The decline and fall of Toulouse
Don’t blame coach Ugo Mola for Toulouse’s failings this season. After 22 years of Guy Novès, change was needed – but off-field issues mean we should expect an evolution rather than a revolution, writes James Harrington.
A gut-wrenching home defeat to Racing 92 on the 24th weekend of the ferociously long Top 14 campaign summed up more than just, to steal a phrase from coach Ugo Mola, Toulouse’s ‘black season’.
It encapsulated perfectly the decline and fall of a French rugby giant.
Toulouse dominated possession and territory at the weekend. For long periods, they pounded Racing’s line. They could, and should, have scored a sackful but repeatedly demonstrated incredible precision and accuracy for shooting themselves in the foot.
They did not cross the whitewash until the 79th minute, when they were 3-10 behind with Racing reduced to 13 men. And Luke McAlister could not convert the difficult kick from out wide to level the scores.
There was time for one final restart, but Toulouse horlicksed the play and barely made it out of their own 22 before conceding a penalty to end the game – and their season.
It leaves the club 12th in the Top 14. They will miss the French Championship playoffs for the first time since 1976 – long before the dawn of professionalism. For the first time ever, they will not feature in the draw for next season’s European Champions Cup.
Toulouse are a shadow of the side that lifted nine French Championship titles and four European Cups in the golden Guy Novès years, before he finally left at the end of the 2014/15 season to prepare to become France coach – nearly a decade too late.
During Novès 22-year reign, Toulouse were also two-time runners-up in both domestic and European competitions. The figures speak for themselves: Novès is the most successful domestic coach in rugby history.
But the signs of decay were evident before he left. The club has not won a title or reached a single final since 2012. It is by far their longest run without silverware or even taking part in a showpiece match in the professional era.
In many ways, Mola – a Toulouse player between 1990 and 1996 – has much of the spiky Novès about him. He prowls the touchline, barely able to stand still, shouts and gesticulates, expressions forever bouncing across his face like a bad poker player. Unlike his predecessor, however, he does not have the knack of winning matches by sheer force of mannerisms.
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And, unlike his predecessor, he has to redefine what it means to be Toulouse. Novès had an Alex Ferguson – or maybe, increasingly, an Arsène Wenger – aura about him. His way was the Toulouse way. His early innovation had become old hat, borrowed and stolen and improved upon by others. Success was as much about will as ability. Players were comfortable – too comfortable, perhaps. The club was stale, out of touch, desperate for change.
So far, Mola has struggled to impose his vision on a team that he inherited. And, for reasons beyond his control, has been unable to do anything about.
His appointment in 2015 was described as a ‘continuation’ of the Toulouse way when, maybe, a break from tradition – even, whisper it quietly, a foreign coach with foreign ideas – was required.
But the club could not afford to make that break. Toulouse may have the largest operating budget of any Top 14 club – €31.5million this season, compared to €18.2million for league leaders La Rochelle – but euros are in short supply at Ernest Wallon.
Mola has said the squad needs overhauling, but personnel changes have been few so far during his tenure. There’s a reason for that. For the past four seasons, the club has been in the red – and it does not have a sugar daddy like Racing 92’s Jacky Lorenzetti or Montpellier’s Mohed Altrad to sign the bailout cheque. So far, there has been enough in the bank to cover the shortfall, but the club is now said to be ‘seriously’ short of funds.
The €97-million-a-season Top 14 TV deal that kicks in from the end of next season will help top up Toulouse’s bank balance, but failing to reach the playoffs and missing out on the Champions Cup cash cow is a massive blow to the club and Mola.
Vincent Clerc left after 14 years and more than 300 appearances last season. At least 12 more key players will leave this summer, including Census Johnston, Luke McAlister, Toby Flood, Christopher Tolofua and Yacouba Camara.
Attracting players has proved as difficult as retaining them. Facundo Isa was linked to Toulouse but finally opted for Toulon, and those names heading to the Rose City are a long way from the ones that graced the club in the late 1990s.
Next season Charlie Faumuina, Lucas Pointud, Zack Holmes, Cheslin Kolbe and Antoine Dupont are the biggest names on Toulouse’s arrivals list. Compare them to Émile Ntamack, Thomas Castaignède, Michel Marfaing, and Freddie Michalak – players who graced the rouge-et-noir with their mesmeric skills in years gone by.
So, Mola’s hands are tied. But, if he can hold on to his job – which is far from certain – the future may not be entirely bleak. He can’t buy change, so he will have to make it. As well as securing 20-year-old tyro Dupont from Castres, he has persuaded seven young players to re-sign development contracts – including a certain Romain N’Tamack, whose name may sound familiar.
Director of rugby Fabien Pelous – another name on Toulouse’s Hall of Fame – has said Mola will be retained as head coach next season. But, an additional spanner in Mola’s would-be works comes with club president Rene Bouscatel set to step down after 25 years.
Whether the new boss is as patient as the old boss is a question only time can answer.
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Comments on RugbyPass
We had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getitng to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
7 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
7 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
55 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
55 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
7 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
55 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
55 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
55 Go to comments