Blues Draw 8th Seed Toulouse
Blues Draw Toulouse
By Andrew Collins
January 25 2009
Cardiff Blues will face Toulouse in the Heineken Cup Quarter Finals for the second year running, but this year, it’s the French side that will have to travel. Toulouse drew 3-3 with Bath on Sunday to take the 8th seed as Bath qualify top of Pool 5, while the Ospreys face a huge trip to Thommand Park.
Cardiff were beaten 41-17 in last seasons quarter final, but were without fly halves Nicky Robinson and Nick Macleod, and are undoubtedly a better side this year having claimed home and away victories over Calvisano, Biarritz and Gloucester.
Plus there is the massive benefit of having the home draw, although the board are set to announce a move from the Arms Park to the Millennium Stadium tomorrow.
It's not a bad draw for fans, as the Millennium switch was thought to go ahead regardless of the opponent, so Toulouse perhaps represents the smallest travelling support. If Toulouse had managed to slot any one of the 5 missed penalties, the Blues would be facing Bath, who would bring thousands to the Welsh capitol.
Dai Young has already been quoted on CardiffBlues.com as saying,
"We're all looking forward to playing in the quarter-finals and obviously we're really pleased to have the home draw. The pool stages are always the same with teams just wanting to get out and it was the same this year. There are eight quality teams left in the tournament and I'm sure all of them will think they can go on to win the competition. Toulouse are obviously a quality team, having won the Heineken Cup three times. We came second best to them last year but hopefully we've improved enough to get the right result in April."
The full quarter final list is as follows;
Cardiff Blues Vs Toulouse
Munster Vs Ospreys
Harlequins Vs Leinster
Leicester Vs Bath
Should they qualify, Cardiff would play the winner of Harlequins and Leinster in the semi's. The Quarter Finals will take place over the 10/11/12th April.
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Would prefer it to be kept at the Arms Park though, there was 26-27k at the MStad for the Leicester and Glaws matches we've played there, but a fair proportion of those were travelling fans.
How many would they likely be expecting at the MStad against Toulouse?
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Cymru am Byth...
Admin of theArmsPark.co.uk,
Make Noise and You Will Be Heard!
Heres hoping we get revenge for last year
Toulouse is still by far the best french team around, despite their muddy sunday in Bath ;-) Still, The Blues are lucky to have the home draw. Could make the difference.
But as with all French teams, they are most vulnerable away from home, and if we are lucky and avoid injuries in the lead up to the game, we most definately can put them away.
For me, this is a mouthwatering tie, and a wonderful opportunity for us to redress the beating we took out in Toulouse. We are capable of it, although our pack, above all else, must play out of their collective skins, and our lineout must function solidly for us to impose ourselves.
I was in Toulouse last year and had a great time, nothwithstanding the result, and I'm really looking forward to the 're-match'