Two of five new Toulon recruits identified as club scrambles to make up lost Top 14 ground
It’s not panic. Toulon, 11th in the Top 14 after the first six weeks of the season, have found two of the five players they are – quickly, but definitely not frantically – looking to recruit.
Sports daily L’Equipe on Wednesday identified Nick de Jager as the previously unnamed Blue Bulls’ flanker the club is chasing. The expectation is he will head to the south coast of France to join his new club in the coming days. The club is also scouring South Africa for another flanker, as well as a tighthead to give Marcel Van der Merwe, who has played all six games so far this season, a break.
Glasgow Warriors’ lock Brian Alainu’uese headed to Toulon a fortnight ago for a series of tests that Collazo insisted did not make up a trial. This week, Midi Olympique reported a deal had been thrashed out, despite the fact the giant Fijian has a back injury that has kept him on the Scotstoun sidelines this season. He is, reports say, three weeks from a return even to full training, let alone playing.
Adding South African and Fijian beef up front makes sense from one important perspective. A wider EU agreement means South African and Pacific Island players are not considered ‘overseas’ in European competitions. They, therefore, skirt strict foreign player limits placed on clubs in the Champions and Challenge Cups that affect New Zealand and Australian players.
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This weekend, Toulon face one final Top 14 encounter of the juggernaut kind at Montpellier before the Champions Cup break – and Newcastle’s visit to Stade Mayol.
The club has identified its key on-field problem and is looking to recharge its pack. But it’s important to remember there’s no panic here. “We’re not going to take players to fill the shelves, but only if we need them,” head coach Patrice Collazo said earlier this season.
After waving a summer farewell to Duane Vermeulen and Dave Attwood – and with Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe moving into a coaching role – the club lost Charles Ollivon, Fecundo Isa and Mamuka Gorgodze to injury in the opening weeks of the campaign.
There’s no denying Ollivon’s latest injury – his glass shoulder went again – was a serious blow. The French international had only just returned to action, after missing all of last season. Word is, he is still awaiting a decision on whether surgery is necessary.
Don’t forget, Toulon’s early season recruitment campaign is not a sign of panic. Even though they have forgotten how to score points. They are averaging only 16 of them every match, despite the proven try-scoring pedigree of a squad of backs that includes Julian Savea, Josua Tuisova, JP Pietersen, Hugo Bonneval, and Filipo Nakosi.
Clearly, the coaches believe the issue is giving these players the platform to perform. “There’s trouble ahead,” owner Mourad Boudjellal admitted recently, with the three-time European champions 15 points behind Top 14 leaders Clermont, and seven points outside the top six with 23 percent of the season played. “But, to those who are getting impatient, I say we are not panicking.”
It is no secret that Toulon are not the galactico force in French and European rugby they once were. They have been busted down the Top 14 pecking order by Montpellier, Racing 92, and – lately – Lyon and Stade Francais.
Fortunately, no one at the club is panicking (just a reminder) about that. They are just taking advantage of their legitimate right to sign a maximum of two additional players, two medical jokers, and three players as cover for those on the FFR’s elite international training squad list.
It’s definitely not panic. And don’t forget it.
Comments on RugbyPass
Lets 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?
10 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.
10 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…??? 🤑🤑🤑
34 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
34 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 commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to comments