Toulouse boss condemns ugly scenes involving Romain Ntamack

Romain Ntamack made his return to action on Sunday, starting in Toulouse’s 44-20 loss to Bordeaux-Begles in the Top 14 having missed France’s Guinness Six Nations campaign with a combination of kidney issues and a hamstring injury.

The Toulouse star was up against the man who held the France No.10 jersey for the majority of the Six Nations, Matthieu Jalibert, as Bordeaux opted to select the majority of their internationals, while Toulouse were lacking the bulk of their stars.

The 26-year-old spent an hour on the Stade Matmut-Atlantique field before being substituted, finishing with a try to his name and 13 points.

However, his match was marred by the frosty reception he received from the Bordeaux crowd, who booed him every time he appeared on the screen at the stadium.

Ntamack’s coach, Ugo Mola did not take kindly to these scenes, and fiercely criticised the Bordeaux fans after the match.

“I deplore the attitude. When Romain appears on the big screen and all they can do is boo a guy everyone else is praising… It’s so tragic. It is the society we live in and the level of stupidity in some circles,” he said.

Mola stressed that Ntamack will be back next week, where Toulouse host Montpellier in the league before the visit from Bristol Bears in the Investec Champions Cup.

“We’re going to put him back in action next week,” he added. “We’re not going to protect him, we don’t have the time anymore. He’s had serious injuries to a kidney and a hamstring. And since he wanted to rejoin the French team, he had a setback, but I think the three months he missed will be beneficial for the end of the season.”

While the behaviour of the Bordeaux fans marred Ntamack’s return, Mola was otherwise pleased with his display after three months out.

“He was pretty good, apart from a bit of a lack of sharp kicking at the end,” he said. “But after three months, I found him quite sharp, interesting in the quality of his passing, and in his ability to get us involved in the game.”

Despite the defeat, Toulouse still remain comfortably at the summit of the Top 14 ladder.