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Bath lock Dave Attwood is outnumbered by the Toulouse pack in the clubs' last meeting at the Recreation Ground in October 2014
Four-time European Cup winners Toulouse return to Europe’s elite club competition after a one-season absence with a Pool 1 fixture at Bath Rugby on Saturday (13:00 BST) televised live by BT Sport, Channel 4, Virgin Media and beIN SPORTS.
- Bath and Toulouse have met six times in the tournament with the home side on the day winning just one of those fixtures and the visitors securing four victories (D1).
- In their last four campaigns, Bath have averaged 19 points per match in 12 home fixtures, winning seven and losing five.
- Toulouse are without a win in their last five games against Gallagher Premiership opposition in the competition (D1, L4) although their last such victory was against Bath in 2014/15.
- Seven of Bath’s last eight home games against TOP 14 opposition have been decided by five points or fewer – a 32-12 win over Montpellier the only exception.
- Toulouse have lost their opening game in each of their last two Champions Cup campaigns, this after winning their first match in the previous eight seasons.
🔙 | We look back at our previous meetings with @StadeToulousain and put the French club under the spotlight ahead of our @ChampionsCup clash on Saturday afternoon.
Read more ➡️ https://t.co/Ddit3zZypH pic.twitter.com/Ld11bFooIk
— Bath Rugby (@bathrugby) October 9, 2018
- Bath averaged more tackles per match (173) than any other club in the competition last season.
- Toulouse had the best lineout success rate (92%) in the Challenge Cup last season.
- Bath’s Tom Dunn made 119 tackles in the pool stage last season – 31 more than any other player.
- Bath will be missing Wales No.8 Taulupe Faletau, who broke an arm in last week’s Gallagher Premiership defeat by Exeter Chiefs.
- Winger Semesa Rokoduguni has just signed a new long-term contract with Bath.
✍️ | @rocco3225 is one of Bath’s landmarks and he’s here to stay.
A new long-term contract for the winger ➡️ https://t.co/b2In2s7okn pic.twitter.com/YnYuMKtjZC
— Bath Rugby (@bathrugby) October 10, 2018
Toulouse celebrate after their third try against Bath Rugby
Toulouse returned to the Heineken Champions Cup with a tense Pool 1 away victory as they defeated Bath Rugby 22-20 at The Rec.
Freddie Burns opened the scoring with a penalty kick but Maxime Médard gave Toulouse the lead minutes later when a brilliant turnover from the French side’s pack gave them a chance to spread it wide.
After some powerful driving, they again popped it wide to find Medard who found the gap and dotted down for the opening try of the match.
The feet on Cheslin Kolbe!
He's just sent two Bath players for hotdog's 🌭
"That's not fair! That's cruelty!" pic.twitter.com/j6q0BCwM6h
— Watch #ShoulderToShoulder on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) October 13, 2018
Bath dominated throughout the first half and after Toulouse strayed offside, they continued to power towards the try line before the ball found Jamie Roberts who does what he does best and jinked his way over.
Rhys Priestland then bursted through the Toulouse line but after initially being halted short of the line, the ball was worked to Burns who was spun round but still able to apply enough pressure for the second try.
Cheslin Kolbe hit back as he found a way past several Bath players out wide and handed off to Guitone for a well worked try but Ramos’ conversion would sail wide.
Five minutes to go…
Chance to win the game…"Oh he's dropped it!"
A brutal moment for Bath star Freddie Burns 😣 pic.twitter.com/K7S578Rdwx
— Watch #ShoulderToShoulder on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) October 13, 2018
In a tense second half, Burns and Ramos exchanged penalties before the latter gave Toulouse the lead as he found a gap in the Bath line and duly converted his own score.
Burns then had a couple of moments to forget.
His penalty kick with six minutes to play would cannon off the upright before he split the Toulouse defence after some wonderful play from the Bath forwards.
Burns looked set to dot down and give Bath the lead but somehow the ball was flicked away from him by Maxime Medard – who was named Heineken Man of the Match – when he looked certain to score.
Bath continued to press but turned the ball over in the final minute, allowing Toulouse to scramble the ball dead for a crucial away success.
The home side will look to bounce back at Wasps next week while Toulouse will host defending champions Leinster Rugby.
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