World Cup winner Cheslin Kolbe has recovered from a broken thumb to take his place in the Toulon team for Friday’s European Challenge Cup final versus Lyon in Marseille.
England talisman Maro Itoje is set to renew his rivalry with Springboks lock Eben Etzebeth as they have been respectively named at No4 by their clubs Saracens and Toulon for this Saturday night’s Challenge Cup semi-final in France.
Springboks winger Cheslin Kolbe is set to make his debut for new club Toulon, who forked out a fortune in August to sign him from Toulouse.
Ambushed by Saracens at home in September, Leinster have named the team they hope can make Champions Cup amends versus Toulon.
It was September 26 when Ma'a Nonu was revealed to have signed for Toulon and the All Blacks World Cup winner has now arrived at the club.
Wounded by their Premiership semi-final loss, Pat Lam has taken a scalpel to his Bristol Challenge Cup final XV and made 6 changes.
Wales scrum-half Rhys Webb used a recent podcast appearance to slam Toulon’s handling of him but the French club’s Patrice Collazo has issued a stinging response.
Toulon endured a miserable season past for a team of their pedigree. They finished 9th in the Top 14 and performed pitifully in the Champions Cup, a competition they have won three times over the past decade.
Second row Whitelock turned down a new deal with NZRU for move to Toulon - and he could be joined in south of France by another All Black World Cup winner
Budgets, players to watch, arrivals and departures - and an overview of each club at the start of the new season. Welcome to the Rugby Pass club-by-club Top 14 season preview
