The China Mail - Mauvaka 'can't wait' for Toulouse to start defence of Champions Cup

On Sunday, he returns to action with his club as the French giants begin the defence of their Champions Cup title, a sixth continental crown won last May with a win over Leinster in London.

New Caledonia-born Mauvaka was at the core of Les Bleus' unbeaten series, the only Six Nations side to win all of their games during the month.

During the successes over Japan, New Zealand and Argentina, the 27-year-old also spent some time covering in the back-row.

"It allowed me to work on my physicality and I tried to bring all my energy and good spirit onto the field," he told AFP.

"I really enjoyed it. I now want to do the same thing for the club," he added.

The front-rower, who joined Toulouse aged 15, was rested for last Saturday's Top 14 victory at Racing 92 due to an elbow strain.

Olympic gold medallist Antoine Dupont was also given time off to prepare to face Ulster this Sunday.

"We can't wait to be back in the competition," Mauvaka said.

"It's always a level above the Top 14, we love these matches.

"We know people expect something from us having won last season," he added.

- Barrett boost -

Last season's runners-up Leinster start their bid to reach the Cardiff final, in the competition's 30th campaign, by heading to Bristol.

New Zealand centre Jordie Barrett is set for his debut for the Irish province.

Barrett has joined the four-time winners on a six-month deal, having ended his All Blacks season with defeat to France three weeks ago.

"Normally at this time of the year, I'm on a plane heading home to enjoy some time off in the summer but my body’s feeling great," Barrett told Leinster's website this week.

"I'm excited. It can't come quick enough," he added.

The other stand-out tie of the round is two-time winners La Rochelle, heading to English Premiership leaders Bath, the 1998 champions, on Friday.

Ronan O'Gara's La Rochelle will be led by No 8 Gregory Alldritt who, unlike Mauvaka, produced some disappointing international performances last month and was dropped from the squad for the Los Pumas win.

"I'm conscious that I need to continue to elevate my standards," Alldritt told reporters on Tuesday.

"We’re in early December and the season's long. I know where I want to go and I know pretty much how to get there.

"With that in mind, I'm not worried,” the 27-year-old added.

The three South African sides in competition -- the Bulls, the Stormers and the Sharks -- have reached the Champions Cup in the third season of the inclusion of sides from the Rainbow nation.

Siya Kolisi's Sharks qualified by winning last season's Challenge Cup, leading to Welsh side Ospreys missing out despite their superior finish in the United Rugby Championship table.

The Swansea region's absence means that despite the Millenium Stadium in Cardiff hosting the final on May 24, no Welsh side will feature in the top-tier competition for the first time since its inception in 1995, when Cardiff lost to Toulouse in the final, also held in the Welsh capital.

Fixtures (times GMT)

Friday

Pool 2: Bath (ENG) v La Rochelle (FRA) (2000)

Saturday

Pool 1: Sharks (RSA) v Exeter (ENG) (1300)

Pool 2: Clermont (FRA) v Treviso (ITA) (1300)

Pool 3: Northampton (ENG) v Castres (FRA) (1515), Munster (IRL) v Stade Francais (FRA), Saracens (ENG) v Bulls (RSA) (both 1730)

Pool 4: Stormers (RSA) v Toulon (FRA) (1515), Glasgow (SCO) v Sale (ENG), Racing 92 (FRA) v Harlequins (ENG) (both 2000)

Sunday

Pool 1: Bordeaux-Begles (FRA) v Leicester (ENG) (1300), Toulouse (FRA) v Ulster (IRL) (1515)

Pool 2: Bristol (ENG) v Leinster (IRL) (1730)

P.Deng--ThChM