His last rugby match was on November 30, 2024, on the Aimé-Giral lawn. An eternity on the scale of Esteban Abadie, championship marathon runner. The third row who, from Brive via Toulon, had achieved the performance – to say the least – of stringing together 50 Top 14 matches. Before finally being left to rest by Pierre Mignoni, after having played the first six days with his new club in the harbor last season.
So obviously, when you have to put on the indicator and pull over to the side because the body is squealing, it's not easy to manage. In the head, first. “This period was not easy for him, says his teammate and friend, Teddy Baubigny. “Este”, he’s a guy who plays every match”. The main person concerned confirms: “How did I experience it? Difficultly. It always pisses me off not to play, especially during a period when the team is winning. But hey, it was the holidays, I was lucky to be able to take advantage of my family. I took the time to breathe a little, too. The seasons are long and tiring.
“I’m more of the guy who wants to skip the steps”
Victim of a torn left calf during his 60 minutes in Perpignan, “Este” had to be patient. “Already, because I had no choice, he smiles, his face still marked by his fight against Racing 92. But in reality, I'm more the guy who wants to skip the stages and come back as quickly as possible. I clearly saw that with muscular injuries, that was not possible. I experienced the same thing last year with the calf, already. You can't outrun the injury. You have to take your time and let your muscle regenerate. We had to be patient.” A speech supported by Enzo Hervé, his teammate since the Brivist days: “As soon as he was injured, he was keen to come back quickly. He wanted to be with us. It proves the involvement he has for this group and on a daily basis, it's great.”
Entered from 6e minute against Racing after Charles Ollivon's knee injury (the Toulon captain will have an MRI this Monday to find out the exact nature of his injury), Esteban Abadie played 74 minutes for his return. Thirteen tackles (one missed), one stolen touch, the native of Manceau seemed most at ease. It validates: “I definitely think of Charles. Going into a friend's injury is annoying. But in the end, it was a good crash test after a muscle injury. It held up, so I'm happy.”
“It brings clarity and security”
If after the victory (36-24), the entire locker room was worried about captain Ollivon, the Toulonnais still relished the return of one of the club's strong men. “I admit that I would have preferred to see him come in a little later, testifies Paolo Garbisi, touched. But Esteban is a key player for us, especially on the sidelines. It brings clarity and security. He is someone who knows his job perfectly. Offensively and defensively, he is valuable. And when we talk about throw-ins, it’s poison for opposing teams. Otherwise, off the field, he's a real personality… a leader, that is.” With a black headband screwed onto his head, Esteban Abadie has finally resumed, with ease and ease, what he loves: playing. It remains to be hoped, from now on, that he can do what he loves most: continue, again and again.
