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How Toulouse rebuilt a legitimate European power capable of toppling anyone

Toulouse have re-built around homegrown talent to be a force in Europe again. (Photos/Gettys Images)

The four-time European champions remain undefeated in Champions Cup pool play after a back-to-back double over Wasps and are currently sitting second in the Top 14 league, back in vogue as a European power.

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Just two years removed from missing the Top 14 playoffs for the first time in 40 years, how did they become a legitimate force in the running for European glory again?

Toulouse has quickly regained status as a French powerhouse under ex-French international Ugo Mola, but it has been a testing process. When Mola replaced Guy Novès as Toulouse coach in 2016 there could not have been a harder act to follow, with old habits dying hard and locker room loyalty proving hard to sway.

Novès is a living legend in Toulouse, having played over 250 games for the side through the 70’s and 80’s before moving into the coaching staff immediately in his post-playing career where he resided until 2015, overseeing all four European titles. He was likened to the French equivalent of legendary football manager Sir Alex Ferguson, a transcendent icon in sport.

“When Ugo was named, he did not have his locker room,” winger Yoann Huget explained to Sport24.

“He replaced an icon of Stade Toulousain – we can compare Guy Novès to Alex Ferguson at Manchester United – so it was tricky and complicated as a succession.”

The transition became difficult with Mola looking to change what worked in the past and take Toulouse into a new era. There was resistance from a playing group constructed by Noves, with little buy-in for Mola’s controlled attacking game plan based around the collective – not individual – achievements. Immediate results did not come to fruition.

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Aside from replacing a local hero as head coach, the club chartered rather unfamiliar waters towards Top 14 success, pioneering a different approach to recruitment under former club captain Fabien Pelous, who took over recruitment and development as part of the sporting director role.

Under Pelous, Toulouse rebuilt their roster around premium home grown talent sprinkled with astute signings, both undervalued journeymen and high-profile superstars, but on balance they bet heavily on developing their own.

Toulouse’s tight five is still extremely young, with the majority of the starters still 25 years or younger, headlined by 23-year-old hooker Julien Marchand (RPI – 85) who has already notched 95 appearances for the club. He is joined in the front row by 22-year-old Clément Castets (RPI – 75), while 21-year-old lock Florian Verhaeghe (RPI – 83) often packs down in the second row.

The youth policy is starting to pay dividends for Mola, who was able to shape his vision with fresh faces and young minds. It helps that this bunch of talent are also highly-touted prospects, with six of the side that started against Wasps having represented France at the under 20 level since 2015. There are age-grade stars littered throughout the side, mixed in with experienced veterans.

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With knowledge of the national youth system, there were times where Pelous saw opportunities to snatch other up-and-coming French talents. He went after young star halfback Antoine Dupont (RPI – 87) who had already notched 60 games for Castres by the time he was 20-years-old.

“Even if Antoine is new to the French public this season, we have been following his progress for several years,” he said at the time of the deal.

Toulouse were able to sign him to a three-year deal ahead of the 2017-18 season and pick up one of the best halfbacks in the country with the majority of his career ahead of him.

The club had just reached a low point, however, with a 12th placed league finish in 2016-17 a historically-bad result. The investments in a young team were building experience but whether this would translate into success was an unknown.

Along with Du Pont, Toulouse picked up former All Black Charlie Faumuina, Australian first-five Zack Holmes and South African dynamo Cheslin Kolbe, who was judged the best Top 14 signing of the season, and propelled back up for a third-placed finish last year, earning Champions Cup qualification.

They uncovered and debuted another France under-20 star, 18-year-old midfielder Romain Ntamack (RPI – 82), son of former French international Émile Ntamack. Another under-20 product, 23-year-old speedster Thomas Ramos (RPI – 89) solidified himself at fullback and proved to be an ace goal kicker, striking at around 80 percent.

Toulouse had put together an exciting young core and needed time to master Mola’s grand plan of uniquely French rugby.

Under the guidance of Mola, the side aims to win through a ‘controlled offensive game’. The output of which is discernibly still French, with a laissez-faire attitude of throwing the ball around, however, there is a knack for scoring points against the run of play and enough unpredictability with ball-in-hand to confuse modern defences.

Mola’s emphasis has been on counter-attack, which players describe as the ‘DNA’ of the team. While players like Kolbe and Ramos are always imminent threats to breakaway, the side is full of promoters of ball able to pop and offload immediately after winning a turnover.

The young workers of the pack are complimented by extremely experienced ball carriers like damaging 34-year-old Samoan lock Joe Tekori and 35-year-old All Black Jerome Kaino at number 8. They flourish together in a predatory fashion to take the ball away from the opposition and open up Toulouse’s counter game.

There is nothing clinical about their style of play, when they have ball-in-hand it can look very ugly and seem like it isn’t achieving much before someone somewhere will do something unexpected. The only time there seems to be a detailed plan of attack is from first phase plays, where they use Cheslin Kolbe frequently as a first reciever.

On defence, it is about disruption, and turning that disruption into points through free-flowing play.

In plotting the upset against Leinster, their first 11-points were all built on loose Leinster turnovers and capitalizing immediately. A try on the stroke of halftime was scored in unorthodox fashion with no form of structure and a loose forward dancing around, drawing defenders and freeing up strike centre Sofiane Guitoune with a well-timed offload.

Leinster methodically worked their way back on top only to be undone by an intercept in which Toulouse threw two offloads to keep the movement alive and score from 80-metres out.

Bath were undone by a Toulouse side coming back from a 20-12 deficit, and a never-say-die try saving effort from club legend Maxime Medard on Freddie Burns in the in-goal. Wasps have been dismantled in a similar fashion to Leinster, twice.

Toulouse embrace chaos and thrive on imperfection, and so far have remained perfect. They may not remain that way for long, such is the style that they embody, however with a young core of French talent Toulouse have built a contender for the long-term that is able to beat anybody on any day in a uniquely French way.

Rugby World Cup City Guide – Oita: 

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O
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
LONG READ
LONG READ England need to face a few home truths if they are to relearn that winning habit England need to face a few home truths if they are to relearn that winning habit
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