European Rugby Champions Cup: Bath v Toulouse preview
Last Updated: 24/10/14 1:58pm
After suffering their heaviest defeat in European history in the opening round Bath are desperate to get their Champions Cup bid back on track when Toulouse visit the West Country.
Mike Ford’s side will have the backing of a partisan Recreation Ground crowd, though Toulouse head into the match on the back of a morale-boosting success against Montpellier.
Bath were hit 37-10 by Glasgow Warriors at Scotsoun whereas Toulouse triumphed 30-23 in their all-French affair.
The sides have met four times and Toulouse hold a narrow edge over Bath with two wins, while the only draw between the sides (3-3) remains the lowest scoring match in European history.
Despite being dealt a significant blow in the opening week, Ford remains confident Bath can launch a challenge in Europe but understands beating Toulouse is a must if they are to have any chance of reaching the knockout stages.
Head coach Ford admitted when speaking to the Bath Chronicle: “We’re still really positive about Toulouse coming to The Rec but we need to win that one if we’re going to stand any chance in Europe.
“Last weekend was horrible but you learn more from defeat. We prided ourselves on our away form in the Amlin Cup last year but this is a bigger competition, we’re playing better teams.
“There is a lesson learned whenever you go away from home in Europe and Glasgow were possibly up for it more than we were.”
Team news
As their search for a first Champions Cup win goes in, Ford has rung the changes to the Bath side and hands a starting debut to Charlie Ewels at No 8.
The Bath Academy product and England U20s star comes into the starting line-up, while Paul James, Rob Webber and David Wilson all return to form an all-international front row.
In the backs, Chris Cook returns to partner George Ford in the half-backs and Anthony Watson moves to full-back, with Ollie Devoto and Horacio Agulla making their first starts of the season on the wings.
For Toulouse, there are six personnel changes in the Toulouse starting XV with the headline change being a welcome return for Louis Picamoles at No 8.
The return of France stalwart Picamoles means Imanol Harinordoquy shifts to the side of the scrum at the expense of Yacouba Camara, who has just been called up to the France squad but is surplus to requirements this week.
Vincent Clerc is promoted to start on the wing ahead of Timoci Matanavou. Luke McAlister shifts to 12 as Gael Fickou drops out of the team with Toby Flood coming in at fly-half.
Flood forms an axis partnership with Sebastien Bezy is at scrum-half with Jean-Marc Doussain also absent.
Bath: 15 Anthony Watson; 14 Semesa Rokoduguni, 13 Jonathan Joseph, 12 Ollie Devoto, 11 Horacio Agulla; 10 George Ford, 9 Chris Cook; 1 Paul James, 2 Rob Webber, 3 David Wilson, 4 Stuart Hooper (capt), 5 Dave Attwood, 6 Dominic Day, 7 David Sisi, 8 Charlie Ewels
Replacements: 16 Ross Batty, 17 Nathan Catt, 18 Henry Thomas, 19 Tom Ellis, 20 Guy Mercer, 21 Peter Stringer, 22 Gavin Henson, 23 Olly Woodburn
Toulouse: 15 Maxime Medard; 14 Vincent Clerc, 13 Florian Fritz, 12 Luke McAlister, 11 Yoann Huget; 10 Toby Flood, 9 Sebastien Bezy; 1 Gurthro Steenkamp, 2 Corey Flynn, 3 Census Johnston, 4 Yoann Maestri, 5 Patricio Albacete, 6 Thierry Dusautoir (capt), 7 Imanol Harinordoquy, 8 Louis Picamoles
Replacements: 16 Julien Marchand, 17 Kisi Pulu, 18 Cyril Baille, 19 Joe Tekori, 20 Edwin Maka, 21 Jano Vermaak, 22 Timoci Matanavou, 23 Yannick Nyanga