Toulouse and Montpellier are set to face each other again in the Top 14, France's top-tier rugby union competition, on Sunday at 21h05 at the Ernest-Wallon stadium in Toulouse. This will be their third meeting in less than a year, following Toulouse's 28-20 victory in the Top 14 final in June. Both teams have shown recent strength, with Toulouse earning four points from a win against Rennes and Montpellier scoring over 50 points in a match against Perpignan. Toulouse is expected to field a strong lineup, including key players like Antoine Dupont, Romain Ntamack, and Thomas Ramos. Julien Marchand will start at fullback, supported by Rodrigue Neti and Dorian Aldegheri in the backline. Ange Capuozzo, Santiago Chocobares, Kalvin Gourgues, and Teddy Thomas are also expected to take part. In the second row, Joshua Brennan and Thibaud Flament are likely to start, with Alexandre Roumat, Efrain Elias, and Théo Ntamack forming the third line. However, Toulouse faces several key absences. Emmanuel Meafou, who suffered a serious knee injury during a match against Vannes, has undergone surgery and will miss several months of competition. Clément Vergé, who tore his cruciate ligament this summer, is not expected to return before spring. François Cros is also out due to a knee injury, and Jack Willis remains uncertain. Tommaso Menoncello, who has not played since his first appearance due to an injury that has kept him reliant on a crutch, may not be fit for this match. Toulouse will rely heavily on its key players, including Dupont, Ntamack, Ramos, and its offensive core. The team has 11 of the 15 starters who played in a 48-12 victory over Bordeaux-Bègles. The backline from Dupont to Ramos remains unchanged in the same formation. The absence of Meafou and Vergé has weakened Toulouse's second-row options, leaving only four valid professionals: Flament, Brennan, Elias, and Roméo Martin-Bonnard. The team is expected to use Flament and Brennan in the starting lineup, with Elias in the third row. This situation has led Toulouse to consider potential replacements, including recalling Raphaël Portat, who is on loan at Provence Rugby, or reaching out to newly retired players such as Rob Simmons, Ultan Dillane, or Kane Douglas. Montpellier, returning to the Ernest-Wallon stadium after the lost final in June, has also had recent successes, including a 44-14 victory over Toulouse during the third round of the previous season. However, Toulouse remains strong in its backline, with Dupont, Ntamack, Ramos, and Chocobares. The match could be played in more direct areas, such as collisions and tackle, as Toulouse's reorganized pack faces the density of the Hérault team.