After ten days of the championship where the Toulonnais chained each weekend, they find the European competition without pressure. Indeed, after three days, they have garnered 15 points out of a possible 15 (also thanks to a victory on the green carpet linked to the Covid) and are therefore guaranteed to finish first in their group and therefore to receive in the eighth, then in the event of victory in the quarter-finals. But Toulon could also ensure a reception in the semi-finals by finishing among the two best out of the three pools. A point pocketed in Biarritz would be enough to fulfill this objective, the only issue of the evening on the Var side. The BO will try for its part to win to qualify for the eighth.
But after ten league matches in a row without a break, Franck Azéma’s men need to breathe. They also deserved it after having chained three successes in a row. The Var coach therefore preferred to rotate his workforce on Saturday evening and explained this Thursday at a press conference: “ You have to work on the recovery capacity of the whole group. There have to be rotations. We are the only ones to have this course so we have to protect our team, anticipate and work differently by trying to find compensation so that there is no physical and mental wear and tear. ».
Azéma therefore relied on the usual substitutes, notably relaunching Gervais Cordin and Jiuta Wainiqolo on the wings and relying on an unprecedented package of forwards. Several young people from the training center like Adrien Warion or Jules Coulon are also making their appearance and will be supervised by Charles Ollivon who still needs to chain matches after eight months of absence.
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4e european challenge day
Aguilera Stadium (Saturday, 9 p.m.)
Referee: Andrea Piardi (ITA)
TOULON : Salles – Cordin, Smaili, Septar, Wainiqolo – (o) Belleau, (m) Blanc – Coulon, Ollivon (cap), Nakarawa – Roux, Warion – Setiano, Sosene -Feagai, Fresia (Boulassel, Brookes, Yemsi, Egiziano, Halagahu, Le Corvec, Danglot, Laborde).
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