Paris (AFP)

There was no better poster, nor better speaker, to pay him a last tribute: once again competitive, the Stade Français and Toulon clash on Sunday (9:05 p.m.) in Jean-Bouin, the scene of the exploits of Christophe Dominici, who died suddenly on November 24.

Fate wanted Paris and Toulon, the two clubs of "Domi", to meet exactly the week of his funeral, and a few meters from the place of the first religious ceremony, Wednesday in the church of Sainte-Cécile de Boulogne-Billancourt where resided the legend of the XV of France (67 selections, 25 tries, 4 victories in the Tournament including two Grand Slams, finalist of the 1999 World Cup).

The ceremony was "a difficult moment for everyone, more for those who played with him", according to Gaël Fickou, too young (26 years old) to have rubbed shoulders with his glorious predecessor in the line of three-quarters of the Parisian club and Blues.

Unlike Antoine Burban (33), one of the two survivors of the team crowned French champion in 2007, Dominici's last title.

“It was tough,” said the third row.

"We try to cash in, we must also continue to train, there are matches to play."

- Burban and Parisse, 13 years later -

On Sunday, Burban will be reunited with his former lineman Sergio Parisse, the other veteran of 2007 who lives a second youth, at 37, since his departure for Toulon in 2019. The opposite path to that taken by Dominici, who discovered the elite in Toulon (1993-1997) before bringing happiness to Stade Français (5 shields of Brennus).

And the same as his remains, buried Friday in Hyères, in the Var.

A week after the short defeat in Lyon (20-19) marked by very strong general emotion, the Parisian coach Gonzalo Quesada must always take into account the context without finding himself prisoner.

"This week, he is still very present (...) But hey, we also try to stay focused on our goals. We have a big game."

On the Toulon side, we remember that the Stade Français won the European Challenge in 2017 after rebelling against the proposed merger with Racing.

"The emotion at this meeting can add another difficulty, especially since we know the spirit of Stade Français," said manager Patrice Collazo.

Opposite, Fickou, of Toulon origin like Dominici and Collazo, confirms.

"When we're on the pitch, we don't think about it anymore. What serves us is the desire to do well before the match. It can bring that extra percentage that will make us win the match . "

For Parisians, this first home game since the tragedy in Saint-Cloud is also an opportunity to turn the page.

"We're going to try to sort things out and focus a little more on rugby," said Burban.

"We already have two losses at home so we are going to say that two jokers have been toasted, now we absolutely have to try to make a perfect home and it starts with Sunday."

- Quick, the European Challenge!

-

Adrift last season, beaten at the start of Jean-Bouin by Bayonne and Racing at the start of the year, Stade Français has recovered spectacularly since (7th) by dominating Toulouse (48-14), La Rochelle ( 35-13) and Bordeaux-Bègles (26-16).

Back in the training he guided to the Brennus shield in 2015, Quesada was able to erase a month of August marred by massive Covid-19 contamination.

"Just before starting the championship, I would have signed immediately to find myself where we are. (...) We are at the beginning of something", hopes the manager who asks his troops for a last effort before being able to breathe with the European Challenge.

"We are starting to feel the sequence of matches with a reduced workforce."

For Toulon (5th), a success in Paris would confirm a little more the rise of the RCT, after a difficult transition season (2018-2019) then that interrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

"If there is a match where we have to be present, whether it is us or the Stade Français, it is that of Sunday," concludes Collazo.

Everything is gathered for a beautiful farewell.

Referee: Mathieu Raynal

Starting XV

Stade Français: Hamdaoui - Naivalu, Fickou, Arrate, Etien - (o) Segonds, (m) Coville - Grobler, T. Gray, Burban - Gabrillagues, De Giovanni - P. Alo-Emile (cap.), Latu, Bethune

Toulon: Paia'aua - Moretti, Dachary, Nonu, Dridi - (o) Serin, (m) Takulua - R. Lakafia (cap.), Parisse, Ory - R. Taofifenua, Etzebeth - Setiano, C. Tolofua, Gros

Substitutes

Stade Français: Da Silva, Kakovin, Francoz, Azagoh, Hall, Delbouis, Veainu, Tagi

Toulon: Soury, Devaux, Alainu'uese, Jolmes, Hoarau, Dakuwaqa, Robert, Tchelidze

© 2020 AFP