HEINEKEN CUP POOL 3: TOULON v OSPREYS
Venue: Stade Felix-Mayol, Toulon Date: Saturday, 9 October Kick-off: 1330 BST Coverage:Full commentary on BBC Radio Wales

The Ospreys open their European campaign against Wilkinson's Toulon

Ex-France captain Raphael Ibanez says Toulon's Jonny Wilkinson could be the man to shatter the Ospreys' Heineken Cup dreams ahead of Saturday's opener.

The Welsh side have made the quarter-finals for the last three years and feel ready to push further this season.

But they are in a true group of death with Munster, London Irish and Toulon, who they face at the Stade Felix-Mayol.

"Wilkinson has always been a fierce competitor but he is like a new man since his move to Toulon," said Ibanez.

"He is loving his rugby and providing that essential cool head that the team needs."

Toulon are one of three debutants in this season's premier European club competition, along with Aironi and Racing Metro 92.

Munster know how to play the tournament and they are going to be our biggest rivals Toulon captain Joe van Niekerk

The Mediterranean coast team have made huge strides since receiving major financial backing from club president Mourad Boudjellal, winning promotion back to the Top 14 in 2008.

Last season their star-studded squad - that now contains 16 internationals from nine nations - made the semi-finals of the French league and lost to Cardiff Blues in a thrilling Amlin Challenge Cup final.

"What a fantastic squad they have put together - the hugely talented new players they have signed really give them great depth," said 98-cap former hooker Ibanez.

"They were an absolute revelation last season and showed they could play as a team.

"When they are on song they are potentially one of the most dangerous sides around.

WELSH HEINEKEN WINS IN FRANCE 2009/10: Brive 17-20 Scarlets 2008/9: Biarritz 6-10 Blues 2007/8: Bourgoin 21-28 Ospreys 2006/7: Toulouse 34-41 Scarlets 2006/7: Bourgoin 5-13 Blues 2000/1: Colomiers 6-19 Llanelli 1999/2000: Bourgoin 30 Llanelli 36

"It was a long campaign for them last season and maybe the Amlin Challenge Cup final was just one mountain too high for them to climb."

Toulon captain Joe van Niekerk has targeted Saturday's fixture as vital to his side's hopes of progress in the Heineken Cup, but claims that Munster are the major danger in the pool.

"The Ospreys match is the key one for us, if we can get that one in the bag then hopefully we can go from there," said the South Africa international.

"However, the whole group is so strong and Munster in particular have so much experience.

"They know how to play the tournament and they are going to be our biggest rivals."

But Ospreys captain Alun Wyn Jones is confident both that his side can become just the eighth Welsh team to win a Heineken Cup match in France and that they can progress through their murderous group.

Hopefully it is going to be our time soon and we will get the big Heineken Cup breakthrough and once we get to a semi-final anything can happen Ospreys captain Alun Wyn Jones

"We know only too well that we are once again in another competitive group," said the Wales and British and Irish Lions lock.

"But you just have to look at last season when Biarritz Olympique got to the final - and were unfortunate to lose - and we were just a point away from beating them and going through to the semi-finals instead of them.

"It is often the case that teams who get through from the tougher and more competitive pools are the ones you see in the last four and that is where you want to be for a shout of winning the Cup.

"Hopefully it is going to be our time soon and we will get the big Heineken Cup breakthrough and once we get to a semi-final anything can happen.

"Our last Heineken Cup match was against a French team and we start this tournament against French opposition in what I am sure will be another formidable French atmosphere.

"Hopefully we can do the business down there and get off to a flyer."

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version