Saints sally forth to beard Toulouse in their den

They approach the game on a solid run of form and are challenging for 
a Heineken Cup place through the league, and have just lost out in another 
Powergen Cup final, this time to Gloucester. A spirited Saints team is 
beaten 32 - 16.
 
 
April 2005: Saints go to European giants Toulouse for a quarter-final, 
to be played at the football stadium. They approach the game on a solid 
run of form and are challenging for a Heineken Cup place through the 
Wildcard. No cup final this year, but plenty of "cup final" matches to be 
played. Survival in the league is of paramount importance this time 
round, but it should not detract from this match. Saints have already 
beaten Toulouse once this season, with the return fixture closer than the 
25 - 12 scoreline suggests.
Saints' coaching partnership of Pountney and Grayson, both of whom 
played in the fixture two years ago (Budge taking a rest just after half 
time), are amongst few survivors from that game. with no team 
announcement, we can only hazard a guess at the starting lineup. The news of a 
return to fitness for Ben Cohen and Selbourne Boome helps the situation.

1. Tom Smith
2. Steve Thompson
3. Simon Emms
4. Matt Lord
5. Selbourne Boome
6. Andrew Blowers
7. Corne Krige
8. Mark Soden
9. Billy Fulton
10. Shane Drahm
11. Ben Cohen
12. Marc stcherbina
13. Andy Vilk
14. John Rudd
15. Bruce Reihana

Toulouse have also not announced a squad, but their squad is chock full 
of internationals, so it will be no push over for the Jimmies.

With over 1,000 of the black, gold and green faithful making the trek 
into increasingly familiar territory, the atmosphere at "the Stadium" 
should be fantastic. Let's hope we can raise the roof in a similar style 
to Saturday, I don't even mind if we sneak it in the seventh minute of 
injury time, although I'd much prefer a thirty point romp! French 
tradition states children stick paper fish to each other as part of April 
Fool's day celebrations, we can but hope it will be Toulousain: Poisson 
D'Avril.
.