25 to take to Toulouse with Wayne Fyvie and Andrew Lewis back from injury and Kevin Ellis travelling as cover for Rob Howley and Ryan Powell.

The Blue ad Blacks will name their starting line up on Saturday lunchtime.

Cardiff are taking a playing squad of 25 to Toulouse for the final Heineken Cup pool 3 match on Saturday evening.

Teams - Toulouse: tba

Cardiff - Backs : (from) Rhys Williams, Mike Rayer, Nick Walne, Craig Morgan, Gareth Thomas, Jamie Robinson, Pieter Muller, Neil Jenkins, Robert Howley, Ryan Powell, Kevin Ellis
Forwards : (from) David Young (capt), Andrew Lewis, Spencer John, Kenneth Fourie, Jonathan Humphreys, Damien Geraghty, Craig Quinnell, Mike Voyle, John Tait, Martin Morgan, Wayne Fyvie, Martyn Williams, Emyr Lewis, Owain Williams


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