The reigning European champions will however have to be present on Saturday in Belfast, where they will have to erase the home defeat of the first leg against the Irish (20-26).

But a few days before this crucial meeting, several high-sounding names were missing on Tuesday afternoon in training in an Ernest-Wallon stadium swept by a strong autan wind.

Starting with scrum half Antoine Dupont, announced "sick" by the club, without further details, or the other captain, hooker Julien Marchand, hit in the calf and already forfeited.

Pillar Cyril Baille and winger Matthis Lebel were also spared for this session, which third row François Cros could not finish, hampered by pain.

The stigmata of the intense battle waged and lost against the Irish province.

But not only according to Ugo Mola.

"We always pay the past installments of the XV of France (...) A small tribute to this famous Grand Slam", he declared in a press conference at the end of training.

The Toulouse coach made the accounts: "Of the ten internationals who finished the Grand Slam adventure, seven were affected by direct or indirect post-Tournament injuries."

Stade Toulousain scrum half Antoine Dupont (c), during a match in Castres, April 2, 2022 Valentine CHAPUIS AFP / Archives

Toulouse experienced such a slump in the league during the doubling period, precisely in the absence of its Blues, that Mola did not have on their return "the leisure to manage" their playing time, "to regenerate a group that needed it.

"As much last year we had the impression that we could afford it. As much this year it is a little less the case", he regretted.

"Every time I look at the calendar, I wonder how we're going to get to the end."

Lifestyle

The players, with such controlled communication, nevertheless affirm almost with one voice that they do not feel tired despite the sequence of matches at stake on both tables.

Romain Ntamack: "It's true that we didn't cut too much following the Tournament, but we wanted to quickly play again with the friends of the club. Physically it's fine, psychologically too, we feel pretty good. We try to recover as much as possible as soon as we have the opportunity."

Anthony Jelonch, hit in the thigh shortly after returning from Marcoussis: "I was able to resume quickly. I didn't waste too much time and now I'm 100% for this final sprint."

Only Cros had confided the day after the Grand Slam, in an interview with AFP, that he would "obviously have liked to be able to savor, enjoy the moment, party for a while".

"But our schedule does not allow us to relax," he nuanced.

"You have to go back to the front quickly if you want to have the opportunity to experience something exceptional again with the club. It's the life of a professional rugby player."

The life of a high-level athlete also goes hand in hand with an irreproachable lifestyle, which is not necessarily compatible with the celebrations of major victories.

"We sometimes forget it, but these are young guys," said Mola.

"They must also learn to manage their training, their recovery, their sleep, their diet..."

Good news for the "young guys" from Toulouse: their coach intends to "give them a few days" of rest on their return from Belfast.

"Honestly, I have no choice, it goes beyond the rule. At some point, it can't be relentlessness," he justified.

"I don't want to take risks with their health."

© 2022 AFP