Rugby: Toulouse admit fears over Dave Denton

By BILL LOTHIAN
Published on 02/04/2012 12:00

DAVE DENTON has emerged as the player Toulouse are most keen to contain when visiting Edinburgh Rugby for Saturday’s Heineken European Cup quarter-final.

The form of the 22-year-old Test back rower was rewarded with man-of-the-match honours as Edinburgh won 26-23 at home to Scarlets at the weekend.

But opposite number Louis Picamoles, capped 21 times by France, was already wary, insisting: “Edinburgh have a lot of young and talented players and play offensive style of rugby with very good consistency.

“Denton is a fine young player and next week will be as difficult as the (recent) France game (a 23-17 win) at Murrayfield. It will be tough, but it is also going to be hugely exciting.”

Picamoles missed Toulouse’s latest fixture, a 22-18 win at Stade Francais to stay top of the French League.

But France prop Jean-Baptise Poux turned out and looked ahead to the Edinburgh clash by insisting it was a major obstacle on the road to the club’s fifth Heineken Cup.

Poux, himself a three time-winner, said: “Edinburgh have the ability to keep the ball and play through a lot of phases. They play attacking rugby and are capable of beating anyone.

“We saw that during the French game against Scotland in the Six Nations. We could have lost.

“I watched several of Edinburgh’s games during the Pool stages. Against Racing Metro they showed a lot of power and, when the Racing players were exhausted, they scored at the last minute to win the game – they are a dangerous team.”