Toulouse won the last of their 17 French rugby titles in 2008 beating Clermont and on Friday they must beat the same opponents and defending champions in Marseille if they are to progress to this season's final.

The semi-final gives Racing Metro's French rugby icon Sebastien Chabal a chance of ending a desperate season on a high note should he help his side end Fabien Galthie's Montpellier dream run which had them marked out by most people as relegation favourites rather than title contenders.

Toulouse may have all those league crowns but they have only won the title twice this century and their fiery head coach Guy Noves is keen to secure another especially as their defence of the European Cup crown, their fourth under Noves, ended with defeat by Leinster in the last eight.

The 57-year-old - who as a classy winger at Toulouse also won two titles - is a hard taskmaster and has warned his players that he does not wish to have to 'return home early'.

His captain Thierry Dusautoir denies, though, that he and his teammates feel any extra pressure given that they have not won the league crown since 2008 and him especially as an error by him in the 2009 semi-final all but handed Clermont victory.

"It is true that this was our major goal this season, more so than retaining the European Cup," said the 29-year-old France skipper.

"Every player at every club wishes to win trophies in their careers and some don't succeed in doing so but while I have been here I have won a French title and a European Cup.

Chabal's annus horribilis which has seen him first lose his place in the national side then miss out on a spot on this year's World Cup squad and finally slapped with a 60 days ban for derogatory remarks about referees took a slight turn for the better when earlier in the week his suspension was reduced allowing him to play on Saturday.

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