Ross Skeate Official Site/RCT

RC Toulon (also known as RC Toulonnais, RCT, or simply Toulon) are based in Toulon, which is in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, on the south-east Mediterranean coast of France (population circa 168,000; greater metropolitan area population circa 565,000).

The club was founded in 1908 with the merger of two smaller clubs in the region and it has won the national competition on three occasions (1931, 1987, 1992). It’s colours are RED and BLACK, ‘rouge et noir’.

RCT’s home ground, STADE MAYOL (capacity 13,700) was inaugurated in 1920. It was built at the foot of the Mont Faron, the hill on which Toulon is partly built, and overlooks the military harbour (La Rade) on the Mediterranean. It’s one of the few French stadia to be almost completely surrounded by city.

The stadium is named after Félix Mayol, a concert hall singer from Toulon who was a popular performer throughout the country around the early 20th century. The story goes that in 1895, the superstitious Monsieur Mayol was given a lily-of-the-valley (which people traditionally exchange on 1 May in France) just before his first concert in Paris. Because the show was a success he made the lily (with 13 bells) his personal emblem. This was then adopted by the rugby club in 1921.

The people of Toulon have always been extremely passionate about their team. Back when RCT won the 1931 championship against Lyon Olympique Universitaire in Bordeaux (6-3, two tries to one), 30,000 people joined the players on their return and the town celebrated for several days.

Although RCT was one of the top French clubs through the previous century, they lost four finals over over a 35-year period (1948, 1968, 1971 and 1985). The 1985 extra-time defeat by Stade Toulousain (ending 36-22; often regarded as one of the most spectacular finals ever), in particular, was a huge blow for the club. But the Red and Black only waited two more years to lay their hands on the Bouclier de Brennus (the Brennus Shield) at last, as they defeated Racing at the Parc des Prince (1987).

Their third and most recent title came in 1992, against Biarritz Olympique. This was the last match played by the legendary Serge Blanco, who until recently was the president of Ligue Nationale de Rugby.

For the next eight years, RCT was not particularly successful and they were demoted to the Second Division in 2000. The club then missed an immediate return the following year, going down in the Pro D2 final to Montauban (only one club was promoted that year).

It took Toulon five more years to win the Second Division and get back into the top league. Unfortunately, despite immense popular support, they managed just three wins out of 26 games and were relegated again after only one season.

However, a new club president, MOURAD BOUDJELLAL, a born-and-bred Toulonnais who made his fortune in the comic book business, promised to build a huge team when he took over the club (in 2001). He signed a high number of experienced first-class players, like Jean-Jacques Crenca, Yann Delaigue, Gonzalo Quesada and Dan Luger.

He then created a lot of hype around the team when he signed former All Black captain TANA UMAGA, who arrived in Toulon in October 2006. Umaga’s arrival ended a a losing streak and the club won all eight matches in which he played (their only loss in this stretch was when he was out injured). This winning run gave RCT enough momentum to finish fourth on the league table, putting them in the promotion playoffs for a place in the Top 14. But unfortunately they lost in the semi-finals at La Rochelle.

Then, on an unparallelled spending spree, Monsieur Boudjellal (who always wears black) signed Australian skipper and most capped international player of all time, George Gregan, after the 2007 Rugby World Cup. Two months later he was joined at the club by Andrew Mehrtens, the All Blacks' all-time leading points scorer. They also signed another AB, Anton Oliver, and the Boks’ Victor Matfield while Umaga returned as coach that season.

With its impressive list of veteran stars, RCT shot to the top of the Pro D2 table almost from the start of the 07-08 season, never dropping from first place on their way to clinching promotion with two rounds to spare.

For 08-09, which was always going to be another 26-round battle to remain in France’s premier division, the club continued to accumulate talent. In June 2008 RCT signed All Black flanker Jerry Collins on a three-year deal, as well as League superstar Sonny Bill Williams.

Finally, in late October 2008, Ross Skeate moved from Western Province and the Stormers in Cape Town to join the likes of Joe van Niekerk, Tiaan Liebenberg, Norman Jordaan, Matt Henjak, Luke Rooney, Sanitago Delappe and a host of other French and international players at the club.

Keep checking in to RossSkeate.com to watch Ross and RCT’s progress this season.

Source: Wikipedia

Comments/Corrections/Suggestions: editor@rossskeate.com

Also:

The atmosphere at Stade Mayol is famous for a unique song called Pilou-Pilou, created in the late 1940s by a club player, Marcel Bodrero, which describes the Toulon players as terrifying primitive warriors coming down from the mountain towards the sea (as per the city’s topography).

A cheerleader leads the fans who repeat and reply to the chant. It’s generally sung as players run on the pitch, then early in the game and also when the team's forwards, the club's historic ‘forte’, come into the game.

‘Le Pilou-Pilou’ lyrics (the parts sung by the fans in brackets):

Ah! Nous les terribles guerriers du Pilou-Pilou (Pilou-Pilou!)

Qui descendons de la Montagne vers la Mer (Pilou-Pilou!)

Avec nos femmes échevelées allaitant nos enfants

A l'ombre des grands cocotiers blancs (Pilou-Pilou!)

Nous les terribles guerriers poussons notre terrible cri de guerre

(AAAARRRGGGGHHHHH!)

J'ai dit NOTRE TERRIBLE CRI DE GUERRE!

(AAAARRRGGGGHHHHH!)

Parce que TOULON (ROUGE!)

Parce que TOULON (NOIR!)

Parce que TOULON (ROUGE ET NOIR!)

Rough translation:

We are the ruthless Pilou-Pilou warriors(Pilou-Pilou!)

Coming down from the mountain to the sea (Pilou-Pilou!)

With our disheveled women breastfeeding our children

Under the shade of the great white coconut trees (Pilou-Pilou!)

We the ruthless warriors sing our ruthless warsong

(AAAARRRGGGGHHHHH!)

I said, our RUTHLES WARSONG!

(AAAARRRGGGGHHHHH!)

Because Tou-lon (RED!)

Because Tou-lon (BLACK!)

Because Tou-lon (RED AND BLACK!)