Why, when you were undisputed at Munster and eligible for the French XV, did you choose to return?
I was happy at Munster, but I had this desire to measure myself against the best in the world. And the competition is in France, not elsewhere. It’s a daily challenge, you face the best players in the world every weekend, and not just during European matches. Then I had this desire to face the “competitors” for the position for the French XV. Fabien Galthié repeats that you have to go “get the jersey”. It’s a vision that I like. It was obvious to me: I wanted to come back to France, and discover the Top 14.
Why, then, did you choose a club that is continuing its reconstruction, rather than knocking on the door of a club that is consistently in the top 6?
We are at a club that has tended to stabilize for three seasons. Yes, the RCT has returned to the final phase “only” this year, but we are seeing constant progress, a stable and ambitious project. Toulon is an extraordinary club, you have several internationals in each position, an experienced staff with an ambitious game plan. If we add a unique public, and different from anything I have known, even at Munster… All the lights were green. You know, I have always followed my instinct. And there, I felt that my career had to continue at the RCT.
How did the exchanges go?
We played Toulon in January with Munster, and a few weeks later, we established contact. From then on, the RCT leaders were consistent, maintained the relationship and made me understand, from the beginning to the end of the negotiations, that they were counting on me. So the choice was natural. There were other clubs, great contracts, but the decision was quite simple. For me, it makes sense to sign for Toulon.
Are you part of this generation of players brought up on the exploits of the RCT?
I wouldn’t say that I was a supporter, that would be hypocritical. Besides, before coming to play with Munster, I had never been to Mayol. On the other hand, yes, the RCT is a place that counted in my younger years.
Why? And what does the RCT represent for you?
The first memory I associate with the RCT is the fight videos on YouTube. (laughs). You are 11/12 years old, you type “rugby fight” and you come across RCT-Bègles in 1991 (laughs). Then there was the era of the Galactics. I was an absolute fan of Jonny Wilkinson. So it was hard to miss the RCT in the mid-2010s. It allowed me, in addition to this golden generation, to understand what Toulon represented in the French rugby landscape.
In your career, you have never spent more than two seasons at a club. Can we imagine that, this time, you will honor your three-year contract?
This instability was not a choice. I just tried to find my way. I would have liked to have been propelled to the Top 14 at 18 and stayed ten seasons in the same club, but it didn’t happen that way. So I didn’t have this desire to be in permanent movement, but it was my path… And I tried to make it a strength. A richness. Changing clubs, cities, countries allows you to meet players with very different stories. I would have preferred to have a more traditional career, but it had the advantage of allowing me to meet a whole bunch of extraordinary guys. But now that I’m in Toulon, I hope to be here for the long term.
So, can we imagine that you will stay in Toulon (at least) until the end of your contract, in June 2027?
I hope I can finally stabilize. And I would like to honor, a minimamy three-year contract with the RCT. At 28, I’m at a point in my career where I want to establish myself, to be part of a project in a sustainable way. I know that rugby is unpredictable, but that’s my will. I want to wear this jersey, to see progress, to win titles with these guys. You know, I was lucky enough to realize my dream by becoming an international despite an “atypical” career, but above all it made me want to go even further. So I want to fight to establish myself at Toulon. It’s a huge club and a unique opportunity. I’ve missed the boat too often in my young career to know that this time, I don’t want to miss out (smile).
