Back at his best this season with La Rochelle, Teddy Thomas has chosen to leave the maritime club at the end of the season to join Stade Toulouse for the next three seasons. He explains his decision to us, and looks ahead to the start of the Champions Cup on Friday in Bath.
Has the defeat against Vannes been digested?
If, at the end of the season, we manage to win a title of European champion or French champion, we will have forgotten this defeat against Vannes at home. In any case, the truth today is that we were dominated by a club that comes from Pro D2who played his rugby properly and who deserves his victory. I hope this will give us a little kick in the butt and show us that nothing will happen on its own. Only work, and only work, will reward us.
This is the immense feat of the 11th day! The Vannetais went for an incredible victory – their first away this season – against the Rochelais who were far too wait-and-see and without a solution (14-23).
The report > https://t.co/LTrC1JI8nx pic.twitter.com/t18XFwzC30
— RUGBYRAMA (@RugbyramaFR) https://twitter.com/RugbyramaFR/status/1862911921025900656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
How to explain this non-match?
What is paradoxical is that we work well during the week, but on weekends we cannot respond in the best way. We will digest this defeat because it is high-level sport and sometimes you have to go through moments like these. I hope it will give us more teeth for the Top 14 and the Champions Cup.
I will go to Stade Toulouse at the end of the season
Some supporters left Marcel-Deflandre before the end of the match. How did you experience this moment and does the group want to make amends?
The fans were disappointed with this performance, and we apologize for that. This is not at all the copy that we wanted to offer to the Stade Rochelais public, who go to the stadium in large numbers every weekend to support us, whether it is windy or snowing. We must, out of respect for them and for us, show the best possible image. This was not the case against Vannes. We disrespected ourselves and them. Afterwards, the luck we have in this sport is to have the possibility of making amends the following weekend. I hope it will be done in Bath, before returning to Deflandre against Bristol and making the supporters want to be behind us again.
How are you preparing to return to the Champions Cup, a competition that Stade Rochelais has already won twice in its history?
It is a very popular competition in La Rochelle. The club was lucky to win it twice. Last year, we were eliminated a little early, so we are keen to show our true face, the one that people have seen over the last three seasons. There is no better thing than starting this Champions Cup on a Friday evening, away, in front of a lot of people watching this opening match.
“Leaving La Rochelle? It was a difficult decision”
What about Finn Russell? A fly half you know well…
Facing teams from different cultures is truly the luxury that this Champions Cup offers us. Bath offers some very attractive rugby to watch. Finn (Russell) joined this club. I know him quite well having played with him for a few years at Racing 92. It's going to be a very tough match for us. I hope for them too. There is, in any case, a lot of excitement at the idea of facing them.
You were at the heart of transfer news last week. Have you made your choice?
It was a difficult decision because I have been playing at La Rochelle for three years now, a club where I feel good and where the group trusts me. It's never easy to leave a club. Unfortunately, there is also the contractual part that comes into play, and Stade Toulouse made me a much more attractive offer in terms of contract years.
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At the end of his contract with La Rochelle, the center or winger has decided to join Toulouse next summer, like his club partner Georges-Henri Colombe.
More info > https://t.co/Z8FVqbutNy pic.twitter.com/mNSRavTWPZ
— RUGBYRAMA (@RugbyramaFR) https://twitter.com/RugbyramaFR/status/1862078023102558488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
What are the reasons for this decision?
I always admired Toulouse when I was young, and when a club of this standing calls you to offer you a three-year contract, it's still difficult to refuse. I spoke about it with La Rochelle, they were always aware of my discussions with Toulouse. Despite this, they preferred to offer me only two years. I respect and understand this decision, but that is why I will leave at the end of the season for Stade Toulouse. Right now, it's not on my mind. I still have a lot to do here, and I hope I can give the best of myself to leave this club with my head held high. It's an additional motivation for me to leave my mark on my time at Stade Rochelais and to leave in the best possible way.
- His repositioning at the center, his new life as a father, his objectives this season… Find, in full, the interview with Teddy Thomas on Wednesday December 4 in ViaMidol Des Mauls and Debates on ViaOccitanie and Rugbyrama
