Toulon black week

The RCT has just been eliminated on the green carpet of the Champions Cup after detecting a case of Covid-19 in its workforce. This “double penalty” comes only six days after the slap received in Lyon, which took the Var from the top 6 in the league.

There are weeks like this, when everything goes wrong. The beginning of April was not a joke on the Toulon side. No laughter or chanting, but disappointment and bloodshot. This Friday, the oval world learned that the meeting which was to oppose the Red and Black to Leinster in the round of 16 of the Champions Cup will finally be canceled. A little later, it is the hammer blow on the Rade: if the meeting does not take place, it is because of a positive case of Covid-19 detected in the ranks of Toulon.

The Champions Cup, another story of Covid

Verdict, Toulon is eliminated on the green carpet and is returned to its doubts. This season, the “big” European Cup will have caused a lot of talk in the Var. Remember, on December 18, the RCT refused to play their game against the Scarlets, then counting for group matches, a player from Llanelli having tested positive for the virus. Just before the holidays, the people of Toulon were afraid of contracting the Covid just before the holidays. As the match could not be postponed given the time off that had to be given to the players, the victory was finally given to the Scarlets on the green carpet.

The match that was to take place on Friday is therefore not the first that Patrice Collazo’s men have lost on the green carpet in the Champions Cup this season. A situation which had also meant that Toulon was therefore much more focused on the championship. The Toulonnais, in the fight for the qualification to the finals, are classified 6^e since several weeks. But plagued by problems at the opener with the absence of Carbonel (6 Nations Tournament), several matches were lost, including the one at home against Bayonne.

Out of the top 6 in the league

Finally, the Red and Black hold their 6^e up until the trip to Lyon last Saturday. For this match in addition, the RCT can count on Louis Carbonel, who was with the Blues the day before… but only in the stands. But now, the week is not black for nothing. The yet experienced center All Black Ma’a Nonu receives a red card from the 28^e minute, after a gesture of nervousness on Jean-Marc Doussain. At 14, Toulon cracked and received a terrible slap (54-16), with seven tries conceded.

Collazo even regrets having aligned Carbonel and the RCT loses its 6^e place for the benefit of his evening opponent. The Toulonnais are therefore no longer masters of their destiny in the league. Toulon is doing badly and this week could leave traces. Out of the qualifying places in the league, eliminated from the Champions Cup on the green carpet, deprived of Ma’a Nonu for three weeks because of his gesture and now facing a new case of Covid-19 in his ranks… The week of RCT is all about a nightmare.

However, we will have to raise our heads at the end of the season because nothing is lost in the league. The reception of Agen at the end of April could restore confidence to the group, even if before that, a perilous trip to Montpellier is planned. Finally, direct confrontations with top 6 contenders are on the calendar for the Rouge et Noir. With the return of the internationals, and also that of Villière (who should have played against Leinser), Toulon still has the weapons to fight.