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Eoin Reddan and Devin Toner at UCD this week. INPHO/Ryan Byrne
HCup

'They'll throw everything at us' -- Devin Toner expecting tough Exeter test

The Premiership make their European Cup debut with a run out at the RDS this weekend.

IF YOU’RE GOING to make your Heineken Cup bow, you might as well do it against the champions.

So begins Exeter’s European Cup adventure on Saturday evening against Leinster Rugby.

And Blues’ second row Devin Toner admits that the English Premiership side will be out to make an impression against the title-holders in Dublin.

“They are a serious outfit,” the Meath man told reporters this week in Dublin. “They are unfamiliar to us, but they have a core of players who have been together a couple of years. So they’ve been through a couple of battle together — gone through the ranks together.

“We just had a look at a pack (in the team meeting) they’re very skilful with the ball, good feet and good off-loads.

“They’re going to throw the kitchen sink at us. I heard a comparison with Montpellier last year. It was Montpellier’s first game in the Heineken Cup and they just threw everything at us. So I think we’re going to expect the same this week, but playing at home in the RDS will be an advantage. S0 if we get the crowd behind us, we should be alright. Performance is key.

“There is an Irish contingent; you’ve got [Tom] Hayes, Steenson and Ian Whitten. So, he will be champing at the bit.”

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