Ruaidhri O'Connor

They haven't played anyone like Toulon yet this season.

Sliminy, who Toulon think is good enough that they've signed him for next season.

So I think he'll be okay, but he won't give you a lot around the park.

then either Brian Deeney or Conor O'Tearnick, who are both very, very inexperienced at this level, albeit good players, Soraka or Penny, who are, again, a really, really good URC predigree, but because Deegan's suspended, because Snyman, Ryan Baird are gone, both potentially for the season, you're left very light in that back five.

Now,

Penny had a big impact against Sale Sharks Soraka has had some big games but it's still not you're not looking at a 60 cap international coming in or World Cup winning Springbok which we would have in Snyman's case and this is where you sign these players for this is where you really want to have your bench impact and I think that looks a little bit light to me Okay so a touch light I think on that point as well like I think

Well, I'm not sure they would ever design a season like this.

I don't buy that this is some great kind of approach to lull the rest of Europe into a false sense of security

you know losing a Benetton was not part of the plan and I would say they're confident like even when you ask them now kind of you know I was there on Monday asking Robin McBride and a couple of players where do you think you are they're all saying we haven't we've been nowhere near our best and I suppose you can spin that and say well we've got so much potential we can achieve and

But the gap between how well some of the players are playing and how the team is playing is quite big.

And I've rarely come across a team where so many of their best players are playing really, really well.

And yet the collective performances are not coming with them.

And I find that hard to kind of digest and understand.

I don't know how much the URC form is really going to play into it.

I think actually the Northampton game is probably the most relevant.

I think the Ireland games, the way Ireland finished the Six Nations is very relevant.

I think the European run where they beat La Rochelle with a last minute kick where they got into an arm wrestling bayonet

and in Leicester and they won those games and they're really really hot on the fact that they stayed calm in those games and that Caelan Dorris didn't lose his focus in the huddles he was kind of a voice of reason that Harry Byrne was able to get them out of holes in those games and kick the winner against a La Rochelle team who look none of the teams they've played are at the level Toulon are at at the moment and yet

They're lucky that it's not Bordeaux or Toulouse coming to town this weekend.

They're still going to be tested in ways they haven't been tested this weekend because Toulon have the tools to hurt them.