CONNACHT SCRUMHALF Frank Murphy will be unavailable for his side’s game against European giants Toulouse on Saturday. Murphy, an Ireland A International and a former Munster and Leicester player, who has signed a contract extension until the end of the 2012/13 season, has been forced into having an operation on a groin problem that he had been managing for some time.

Murphy’s injury, along with the confirmation former Irish flanker Johnny O’Connor has had to have a plate inserted into a triple fracture in his cheek and eye socket on Friday, leaves coach Eric Elwood a little light for his side’s away game against one of the favourites for the competition.

The battle for Pool Six is between four-times champions Toulouse and reigning Challenge Cup holders Harlequins and looks destined to run to round six. Toulouse lead ’Quins by a point in the head-to-head stakes over their two pool matches and also lead the pool by a point. After hosting Connacht on Saturday they head to Gloucester in round six. Harlequins host Gloucester, who are still in the mix with nine points, before ending the pool phase with a trip to Galway to face Connacht.

Aside from Murphy and O’Connor, Connacht are without several long- and medium-term injuries. Ronan Loughney (shoulder), Eoin Griffin (Hamstring), Rodney Ah You (foot), Dave Nolan, Brian Tuohy, who broke his leg against Leinster, Andrew Brown and Dave Brown are all unavailable.

Leicester must go to Belfast on Friday night and beat Ulster in Pool Four in order to keep their Heineken Cup ambition burning. Of all the players in the Welford Road club, Geordan Murphy knows what is in store in the late games at Ravenhill.

Leicester have qualified for the knock-out stages of the Heineken Cup in 10 of the 14 tournaments in which they have competed, Ulster last year for the first time since 1999.

“Ravenhill is a fortress for them – they’ve beaten pretty much every top side at home,” said Murphy. “Ulster are very successful at Ravenhill, especially on a Friday night. Traditionally, it’s wet and windy and the wind howls through the ground making it difficult for opposition goal kickers who don’t know the ground. It’s a very tough place to go and get a win. They beat Clermont there in the first game of the group and showed what a good side they are.”