In search of a first Top 14 finals appearance since 2012 Guy Noves has made a total of five changes to the Toulouse side that defeated Oyonnax in barrage last weekend. The 2012 French champions will battle it out against the 2010 champions on Saturday with the winner facing either Toulon or Stade Français in the final in Paris on June 13.
Starting for Toulouse is former Puma Patricio Albacete. The veteran of three Rugby World Cups won the Top 14 in 2008, 2011 and 2012 in addition to winning the Heineken Cup in 2010. Canadian Jamie Cudmore has been ruled out of the fixture. Paul Jedrasiak will start in his place joining Sebastien Vahaamahina in the second-row.
Continuing the tradition of Top 14 Semi Finals the two matches are to be played at the same venue this weekend. Bordeaux’s new stadium, constructed for the 2016 Euro soccer event, will host this weekend’s matches. All of Lille, Marseille, Nantes and Toulouse have done so since the concept of playing Semi Finals at the same venue over one weekend was adopted in 2011.
Toulouse
15 Maxime Médard, 14 Vincent Clerc, 13 Yann David, 12 Luke McAlister, 11 Yoann Huget, 10 Jean-Marc Doussain, 9 Sebastien Bézy, 8 Gillian Galan, 7 Yannick Nyanga, 6 Thierry Dusautoir, 5 Patricio Albacete, 4 Joe Tekori, 3 Census Johnston, 2 Corey Flynn, 1 Guthro Steenkamp.
16 Julien Marchand, 17 Cyril Baille, 18 Yoann Maestri, 19 Louis Picamoles, 20 Toby Flood, 21 Florian Fritz, 22 Timoci Matanavou, 23 Dorian Aldegheri
Clermont
15 Nick Abendanon, 14 Aurélien Rougerie, 13 Benson Stanley, 12 Wesley Fofana, 11 Noa Nakaitaci, 10 Camille Lopez, 9 Morgan Parra, 8 Fritz Lee, 7 Julien Bardy, 6 Damien Chouly, 5 Sebastien Vahaamahina, 4 Paul Jedrasiak, 3 Davit Zirakashvili, 2 John Ulugia, 1 Thomas Domingo.
16 Benjamin Kayser, 17 Raphael Chaume, 18 Julien Pierre, 19 Alexandre Lapandry, 20 Ludovic Radosavljevic, 21 Brock James, 22 Jean Marcellin Buttin, 23 Clement Ric