Already imperial for 80 minutes on the Vélodrome pitch, the Toulousains continued their demonstration in the Marseille night. Guaranteed laughter and good humor. Story of a very long evening.
The Toulousains know how to win! And they know how to handle it properly. They are now even very organized in victory. In the locker room of the Stade Vélodrome, they therefore took out a track for the traditional belly slide that ends with the head in the Brennus shield. The brand new French champion, Paul Costes, was particularly motivated by the exercise. Ugo Mola’s players had of course not forgotten their traditional sunglasses that they have worn for each title since the victory in the Champions Cup in 2021. After having offered a little show to the press, Formula 1 podium atmosphere and its champagne ritual. A childish and always spontaneous joy despite the titles that follow one after the other for the Red and Black, even for the president Didier Lacroix who amused himself by bringing forward by 24 hours the announcement of the contract extension of his hooker Peato Mauvaka by organizing in this madness a photo with a cigar in his mouth. The player shared the image with this key comment: “Mafia Cassoulet”.
It was time to try to get back on the bus to join the post-match party, something which was not so obvious since Jérôme Cazalbou had no less than 70 people on the main bus, trying to leave all this troop in side buses to go to the evening planned on the rooftop of the Terrasses du Port, in the company of the Bouclier de Brennus. A private but nevertheless relaxed event. Besides, Jack Willis hadn’t arrived for 10 minutes when his shirt was in tatters. Most of the players wore a bucket hat in the club colors. It’s a safe bet that it will become a summer must-have in the pink city. After a fairly calm start to the evening, between family reunions and attempts to access the counter to rehydrate, Clément Poitrenaud took matters in hand by going behind the decks, thus kicking off an evening where, the mayor of Toulouse, Jean -Luc Moudenc, but also the former coach of the French handball team, Claude Onesta, came to greet the champions.
It was then the turn of Antoine Dupont, particularly cheerful, to come forward from the decks to take the microphone and present a very personal show by Thomas, a member of “la meute”, his group of friends from Auch. It was time to close this evening. It was then 5 o’clock in the morning, but it was not yet time for some to go to bed. If the pillar Dorian Aldegheri had an appointment at 9 o’clock at the Marseille airport to go to Hellfest, many people were heading towards “le son de la guitare” to prolong the euphoria while the first rays of sunshine pierced a crazy Marseille night.
