By winning their first title in the small European Cup, the Varois are guaranteed to compete in the next Champions Cup. A founding success, they insist in unison.
Special Envoy to Dublin
A page in the history of Toulon was written this Friday in Dublin. And another immediately turned. By winning the Challenge Cup without shaking against the disappointing Scots of Glasgow (43-19), the RCT became the first club crowned in the “big” European Cup (2013, 2014 and 2015) and now in the “small” . And, as soon as this coronation was acquired, two emblematic players from the Var club – Sergio Parisse and Mathieu Bastareaud – announced that they would hang up their crampons at the end of the season. “I feel a lot of things, it’s complicated to put these emotions into words, says the 39-year-old Italian number 8. Personally, it’s a lot of fun. It makes me happy but I’m especially happy for the group. It is the victory of a whole group.»
“There is a lot of joy, a lot of fun. But my first thought is for the fans, for the injured players (Serin, Villière, Biggar…)for Sergio, for “Basta”», continues the international third line Charles Ollivon. In recent seasons, the RCT has seen more lows than highs. The post-Mourad Boudjellal was hard to digest and, this Friday, his successor Bernard Lemaître (finally) won a first title. Charles Ollivon does not wantnot talk about revenge, it’s just happiness. I arrived in Toulon in 2015, there have been a lot of changes since then. No matter what happened, the past served us.”
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Some minimize the value of a Challenge Cup title, a kind of consolation to keep clubs that are not invited to the next level busy. Pierre Mignoni reframes things. “This title means a lot. I hear that a title like that doesn’t count. It’s either that we forgot or that we never played. strikes the Var co-manager who sees it rather “a big start” for his team. According to him, “this title is just the beginning. We will continue, work well, build well. We have been criticized a lot – certainly rightly – but this trophy is important.
One thing is certain, with this success over Glasgow, the Varois have won their ticket for the next Champions Cup. Without going through the Top 14 where, currently eighth before the last day, they are very badly on board to slip into the top six. They would indeed have to beat the UBB with the offensive bonus and for the Bayonnais to win with the bonus against the Lyonnais, depriving them of the bonus. By the way, solving an equation with far too many unknowns.
“Either put your head down or use it and learn”
The more than chaotic season of the RCT is therefore saved. Charles Ollivon prefers, in the end, to retain the positive of all these hazards: “We often talk about mistakes, failures but I don’t see things like that. We go through complicated moments and these moments allow us to find things. Either put your head down or use it and learn. I think this group has learned a lot.” Pierre Mignoni insists on the fact that“We build with titles. It was important that the group pay itself, it deserved to pay itself this (Friday) evening.”
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The construction site is however far from being finished. “For the future, we have a lot of work, we will work to rebalance our workforce», confirms – in particular with reference to the problems of respecting the Jiff quotas – Pierre Mignoni who will be alone at the controls next year, after the departure to Perpignan of Franck Azéma. For his part, Cheslin Kolbe could not hide his tears, after all the hassles and repeated physical glitches he has known. “Of course it’s always good to win trophies (…). That’s good, we have to build on that.” agrees the winger of the Springboks world champions. Despite the persistent rumors that send him to Japan, he confirmed, lip service, that he will still be from Toulon next year. One of the many issues to be settled on the Rade. The (re)construction has only just begun.
