HOW MIGHTY HAVE FALLEN

Edinburgh do not have to fear Toulon, a team who are now living on their past reputation

TOULON are coming to Murrayfield. There’s a sentence that would have put the fear of God in everyone a few years ago, players and supporters alike.

Not that long ago, the French side and their Galaticos were the best on the planet, but that was because they were not a club team as we know it!

They were a World XV bought by their charismatic owner Mourad Boudjellal, who made his millions from comics and invested lots of it creating a fantasy rugby team.

There’s not enough space in this column to list all the world-class players that have played for Toulon over the last decade, but let me give you a sample of Sonny Bill Williams, Ma’a Nonu, Victor Matfield, Bryan Habana, George Gregan and Jonny Wilkinson.

Some were there for a short time, some for longer, but it was Wilkinson who gave Toulon their success.

History shows that throwing money at a team doesn’t always guarantee glory. In their early days, Saracens signed big-name players like Francois Pienaar, Philippe Sella and Michael Lynagh to generate interest and deliver major trophies. The trouble was, they had signed them at the end of their careers, not when they were at their peak.

When Wilkinson went to Toulon, it looked like they’d done ‘a Saracens’, signing a superstar after his best days were behind him. But he proved them wrong. He produced some incredible rugby, guiding Toulon to consecutive Heineken Cups but, more importantly, showing current players that they were a viable option and one that would almost guarantee them successful careers.

I know players who were desperate for the phone to ring, with their agents telling them Toulon had been in touch, because you could almost add a zero to your salary, all down to Wilkinson and, of course, Boudjellal’s millions.

But, slowly and surely, the dynasty has crumbled. When Wilkinson retired in 2014, it was the start of their demise. There would be one more Heineken Cup triumph, but due to the lack of success on the pitch, the owner has got triggerhappy and changed coaches almost on an annual basis.

Richard Cockerill, for example, was there on a temporary basis before joining tomorrow’s opponents Edinburgh.

Don’t get me wrong, they still have great players like Julian Savea, Francois Trinh-Duc and current France captain Guilhem Guirado, but they are nothing like the force they once were, as was proven last week when they lost at home to Newcastle.

Edinburgh should fancy their chances but they will need to play well and not just rely on home advantage or think that the game is done because of Toulon’s result last week.

Toulon could go one of two ways; they could come out flying, desperate to right the wrongs of last week, or they could chuck it and focus on getting their domestic form back the following week. We’ve seen French teams lose interest, especially away from home.

Edinburgh certainly must start well, something they didn’t do against Montpellier last week.

If they hit the ground running and get right in amongst Toulon, their heads could go down and then Cockerill’s side have to press home this advantage. Edinburgh were unlucky not to win in France last week but the losing bonus point will only be a good thing if they back it up with a victory against the fallen giants of European rugby.

Glasgow have a different challenge on Sunday. Last weekend they were playing the English Champions at home, a Saracens side full of international stars, and pushed them to the very brink.

It was an ugly, bruising affair with lots of incidents that went punished, some that were not.

But Dave Rennie’s men came away with nothing, which means the game down in Cardiff is huge if they’re to progress from this pool.

They are playing a team which has flown way below the radar so far this season but they have made good signings and beat Lyon away

from home last weekend; no mean feat.

There won’t be the same niggle in this game but Glasgow must bring not just the bite that we saw last Sunday but the attacking play that was missing when it mattered.

I like the way the pack weren’t taking a backward step, especially after what happened last season in the Champions Cup when they were second best in the power game.

When they needed to click into ‘finishing mode’, however, they came up short.

Two clear line breaks normally mean Glasgow score two tries, but they scored none and lost the game as a result.

They know Cardiff, they like playing down there on the plastic pitch, so they need to get the win that will bring them right back into this pool.