RUMOURS OF LEIGH Halfpenny’s shoulder injury appear to have been greatly exaggerated as the Welsh dynamo has been selected at fullback in the Toulon team to face Leinster in the Champions Cup semi-final on Sunday.
Halfpenny’s selection means that Delon Armitage has been pushed to the wing, while Aussie flyer Drew Mitchell has been picked on the bench.
But worryingly for Leinster, Matt Giteau is at 12 and after a few weeks of good match practice, he should be close to his best form.
Bernard Laporte has gone with Freddie Michalak at out-half, and while the Frenchman was perfect off the tee against Wasps, his goal kicking isn’t always immaculate when the pressure is on.
And there is one other positive for Leinster, as supreme poacher Steffon Armitage is only named on the bench.
Toulon
15, Leigh Halfpenny
14. Delon Armitage
13. Mathieu Bastareaud
12. Matt Giteau
11. Bryan Habana
10. Frederic Michalak
9. Sebastien Tillous-Borde
1. Xavier Chiocci
2. Guilhem Guirado
3. Carl Hayman (c)
4. Bakkies Botha
5. Ali Williams
6. Juan Smith
7. Juan Fernandez Lobbe
8. Chris Masoe
Replacements: Jean-Charles Orioli, Alexandre Menini, Levan Chilachava, Steffon Armitage, Drew Mitchell, Rudi Wulf, Michael Claassens, Jocelino Suta
