Timoney to make 100th Ulster appearance against Toulouse
over 3 years in The Irish Times
Nick Timoney will make his 100th appearance for Ulster in the second leg of their Heineken Champions Cup Round of 16 tie against reigning champions Toulouse at Kingspan Stadium on Saturday evening (kick-off 8pm, live on BT Sport).
Head coach Dan McFarland makes two changes from the side which earned a 26-20 lead from the first leg in Toulouse last week, with Ethan McIlroy returning on the left wing in place of Ben Moxham, who took a heavy fall and failed his HIA after being taken out in the air by Juan Cuz Mallia, resulting in the latter’s sending off.
The other change sees Andrew Warwick, whose key try supplemented the hat-trick by Robert Baloucoune, promoted to the frontrow with Eric O’Sullivan moving to the bench in an otherwise unchanged match-day 23.
Toulouse have been forced into several changes through injury and suspension but the good news for the visitors is that captain and scrumhalf, Antoine Dupont, who didn’t train in the early part of the week has recovered to take his place at halfback alongside Romain Ntamack.
Head coach Ugo Mola has made six changes to the starting side. The suspended Mallia is replaced by Dimitri Delibes on the right wing with Tim Nanai-Williams coming in for Zach Holmes in the centre.
Former All Black prop Charlie Faumuina starts in place of French international Dorian Aldegheri, Richie Arnold joins his brother in the secondrow while Anthony Jelonch and Selevasio Tolofua are promoted to the starting backrow. There is a six-two split on the bench in favour of forwards.
French internationals Sofiane Guitoune, Cyril Baille and Francois Cros, all of whom played last week aren’t in the match day 23. French hooker Julien Marchand is another notable absentee.
Ulster: Mike Lowry, Rob Baloucoune, James Hume, Stuart McCloskey, Ethan McIlroy, Billy Burns, John Cooney; Andrew Warwick, Rob Herring, Marty Moore, Alan O’Connor, Iain Henderson (capt), Marcus Rea, Nick Timoney, Duane Vermeulen.
Replacements: Brad Roberts, Eric O’Sullivan, Tom O’Toole, Kieran Treadwell, Jordi Murphy, Nathan Doak, Luke Marshall, Rob Lyttle.
Toulouse: Thomas Ramos; Dimitri Delibes, Tim Nanai-Williams, Pita Ahki, Matthis Lebel; Romain Ntamack, Antoine Dupont (capt); Rodrigue Neti, Peato Mauvaka, Charlie Faumuina; Rory Arnold, Richie Arnold; Rynhardt Elstadt, Anthony Jelonch, Selevasio Tolofua.
Replacements: Guillaume Cramont, David Ainu’u, Dorian Aldegheri, Emmanuel Meafou, Thibaud Flament, Antoine Miquel, Baptiste Germain, Lucas Tauzin.
Referee: Matthew Carley (England).