Toulon win ProD2
Toulon have won the ProD2, France's second division, thereby securing a place in the top flight of French rugby next season.
Toulon have won the ProD2, France's second division, thereby securing a place in the top flight of French rugby next season.
The star studded club from the French south coast assured themselves of the ProD2 title by beating Parisian rivals Métro-Racing 31-17 on the penultimate day of the championship thereby assuring their promotion to the Top 14.
“Top 14 -With Tana – Pro D2 Champions of France 2007-2008,” read the T-shirt wore by all the players and club management after the game, including Head Coach and former All Blacks captain Tana Umaga, iconic club owner Mourad Boudjellal and the day's star player -former All Blacks fly-half Andrew Mehrtens.
“This is a special club, with special fans, and obviously a special team,” hooker Philip Fitzgerald told Rugbyrama.
The city in the Vars region was dress up in the club colours, red and black, for the occasion that has been the dream for an entire town for three years. The main road was shut down and giant screen set up in the centre of town for the numerous supporters who were unable to get one of the 14 ,000 tickets for the big game.
Fans will have less problems securing tickets for big games next year with Boudjellal promising that Toulon will host Stade Français and whoever becomes French champions at the Stade Velodrome, one of France's biggest stadiums, in Marseilles next year.
“A lot of work still awaits us because gaining promotion to the Top 14 is just the first step,” said Boudjellal who thick cheque book has seen the club appear on the front pages more for it's big name signings than for it's exploits on the pitch.”
“To do well there is whole other mission. I'm happy to have to have reestablished a balance in the geography of French rugby with a big club in the south-east.
“I'm also very proud of my players who showed that they're more than just a bunch of mercenaries. They played for the team, not the pay slip at the end of the month.”
The cheering had barely subsided in Toulon when the rumours of who would be the next 'celebrity' player to join Boudjellal 'foreign legion.' Top of the list of course is All Blacks fly-half Dan Carter, who has not yet taken a decision regarding his future but has reportedly stipulated that Toulon's promotion would be a prerequisite for his signature.
However two of the club's biggest names this season packed there bags over the weekend. Springbok lock Victor Matfield is returning home to play for the Bulls in Pretoria while former All Blacks front row Anton Olivier is off to Oxford University in England.