Since Wednesday, we have known the names of the 42 players selected by Fabien Galthié to prepare for the 2025 6 Nations Tournament. If Stade Toulousain is largely (logically) represented in front of the UBB, we also find a large contingent from Toulon.
Toulon rewarded
No fewer than seven RCT players were called up by the coach: from the 3rd line Abadie via the pillars Gros and Priso, the second line Matthias Halagahu, without forgetting Frisch, Villière and the new kid Gaël Dréan.
Of course, not everyone will have a chance during the competition. But it's a fair reward for the players, but also for the club. Which monopolizes third in the Top 14 and continues the big matches in the Champions Cup.
Toulon's return to the top? Time will tell. One thing is certain, we haven't seen such a Toulon presence among the Blues for several years. It may even be a record. By searching the archives, we found traces of a French group with six RCT players. It was in 2015 before a Tournament match against Italy. At the time, coach Saint-André called Guirado, Suta, Taofifenua, Tillous-Borde, Bastareaud and Mermoz.
The called, few chosen
A few months later, five will prepare for the World Cup in England, then only four for the World Cup in Japan… and three for France 2023. Note that Alexis Palisson was the only RCT representative in 2011 in New Zealand.
Over the years, performances and transfers, Toulon has slipped players to the Blues. In 2018, Hugo Bonneval and François Trinh-Duc were in the group like Anthony Belleau. Louis Carbonel was also invited to Marcoussisas during the 6 Nations 2021, and more recently Baptiste Serin and Charles Ollivon.
We can also imagine that without the latter's package, Toulon would perhaps have slipped an 8th player into the list. But it is also possible that his absence benefited one of his teammates. As for Serin, he faces enormous competition in his position and must undoubtedly resolve to give up on the French XV with a view to the 2027 World Cup despite its excellent performances.
