The French aristocrats take pride in their playing identity and homegrown players.
TOULOUSE ’S CELEBRATIONS AT the final whistle last weekend in Montpellier made it seem as if they’d won a trophy.
And more pertinently, 16 of the matchday 23 either came through Stade Toulousain’s espoirs set-up or are still part of it. Players like Théo Ntamack and Benjamin Bertrand have played for Toulouse since the age of five or six. Back row Joshua Brennan has been around the club from when he was a baby. “I remember Romain Ntamack being around his dad at the club,” says former Leinster back row Aidan McCullen, who spent the 2005/06 season with Toulouse, where Émile Ntamack is a legendary figure.
Not all of them were born in the city of Toulouse itself, some joining after playing youths rugby elsewhere, but these players are the embodiment of the Toulouse Way, the exciting style of rugby that the club identifies as central to its identity. “It’s very much a culture of playing,” says McCullen. “I was lucky that I played that way, I’d always be hoping to offload the ball. And with Toulouse, there would always be someone there to take the offload. That’s bred into them from a very young age.
Head coach Ugo Mola previously played for the club. Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO That so many people at all levels of the club are Toulousains themselves helps maintain traditions. Current club president Didier Lacroix played for them in the 80s and 90s before becoming an espoirs coach and being nurtured to take over the presidency in 2017.
Mola’s current coaching team is completely made up of former Toulouse players in forwards coach Jean Bouilhou, backs specialist Clément Poitrenaud, defence coach Laurent Thuéry, scrum expert Virgile Lacombe, and skills coach Jerome Kaino. “He told me, ‘You played for Toulouse, you’re part of something amazing and you will always be part of that.’ That made me feel so much better, it was almost a bit of closure. You think you’re just another number, that no one cares, but he said, ‘You played for Toulouse you idiot.’”Toulouse generally recruit well.
Again, it would be naive to think that Toulouse’s impressive squad doesn’t cost a lot of money to retain. The club’s overall operating budget of more than €40 million has long been the biggest in France where the salary cap for player salaries is €10 million. Toulouse reportedly had financial challenges during the mid-2010s, coinciding with their on-pitch malaise, but the club’s sheer popularity means they recovered well.
Ireland Latest News, Ireland Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Over 300 Ryanair flights cancelled due to French Air Traffic Control strikeEven though French controllers are striking, most disrupted passengers are overflying French airspace
Read more »
Mathieu Raynal to referee Leinster's Champions Cup semi-final against NorthamptonAndrew Brace will take charge of the Toulouse v Harlequins semi-final.
Read more »
Jack Willis relishing role in Toulouse’s relentless quest for successEnglish flanker has already won a Top 14 title and is not targeting European glory with the French giants
Read more »
All-seeing Antoine Dupont should steer Toulouse towards first ever final meeting with LeinsterHarlequins’ European fairytale takes them to ‘Le Stadium’ today, where the five-time champions will be at full power.
Read more »
Something has to give as Leinster and Northampton put double ambitions on the lineLeinster, Toulouse and Northampton all have the opportunity to claim a glorious European and domestic double
Read more »
Matthew Carley to referee Leinster's Champions Cup final clash with ToulouseCarley’s assistants will be England’s Karl Dickson and Andrea Piardi of Italy.
Read more »