Champions Toulouse expecting ‘willing’ Cardiff despite Covid crisis

Former New Zealand prop Charlie Faumuina expects to face a “willing” Cardiff side in the European Champions Cup on Saturday despite the hosts missing 32 players due to Covid-19 isolation.

The Welsh region will field an outfit made up of academy members, semi-pro players and internationals who did not travel to South Africa last month for two United Rugby Championship games.

Cardiff were in the rainbow nation for league fixtures when it became a red list-country for travellers returning to Britain.

“There’s no doubt it will be tough for Cardiff to prepare,” Faumuina said.

“I’m sure they’ll put out a team that will be more than willing to try and win the game,” the 34-year-old added.

British and Irish Lions winger Josh Adams is one six Wales players who was involved in the November internationals available for stand-in head coach Gruff Rees to welcome the record five-time Champions Cup winners.

He will line up alongside youngsters from the academy and players from Cardiff RFC amateur set-up.

“There is no pressure on us — I am sure everybody is expecting Toulouse to beat us — but within our inner circle we are quietly confident we can cause them problems,” Adams said on Tuesday.

“Talk about being thrown in the deep end. These scenarios come up, and I know, speaking to these boys, they are excited as well,” he added.

Cardiff’s fellow Welsh region, the Scarlets have forfeited their scheduled game against Bristol Bears due to a lack of first-team players available after also returning from South Africa.

Elsewhere in the opening round of action, three-time runners-up Racing 92 head to Northampton on Friday.

“It’s massive. We’ve never won it here before so that’s our main objective especially after getting so close last year,” Racing’s Scotland fly-half Finn Russell told AFP.

“After getting so close, that’s the main goal for us boys. I’ve been in a few finals at Racing and never managed to win it. It’s probably the main objective for us,” he added.

On Friday, Russell is set to face Wales fly-half Dan Biggar, alongside whom he toured with the British and Irish Lions earlier this year.

“He’s a world class player. The style of play he uses at Northampton is different to what I saw in the summer,” Russell said.

“They play with an expansive gameplan. It’s a great style of rugby to watch. It lets him use all his skillset. It will be good fun going up against him,” he added.

Another stand-out tie sees Top 14 leaders Bordeaux-Begles host the side in the No. 1 spot in the English Premiership, Leicester while South Africa’s Rugby World Cup winner Duane Vermeulen could make his Ulster debut as the Irish province travel to Clermont.

Fixtures (times GMT)

Friday

Northampton (ENG) v Racing 92 (FRA) (2000)

Saturday

Cardiff (WAL) v Toulouse (FRA) (1300), Bordeaux-Begles (FRA) v Leicester (ENG), Leinster (IRL) v Bath (ENG) (both 1515), Clermont (FRA) v Ulster (IRL) (1730), Exeter (ENG) v Montpellier (FRA) (2000)

Sunday

Ospreys (WAL) v Sale (ENG), Connacht (IRL) v Stade Francais (FRA) (both 1300), La Rochelle (FRA) v Glasgow (SCO), Wasps (ENG) v Munster (IRL) (both 1515), Castres (FRA) v Harlequins (ENG) (1730)