European Rugby Champions Cup: Toulon v Leicester Tigers preview

After extinguishing Toulon’s hope of taking a vice-like grip of Pool Three in the European Rugby Champions Cup Leicester Tigers travel to the Stade Mayol hoping to do the double over the reigning champions.

Welsh fly-half Owen Williams booted 20 points – Brad Thorn’s try accounting for the other five - in a 25-21 triumph over the defending French and European champions at Welford Road last Sunday, though, the Tigers still trail Toulon by a point in the Pool Three standings.

Should 10-time Premiership champions Leicester be able to pull off a shock result and upset Toulon at their fortress they will move to the group summit at a crucial juncture in proceedings.

Tigers became the first English club to beat Toulon in Europe's premier cup competition but their record against French clubs in France is abysmal.

The two-time Heineken Cup winners have won just once in their last nine attempts in France. Toulon, who are going for a record three titles in 2015, have won all 12 of their previous home games in the competition.

Further fuel was added to the fire in the wake of Toulon’s defeat, with former Tigers prop Martin Castrogiovanni launching a scathing, expletive-filled attack on Leicester director of rugby Richard Cockerill.

The choice words from the Italian, who left the Midlands to join the Top 14 club in 2013 after making 149 appearances for the Tigers, have stoked the fire for yet another fiery encounter between the pair.

Under investigation

Both Castrogiovanni and Toulon winger Delon Armitage are currently under investigation for incidents surrounding the match, with the latter allegedly exchanging heated words with Leicester fans, but both men were cleared to feature for the French and European champions.

Castrogiovanni has been left out despite being included in the initial 27-man squad, but Armitage retains his place in the back three, with Leigh Halfpenny coming in at full-back and Bryan Habana remaining on the left wing.

Mathieu Bastareaud and Maxime Mermoz resume their centre paring and Nicolas Sanchez and Sebastien Tillous-Borde will once again join forces in the half-backs.

Castrogiovanni is one of two changes in the Toulon front row, with Alexandre Menini and Levan Chilachava joining hooker Guilhem Guirado in the starting line-up, while the only other change to the pack sees Mamuka Gorgodze drop to the bench to allow Juan Smith into the run-on side.

Meanwhile, Tigers coach Cockerill has made three changes to the side that caused the upset at Welford Road, with England international Geoff Parling returning to the fold.

Parling replaces Graham Kitchener in the second row, while fellow England colleague Tom Youngs takes his place among the replacements with Leonardo Ghiraldini promoted to the starting XV.

Leicester’s final change again comes in the pack, with Italy international Robert Barbieri replacing Jordan Crane at No 8.

Toulon: 15 Leigh Halfpenny; 14 Delon Armitage, 13 Mathieu Bastareaud, 12 Maxime Mermoz, 11 Bryan Habana; 10 Nicolas Sanchez, 9 Sebastien Tillous-Borde; 1 Alexandre Menini, 2 Guilhem Guirado, 3 Levan Chilachava, 4 Bakkies Botha, 5 Ali Williams, 6 Juan Smith, 7 Steffon Armitage, 8 Chris Masoe (capt)
Replacements: 16 Jean-Charles Orioli, 17 Florian Fresia, 18 Carl Hayman, 19 Mamuka Gorgodze, 20 James O'Connor, 21 Jocelino Suta, 22 Michael Claassens, 23 Romain Taofifenua

Leicester Tigers: 15 Matthew Tait; 14 Blaine Scully, 13 Matt Smith, 12 Anthony Allen, 11 Vereniki Goneva; 10 Owen Williams, 9 Ben Youngs (capt); 1 Marcos Ayerza, 2 Leonardo Ghiraldini, 3 Dan Cole, 4 Brad Thorn, 5 Geoff Parling, 6 Jamie Gibson, 7 Julian Salvi, 8 Robert Barbieri
Replacements: 16 Tom Youngs, 17 Michele Rizzo, 18 Fraser Balmain, 19 Sebastian De Chaves, 20 Jordan Crane, 21 Tom Croft, 22 Sam Harrison, 23 Freddie Burns