Mathieu Bastareaud, 34, announced that he would retire at the end of the season on Friday evening in Dublin after Toulon won the Rugby Challenge Cup final 43-19 against Glasgow.
“It will be my last trophy and, next week, it will be my last match at Mayol (the RCT stadium, editor’s note)”, said the ex-international (54 selections) at the microphone of beIN Sport after the coronation of the Toulonnais .
Bastareaud, figure of French rugby and idol of the harbor after his three European titles (2013, 2014, 2015) and a Brennus shield (2014) gleaned during his first visit to Toulon between 2011 and 2019, returned to the club in start of the season after suffering a serious injury to both knees in November 2021, while playing for LOU.
With the XV of France, he played seven Six Nations Tournaments between 2009 and 2019, winning the Grand Slam in 2010. He also played the 2015 World Cup, finished in the quarter by the Blues.
“I gritted my teeth for a year because I said I wanted to finish on my own two legs,” he said Friday night, referring to his serious injury.
“It’s done. I said that I wanted to at least win a title by returning to Toulon because I had not returned to the EHPAD and now, I have the chance to win one last trophy before bow out,” he continued.
Bastareaud, also passed by the Stade Français, had replayed for the first time since his injury on September 18 in the Top 14.
Came into play Friday evening during the big victory of his team in the final of the Challenge Cup, he has one last day of Top 14 at home, on May 28 against Union Bègles-Bordeaux, during the 26th and last day. of the regular season.
The RCT is currently 8th, 5 points behind LOU, 6th and last qualified as it stands for the final stages. The hope for the Toulonnais to qualify is very weak. “Now it’s almost done,” said Bastareaud after the previous defeat of the RCT on the 25th day.
A farewell to Mayol, in addition to this victory in the Challenge Cup, could give him a good start.
Source: Challenges en temps réel : accueil by www.challenges.fr.
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