MUNSTER V TOULON

Tomorrow 3.15pm TV Sky Sports Main Event

Where the match will be won and lost Toulon were average in the pool stages but once more showed their muscle to grab the runners-up slot.

But, and there is always an enormous ‘but’ with Toulon, they are huge beasts and if you stick to the adage that a good big ’un beats a good little ’un, then they will always have a chance.

Their glaring weakness must be that they are a group of individuals of immense talent but at the highest level they do not have enough collective cohesion to go on and win the tournament.

But even so, what talent they have. Chris Ashton, Josua Tuisova and Semi Radrada can produce magic against the best in the world and in front of them are men who would tackle Godzilla, such as Malakai Fekitoa and Mathieu Bastareaud.

You begin to understand how they put 49 points on Clermont last week and why there has been so much frustration about them. The bookies have them at 25-1 to win this competition – with that team ... Contrast that with Munster. I never apologise for showing huge support for them: it is not bias, just genuine warmth for a team who sum up so much about what everyone loves in rugby: a desire to stand and fight, to look after those alongside you, to never quit. Yes, there have been times when they have come up short but Thomond Park is rarely disappointed in terms of commitment. Their tough pool was never going to be pretty.

But they delivered a brutal dismantling of Leicester in rounds three and four that gave them top slot. Controlled by their world-class axis at No 6, 8 and 9 with Peter O’mahony, CJ Stander and Conor Murray, they also have some sparkle at the back with Simon Zebo and a front five with real mongrel.

Prediction While I was tempted at 25-1, I will not go against Munster at Thomond.