Toulon’s hunt for the red October

ONE OF the more bizarre yet intriguing aspects of the Heineken Cup over the years has been the ambivalent relationship between the tournament and the French sides.

Despite providing more Heineken champions than any other country, you could be forgiven for thinking that the world’s premier club competition has been, at times, a bit of an unwanted distraction from the 119-year-old French Championship.

Current champions Toulouse are the exception that proves the rule, while Biarritz and Brive back in the ‘90s have flown the tricolour on occasion. But there’s been an inescapable feeling that for the French clubs, the Heineken Cup has too often played the role of the housewife in denial while the love affair with the Top 14 continues.

Joe Van Niekerk thinks that is changing fast. After opening his and Toulon’s Heineken Cup account with a victory over Ospreys at Stade Felix Mayol last weekend, Van Niekerk will sample the Thomond Park roar this afternoon as the French side pitches up in Limerick.

“I’ve always watched the Heineken Cup, even when I was playing back home in South Africa,” says Van Niekerk. “The standard is great. If you’re playing in the European rugby scene, it’s the biggest thing you could challenge for. You want to be playing the big matches against the likes of Munster and the Ospreys. Those are the games you cherish and savour.”

The 30-year-old Springbok was one of Toulon owner Mourad Boudjellal’s first buys when they were promoted to the Top 14 in 2008. Christened the ‘Manchester City’ of European club rugby London Irish coach Toby Booth, Toulon’s arrival at the top table has been long awaited.

A club with a distinguished history in the amateur era, Toulon have come to represent the changing and sometimes negative face of professional rugby in recent years. Bankrolled by Boudjellal’s millions, that first season in the Top 14 saw them just avoid relegation despite some big-name signings, lending credence to the notion that there were too many mercenaries at the club and not enough passion in the shirt. Yet everything changed last year.

Armed with a new coach in Philippe Saint-André and the metronomic boot of a rejuvenated Jonny Wilkinson, Toulon finished second in the Top 14, losing to Perpignan in the play-offs. Despite a few surprising home defeats at the start of the season, it’s been more of the same this year, giving Van Niekerk the belief that they can make a dent in the Heineken Cup from the off.

With key Top 14 clashes against Stade Francais, Toulouse and Perpignan to come in addition to the Heineken showdowns with the Ospreys and Munster, the local media have christened their immediate schedule “the hunt for Red October”.

“The summer signings have allowed us to deal with injuries a little better and there’s a sense that we have real depth now. I also think what we’re seeing now are the results of a lot of hard work and being together for more than a season. The cohesion is a lot better than it was last year.”

They may be littered with experienced winners on the pitch yet the fact remains that Toulon have had little exposure to top-class European rugby. They made it to the Amlin Challenge Cup final last year, only to lose to the Cardiff Blues in Marseille. For Van Niekerk, it’s one of the things that makes the fixtures against Munster such a challenge.

“It would be a big positive if we did have the experience of Munster. Collectively, we do have experience though. So if we can bring all of that together at the right time, we’ll be happy.”