1
The Toulon Galacticos 2.0 - why Europe should be worried again
Move over Jonny, Bakkies and Juan Martín, there’s a new bunch of Galacticos in Toulon.
The club from the Côte d’Azur have been making waves once again with their recruitment this season, as they currently battle near the bottom of the Top 14 and seek to quickly bounce back to trophy-hunting in both domestic and European competitions.
ADVERTISEMENT
Owner Mourad Boudjellal is not one for subtlety and his aggressive pursuit of new recruits for next season has already borne fruit.
On Thursday evening, the club announced the signings of Eben Etzebeth (RPI – 90) for two years and Nehe Milner-Skudder (65) for three years, with Etzebeth joining after the 2019 Rugby World Cup and Milner-Skudder arriving in the south of France as early as June 2019.
Milner-Skudder will join Julian Savea (78), Josua Tuisova (77) and Rhys Webb (80) in the Toulon back line, all of whom are under contract for the 2019/20 season, whilst French international half-back Baptiste Serin (77) has also been signed. Malakai Fekitoa (74) may be one of the players sacrificed, with the former All Black in the last year of his deal and currently linked with Gallagher Premiership side Wasps, although if terms on an extension could be reached, it would see him link up with two of his former All Black teammates.
Continue reading below…
Watch: The Rugby Pod, with Joe Marler, talk about players’ salary expectations and the desire to be paid more.
As for Etzebeth, he will line up alongside Liam Messam (82), Christopher Tolofua (68) and, if reports are to be believed, Sam Whitelock (87) in the new-look Toulon pack next year, whilst Facundo Isa (81) is in the final year of his current contract. Toulon are also believed to be eyeing up some further front row reinforcements.
In a slight twist from the previous and first Galactico era at Toulon, the club are also building around a number of key French players, with Mathieu Bastareaud (80) continuing to play a significant role for the side, as do Charles Ollivon (72), despite injury affecting his Toulon career to date, and Stéphane Onambele (68) in the back row.
ADVERTISEMENT
Hugo Bonneval (68), Xavier Chiocci (77), Raphaël Lakafia (75) and Romain (76) and Sébastien Taofifénua (66) are some of the French internationals who have been running out at the Stade Mayol, to varying degrees of influence, recently.
The club have also committed to Anthony Belleau (73) at 10, a fly-half that has been with the club since he was 18 and brings some much-needed stability at a club which regularly has a large turnover in personnel.
Among the other players linked with Toulon next year are Newcastle Falcons’ Vereniki Goneva (66), Leicester Tigers’ Manu Tuilagi (78) and the Crusaders’ Kieran Read (93).
You may also like: Ali Williams Part I: The AB’s ethos and lessons from the ’07 World Cup
ADVERTISEMENT
Comments on RugbyPass
Thanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to comments