Ronan O’Gara discards deemed ‘perfect fits’ as Top 14 rivals add serious firepower including forgotten France star
Toulouse celebrate their 2024/25 Top 14 title win
Reigning French champions Toulouse have strengthened their roster just 11 days after their latest title triumph, confirming the signings of duo Georges-Henri Colombe and Teddy Thomas from Ronan O’Gara’s La Rochelle.
Ugo Mola’s Toulouse defeated Bordeaux after extra time at the Stade de France on June 28 to complete a hat-trick of Top 14 successes, but they have quickly unveiled plans for the 2025/26 campaign by adding one current and one former France Test player to their squad on three-year deals.
Standards slipped last season at La Rochelle, with the 2022 and 2023 Champions Cup champions eliminated in the round of 16 at home to Munster.
The 2021 and 2023 Top 14 finalists were also frozen out of the Top 14 play-offs, finishing in seventh place with a points tally of 62 that was 28 less than the table-topping Toulouse.
With O’Gara’s squad now being overhauled, Mola has pounced to beef up Toulouse’s front-row options with the signing of the 27-year-old Colombe, while the 31-year-old Thomas will add to the competition for backline places.
‘Known for his speed and finishing skills…’
A club statement on Wednesday read: “Georges-Henri started playing rugby at Nanterre before joining Racing 92, where he played for many seasons.
“Also playing at Nevers, the international prop joined Stade Rochelais in 2022.
“With an impressive physique and equally impressive ball-handling technique, Georges-Henri fits perfectly into the Toulouse game and will wear the red and black colours until 2028!
“Teddy Thomas, who trained at Biarritz Olympique and then at Racing 92, joined the La Rochelle club in 2022. Known for his speed and finishing skills, he has 27 caps for the blue jersey.
“Having scored more than 100 tries since the start of his professional career, Teddy will find his place in the Toulouse squad. He will wear the red and black jersey until 2028!”
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