Toulon are not ‘grim’ force of old
TOULON’S dominance of the European Cup with three titles between 2013 and 2015 was a particularly grim time for rugby.
It might be overdoing it to suggest there was a battle for the soul of rugby at the time but their success, followed by backto-back titles for Saracens, coincided with a power grab for control of the European game.
Irked by Irish success that saw Munster and then Leinster land five Heineken Cups between 2006 and 2012, France and England decided to take over and the revamped Champions Cup was born.
The fact that Toulon were the dominant force at the new competition’s inception seemed fitting given the commercial forces at play.
Essentially, Toulon were a Manchester City-like entity that bought their success, propelled by the millions of local comicbook mogul Mourad Boudjellal.
No expense was spared assembling a fantasy-rugby squad of overseas heavyweights encompassing stellar names of the calibre of Jonny Wilkinson, Matt Giteau, Bryan Habana, Bakkies Botha, Ali Williams and a raft of others.
At the time, their lack of
“They bought their success Man City-style”
restraint on importing talent into the French system meant the national side suffered — a glance through the Toulon team-sheet when they won their last European Cup in 2015 shows a side that contained just four French players.
Much was made of the culture instilled in the side, and the overseas mercenaries undoubtedly bought into it, but it left a hollow feeling with many across the European game, accentuated by Saracens’ subsequent success in contravention of English salary-cap rules.
The landscape has altered dramatically since. French rugby has introduced import quotas to further national aspirations — leading to a notable upturn for France under former Toulon coach Fabien Galthie.
And, while Toulon are still well funded, Boudjellal is gone to football (taking over Hyeres in France’s fourth tier earlier this year) and the focus has switched towards developing young talent under new chief, Bernard Lemaitre.
They still carry overseas heft with the likes of Eben Etzebeth and Sergio Parisse but nothing like they used to and, while Toulon once bucked the French trend by viewing Europe as priority, now the focus is very much centred on the Top14.
Currently stuck among a clutch of clubs in the middle of the table, Toulon have suffered when their France stars, including national captain Charles Ollivon, have been away with their overseas contingent no longer plentiful enough, or good enough, to plug the gaps the way they used to.
With France’s rescheduled Six Nations clash with Scotland draining resources last weekend, Toulon struggled badly on the road against Lyon, another middling Top14 outfit.
Lyon handed out a humiliating 54-16 hammering last Saturday as Leinster were cruising to their fourth straight Pro14 title and, as well as the blow to morale, they lost Ma’a Nonu to suspension — the veteran All Black centre handed a threeweek ban after receiving a red card for elbowing a Lyon player in the head.
Their domestic form has been wildly inconsistent throughout the season, the win over Racing 92 at the start of this month coming after an embarrassing defeat by lowly Bayonne at the end of February.
Currently seventh in the Top14 table, 14 points behind Toulouse at the summit, Toulon know they have to get a shift on to get into contention and there is a sense that those concerns now take precedence over the ‘bonus’ of a run in Europe.
While the national side has largely banished the old stereotype of ‘you never know which French team will turn up’, it still exists in the domestic game, especially on the road.
If Leinster get stuck into them early, Toulon are liable to lose stomach for the fight and you suspect that is the way it will go for this is not the force of old.
Leinster have painful memories of feeling that force — losing all four previous meeting when Toulon were in their mercenary pomp — and there will be little sympathy for the visitors if they are the ones left with a hollow feeling later today.