Having passed through the Premiership with Bristol and the United Rugby Championship under the colors of Munster, Antoine Frisch, the international center of the RCT, is discovering the particularities of the Top 14 this season. With frankness and enthusiasmthe Tricolore shares its view on what distinguishes the French championship from other European leagues.
The Top 14, land of spectacle and improvisation
For Antoine Frisch, one of the charms of the Top 14 lies in the playing philosophy, very different from what he experienced in the Premiership or URC. “ The teams light up on the recovery balls! » he confides to Midi Olympique.
While the systems in England and Ireland tend to be more structured, Frisch appreciates this ability of French teams to exploit the slightest opening: “ Everyone is looking for the spark. In counterattack, everyone lights up. The slightest mistake is paid for in cash. » A mentality that he associates with the famous “French flair”, emblem of French rugby identity.
An intensity close to the international level
Beyond creativity, Frisch emphasizes the unique intensity of encounters. “ In the Top 14, we prepare for international matches. Every weekend you play the best players in the world. » This density of individual talents, combined with often brutal frontal playcontrasts sharply with other European competitions: “ The fronts are overall beefier here. There is a front game that I haven’t seen elsewhere. »
-Building your place in Toulon
Arriving this summer from Munster, Frisch is still adapting to his new team and this demanding championship. “ I went from Munster to Toulon, and they are two different mentalities. I draw from both to build myself. » If his performances were sometimes considered disappointing, the player keeps a positive outlook and hopes quickly « letting go on the field to experience it even more fully. » His performances with the Var team will determine his international future.
As a reminder, he had chosen to join the Top 14 at the expense of Munster and the Irish selection to claim the French XV for the 2027 World Cup in Australia.
With an expected increase in power in this second part of the seasonand particularly this weekend in the Champions Cup against Quins, Antoine Frisch embodies this mixture of Anglo-Saxon rigor and French creativity. An ideal combination to shine in an ever more competitive Top 14.
