Injured in the left hamstring with the Blues in the 11th minute of their entry into the World Cup against New Zealand (27-13 on September 8), Toulouse hooker (32 caps) Julien Marchand, kept in the French squad, had not played again since. Having undergone knee surgery – a minor procedure planned for a long time – he received the medical green light after having undergone check-ups in Switzerland last week.
Julien Marchand (28), who is one of the Toulouse captains, could therefore play again on Saturday (4:15 p.m.) when they host Cardiff for the first day of the Champions Cup. He trained normally on Tuesday afternoon in the company of a newcomer, the Scotsman Blair Kinghorn, recruited to compensate for the departure to Toulon of Melvyn Jaminet. But Stade Toulousain must still receive the exit letter from the Scottish Federation before being able to field the versatile full-back of the XV du Chardon.
