Friday evening, Stade Toulousain will play its 11th consecutive semi-final since 2019. To potentially seek a 6th title over the period a week later, in Marseille.
The genesis of all this? We were talking about it a few weeks ago, it’s the 2017/2018 season, which marks a real turning point in the start of the club’s reconstruction. Many players who stick with the game that Ugo Mola wants to put in place arrive in Toulouse, including a certain Cheslin Kolbe.
TOP 14. Arnold/Flament in the cage, Ramos still on the bench: the probable line-up for Toulouse in the semi-finalBut how does this winger/back, about whom we ultimately talk little even within his own country, South Africa, find himself being tracked by Stade Toulousain? “There is Gio Aplon who is in Grenoble, and who at 35 years old, is still incredible. And I, like him, am looking for this back who can resolve situations for us,” explains in the preamble Ugo Mola, for the show 1, 2 Trillo.
“And Fabien Pelous told me that there was an incredible South African fullback with the under-20s, and we started looking for him.“The former 2nd row of the stadium, in the staff of the U20 tricolors in 2013, had indeed seen very closely the exceptional qualities of Kolbe, who had then martyred the Bleuets, with great blows of support which made one dizzy, with speed and flair. “At the time, he was at the Stormers, playing a wing shot, a full back shot, a 10 shot and was not international. We look at the images with Pierre-Henri (Broncan) and I say to myself, how can they not make this guy play more?“
RUGBY. Drop, personal exploits… Relive Cheslin Kolbe’s greatest actions in the Top 14After a very positive video where the little South African dragster, always smiling, showed his desire to try the adventure in France despite a small contract offered, an agreement was quickly reached. But Mola, all smiles, remembers René Bouscatel’s reluctance: “René told me: 1m72 for 76kg? He’s really not strong. And I answered him “yes but he’s still going very, very quickly, he’s going to bring us something.” And finally, it matched very quickly.“
A unique talent serving the Top 14
Cheslin Kolbe, 24 years old at the time, was a hit in his first season in France, scoring 10 tries in total, and being called up by the Springboks the summer following his arrival (2018). Before the final explosion the following season, at the end of which the Kraaifontein elf will be voted best player in the Top 14, after winning the championship.FLASHBACK. For the 2018 holidays, the elf Cheslin Kolbe and Toulouse did not give gifts to the RCT (39 to 0)Since and after 82 matches (for 31 tries) Kolbe left Toulouse for Toulon on a whim costing millions of euros, and never found the consistency that was his during his first years in France, the fault of injuries in particular. At 30 years old today, the double world champion is having a good time in Japan, where the much shorter and less energy-intensive seasons allow him to have fun and money, while taking care of his body (even if he is currently injured).
A sort of pre-retirement, for the former best winger in the world, who was an important member of the rebirth of Stade Toulousain, 6 years ago now…
