Between disappointing results and internal upheavals, RC Toulon is having a complicated season in the Top 14. An exercise in which Baptiste Serin missed the start, after having shoulder surgery in June. Returning at the end of November, the scrum-half and Var captain (27 years old, 42 caps) quickly regained his role as a captain in a club which is two games behind its competitors for maintenance. He confided in 20 minutes, before the defeat in Brive, Saturday (17-10). As for wearing the XV de France jersey again, behind the irremovable Antoine Dupont, that will have to wait a little longer.
How do you feel in a city like Toulon when the club’s situation is complicated?
In the region, rugby is very established. When it works very well, it’s extraordinary, when it works less well, a lot of people talk around the club, ask themselves questions. This is also what makes the charm of this region and this club. When there is a lot of waiting around, inevitably, people let it be known. We try to make big matches in the desire, the aggressiveness, which makes the BA-BA of our sport. Afterwards, given our work, it will pay off.
In general, Mayol is a stadium that scares the opponent. What is the current state of mind in your stadium?
I don’t think the public is turning against us. On the contrary. We have moments of doubt during the match and we feel a lot of support, fervor. The fans don’t let us down. Everyone is suffering a bit at the moment because of our place in the standings, but a lot of supporters feel that we are finding something. You have to build on that.
Personally, in what state of mind are you going through this season between your operation, the departure of Patrice Collazo, the arrival of Franck Azéma, then the appointment of Pierre Mignoni for next season?
There were a lot of twists. It was very complicated when I was injured. Not being able to bring anything to the team is frustrating for a player. We try to be present off the field, to reassure the guys because we had a lot of injuries and among them a lot of leaders. We must also try to make the link between coach and players.
Since I took over, I am much better in my head. It’s much easier when you’re in the field. But the club’s situation means that no one is happy with where we are at the moment. But no one lowers their heads, everyone rushes to pull the team up.
Have you ever experienced such a turbulent period in a club? Maybe at UBB when Brunel, Teague and Worsley took over at the helm in 2018…
It was about the same but there was a little less pressure around the club. In Toulon, everything is exacerbated. The solution will come from within, from our work. The support of the supporters will be a plus for us.
Are the remobilization levers different from one club to another?
Whether in Bègles or here, everyone is concerned about the same thing. We are all professionals, we all want to do things well, to have a good time in our careers. We must take what happens to us as an opportunity to experience different things, to draw the positive from it. We may be creating what will be the RCT in the next few years from now.
How does it feel to soon be managed by Pierre Mignoni, a former scrum-half?
I have already known Fabien Galthié in the France team. I see it more as a good thing. There is already Julien Dupuy in charge of the three-quarters in Toulon, who exchanges a lot and who has a view that is similar to mine on rugby. Peter, I don’t know him yet. He has a pedigree. A contribution like his can only be positive.
Are you worried with all the departures announced, especially for the position of number 10? You will have to reform a new hinge.
It is true that there are departures as in all clubs each year, with also arrivals. We are losing two very good number 10s (Anthony Belleau and Louis Carbonel) but I have confidence in the club, in Pierre, Franck and the president to find 10s as talented as those we are losing (the Rochelais Ihaia West has already sign). I don’t worry too much about that, everyone trusts them. A club like Toulon remains attractive. For now, I have other collective concerns.
When you left UBB in 2019, you were talking about putting yourself in danger. Were you looking for what you live in Toulon?
We try to put ourselves in danger individually in the sense that we try to find out if we can be important in another club, how we can evolve away from our family, in totally different conditions, with much more pressure around . That’s what I came for, not to play for 13th or 14th place with Toulon.
But you have to accept it, it’s life, destiny. What interests me is knowing how to recover after what happened in the first part of the season. I try to transmit my energy so that we all pull in the same direction and that we put the club under cover as quickly as possible.
Is there a goal in the European Challenge, or is it a bonus?
To be honest, we haven’t talked about it too much yet because it’s still a long way off. There is one game left but we are already qualified among the best teams, with almost the certainty of receiving. Our primary concern is the Top 14. But when the European dates get closer, we’ll start talking about it. Personally, I also think that we can save our season with the European Challenge. I hope we can do something about it.
How do you view the hierarchy of numbers 9 in the France team? You are no longer one of the called players. How did you experience it?
Not bad. I was coming out of seven months without playing. In this situation, players take your place, it is the law of high level sport. I went through a lot of ups and downs in the France team. It goes, it comes, it starts again, it comes back… I know that my club performances will mean that I may be able to apply for the France team. I have no bitterness. I’m just happy to see how it goes, we would all like her to win the Tournament.
I know very well that the hierarchy on D-Day will not necessarily be the same on D+1. It’s up to me to find my level. This will go through good results and by putting Toulon a little higher in the standings so that there is collective confidence. Individual trust is found through collective trust.
Do you have discussions with the staff of the Blues?
Yes. I often had them on the phone. I’m not going to tell you what was said, I always kept it to myself. But yes, they call me, there is no problem with that. They have a logical hierarchy because I haven’t played for a while and there are guys who have performed well at club level. We are lucky to have very good number 9s in France. My goal is to go back there and I know what it’s going through.