For Pierre Mignoni, the Toulon coach, his club and that of USAP have many points in common. Even more so since Franck Azéma, with whom he formed a promising pair at the RCT, joined Perpignan.
Pierre Mignoni, if we talk about Perpignan with you, what memories does it bring back?
Funny memories! Only good ones anyway. Like the 2009 final, played with Clermont, even if we lost it.
Perpignan and Toulon are the defenders of Mediterranean Rugby?
These are two clubs that are similar. Two clubs with a very strong identity. Who have values and defend them. They are both close but different. Toulon and Perpignan are first of all popular cities. Where the feeling of defending a territory, an identity is very present. Toulon, like Perpignan, is isolated in its region. We to the east of the Mediterranean basin, the USAP to the south. It creates a very strong feeling of identity. In its history, Toulon has often been a city under attack. My grandparents talked to me about it when I was a kid. We are a military port, near the Mediterranean Sea, a strategic location which makes it a privileged target. The people of Toulon defend their city, their colors, rebel and they are ready to fight for Toulon. Sometimes it can be confusing. With the sun…
Is this why the RCT public, like that of the USAP, cannot support a player not defending the jersey?
Of course. If the team is not in the best shape but they are struggling, he is behind them. But if he feels that the players are not getting their jerseys wet, they complain and let it be known. The Toulon public, like the Catalans, wants to see their team win of course, but above all they want to see their players, and the staff with them, transcend themselves. If you don't have this notion of sacrifice, you cannot succeed, neither in Toulon nor in Perpignan. The public doesn't understand it.
Traveling to Mayol, for the USAP, to Aimé-Giral for the RCT, is it always hot?
You know what to expect. We know the context, we know the values held by the USAP players. And we, in Toulon, respect that! Since Perpignan returned to the Top 14, we haven't always shown our best face to Aimé-Giral… At home, the USAP doesn't let you breathe.
On a personal level, you will find Franck Azéma, with whom you co-trained Toulon during the season
2022-23 ?
Yes, when I returned to Toulon, during the summer of 2022 (from LOU), we trained together.
What were your relationships?
Very good. Despite the fact that some said that two coaches could not coexist, sought to divide us and put a spoke in our wheels, everything went well. We had a lot of fun working together and talking. Everyone had to find their place in the staff, that's normal. But I have a lot of respect for Franck. It was a very nice experience.
When he left Toulon, before the end of his contract, to join Perpignan, were you surprised?
I was already the first to whom he spoke about it. It was a little hard, yes, because we were starting to find our cruising speed. We had the Toulon project in mind, we knew where we wanted to go. Afterwards, he explained to me what motivated him to leave… And I understood it well. It was his choice. Private stays private, and that’s it! He bounced back well. We often call each other on the phone.
“Against Franck in the final, it would be funny, right?”
That doesn't mean you'll be giving yourself any presents on Saturday?
He's at home. And me at home! But admit that Toulon-USAP would make a great final, right? Finding Franck in the final, against each other, would be funny and great (he laughs). Imagine, the Stade de France in red and black, red and yellow colors. A stadium on fire, boiling hot! With a Toulon coach at the RCT and a Catalan at the USAP !
In this modern rugby, identity is sometimes mocked, virile values other times undermined, do you understand?
I have experienced all the stages of the evolution of rugby: amateur, semi-pro, professional. Rugby has changed, a lot. But it must not become sanitized. I'm proud when I see the Toulon players singing “pilou-pilou” in the locker room after a competitive match. We need to experience special moments like these. Afterwards, we have to be careful what we say, respect the rules of the game, of rugby, but without denying our values. I played in Clermont (between 2003 and 2009), the Auvergne club cannot resemble Toulon. And vice versa. Times have changed, but the identity remains. And it must be preserved. What is a player in Toulon, a player in Perpignan? It starts with young people. I fight every day to instill the philosophy of the Toulon game in the kids. Let them understand that the RCT entity is stronger than that of Pierre Mignoni! Each club has its history, its culture, but they all have the same notion of combat in common. Our sport, without combat, is distorted.
Precisely, in the fight which awaits on Saturday, Toulon seems to have taken a little lead?
We are making progress in certain areas, such as requirements and consistency. We had the same one when Franck was with me. We racked our brains, but we saw things that we didn't like, in attitudes and behaviors. To build a team, it takes 2-3 years: find the right players, stabilize the squad, taking into account JIFF, salary cap, rotations. And make your club's image stick to the team. A funny challenge.
