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Guess who's coming (back) to Toulon

Who is that Jonny Wilkinson-masked man?

In the end, Toulon president Mourad Boudjellal did not need kind-hearted volunteers with their own boots and transport to respond to his Twitter call to pad out his injury-ravaged side for last weekend’s Top 14 semi-final against La Rochelle.

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Instead, a patched-up bench featuring Matt Giteau and a 21-year-old making it on his first start for the club – and only the third of his career – were enough to edge Toulon past the French championship’s runaway regular-season leaders in the 81st minute of what was a weapons-grade war of attrition.

The late, late win sent the 2014 champions to their fifth final in six seasons.

But, with Welsh fullback Leigh Halfpenny – who nailed all five penalties in Marseille last weekend – now New Zealand-bound with the Lions, Boudjellal decided his remaining kickers needed a little extra kicking guidance ahead of this weekend’s showpiece final against Clermont at Paris’s Stade de France.

So he called Jonny Wilkinson. Or ‘Sir Jonny’ as he’s known in and around rugby-mad Toulon. Not surprising, really, after he guided them to three European crowns and the Top 14 title during his six years at the club. And it’s well known that Wilkinson has a soft spot for his old Stade Mayol crew.

He used to work with the club regularly, but has not been seen around the club’s Berg training ground for several months as he concentrated first on helping England and then the Lions’ bootmen.

But, now Farrell, Biggar, Halfpenny and Sexton have left on a jet plane he has agreed to answer Mourad’s call. He will work for two days this week with Marseille drop-goal hero Anthony Belleau, as well as the club’s other Halfpenny stand-ins Matt Giteau, James O’Connor and Eric Escande, according to local newspaper Var Matin.

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Boudjellal is not the only one to be concerned. Former French rugby star Cédric Heymans believes, with Halfpenny absent, Toulon lack kicking depth. Before coming on as a late replacement last weekend, Giteau had played no rugby since February. O’Connor and Escande can be wayward with the boot.

Heymans argues that Toulon need their penalty radar at close to 100% accuracy if they are to deny Clermont another Top 14 title. He’s probably right. Which means the arrival of the reliable boot of Jonathan Wisniewski from Grenoble cannot come quickly enough.

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Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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TRENDING Marcus Smith on that substitution and his England plea Marcus Smith on that substitution and his England plea
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