News

Heymans preparing for Blues showdown

Thursday 27th March 2008

On the wing or at full-back, Heymans is a hand full

With Toulouse preparing for their first Heineken cup quarter-final in two seasons, France and Toulouse full-back Cédric Heymans says there is no place for laxness in the Toulouse camp.

Heymans admits that his team haven't forgotten their loss to Leinster two years ago and are looking to make amends against Cardiff on April 6.

However, before their Heineken cup match, Toulouse will face fellow Heineken Cup team Biarritz in the Top 14.

"We still haven't gotten over our elimination in the quarter-finals to Leinster at the Stadium [Municipal two years ago]," Heymans told the Stade Toulousain website .

"Honestly, at the moment, while we're thinking about the game at the Stadium, we're focusing on Biarritz, who will certainly be coming here with revenge at heart because we beat them in their home game.

"It'll be complicated but at the same time it will help us prepare for the quarter-final by raising our game."

Toulouse have had an excellent start to the season, but Heymans promises that they won't be sitting on their table lead.

"When you play for Stade Toulousain it's impossible to rest on your laurels," he said.

"The coaches and the manager are there to keep you in line. We knew that every victory brought us closer to an inevitable defeat. It happened at Bourgoin, but it didn't upset the group dynamic.

"The day you start resting on your laurels is the day you leave Stade Toulousain. At least that's the way I see it."

Heymans was one of the notable absentees from the drastically under-strength Toulouse side that lost 29-0 to Stade Français last weekend, but Heymans says the rest was necessary and the weekend away from the field was not wasted.

"I was lucky that the club allowed me to rest rather than play Stade Français. It allowed me to spend four days with my family without thinking about rugby," he said.

"That said, the coaches gave us some homework to do. With the aid of a DVD player we had to dissect Biarritz's matches. All in all, this week allowed me to relax."

Contrary to previous years Toulouse's results were relatively unaffected by the absence of their Six Nations stars this year.

"It's quite easy to explain. Except for the last month, when we unfortunately had some injuries, including some quite serious ones, we've managed to rotate the squad since the beginning of the season and thus integrate everyone, " Heymans explained.

"That's why the collective didn't suffer during the Six Nations: all the players that come into the team added something. With the exception of the match at Bourgoin, where at least we got a defensive bonus point, we did well during that period, contrary to previous years."

When Heymans speaks of serious injuries, he is referring to his close friend Clément Poitrenaud. With Poitrenaud sidelined by a broken leg, Heymans is now the Toulouse first choice full-back, which means he has to leave his post on the wing.

"I'm not disappointed to have to leave my wing, but rather with the way it happened. I don't think I've been categorised as a either a wing or a full-back, " he said.

"I'm above all disappointed for Clément, who hadn't been selected for the start of the Six Nations and who, at the moment he was called-up, got injured."

"It's really tough for 'Clém', who has often had tough breaks at important moments in his career. I just hope his troubles have come to an end with this injury.

"When I see how hard he is working, the effort he's putting in in the gym to come back as soon as possible, I hope he'll be able to play before the end of the season.'