After 11 years since their last trophy in 2015, the conclusion of three years of reign for a RCT in “Galactiques” mode, the Toulonnais are no longer the formidable force that dominated Europe. And they are aware of this.
“We have nothing to lose, we go there as underdogs, it’s up to us to play a great game to hope for something,” acknowledged Baptiste Serin, the international half-back, this week. “But we want to be actors of our semi-final. If we are spectators, we will concede 40 points.”
The experience of the Irish
On paper, the Leinster Blues are favored: almost a copy of the Irish XV, with the All Black Rieko Ioane as a bonus in the back lines, the Dublin province is a mix of strength, speed, and experience. No less than seven players present during the 2018 triumph are still there, such as prop Tadhg Furlong, lock James Ryan, or center Garry Ringrose. In contrast, Toulon has only two players who have played in a Champions Cup semi-final (Teddy Baubigny, Jérémie Sinzelle), and only one European champion: Sinzelle, crowned in 2022 with La Rochelle, against… Leinster.
But the Irish team is beatable. Since 2018, the Dublin province has lost four times in the final (2019, 2022, 2023, and 2024). And in their 16 semi-final participations, they have been eliminated eight times. Even last season, they were swept 37-34 by the youth of Northampton on their Dublin turf.
Transcendent Toulonnais in the Champions Cup
While the RCT 2026 may not have the star power of Jonny Wilkinson, Matt Giteau, Bryan Habana, or Carl Hayman from the 2010s, it is not lacking in talent. With players like English prop Kyle Sinckler, who has 68 caps for the England national team, lock David Ribbans, the “great Charles” Ollivon, or Puma Tomás Albornoz at fly-half, Toulon has strengths. Not to mention their arrow Gaël Fickou on the wing, the top scorer of the competition with seven tries.
Qualifying for the semi-finals without much trouble, inflicting over 40 points on both the Scots of Edinburgh and the English of Sale in the round of 16 and quarter-finals respectively, the Irish had an easier path than the Toulonnais, who barely made it through. First, a 28-27 win against the South African Stormers at Mayol, then a close 22-19 victory in the quarter-finals against the undefeated Glasgow Warriors at home.
Not yet qualified for the Top 14 playoffs, RCT seems to excel in the Champions Cup, with a solid performance (45-34) in the pool stage against English side Bath, who are also semi-finalists. To keep their dream of reaching the final alive, the Toulon club can look at statistics, which show that every time the club has reached the Champions Cup semi-finals, they have ended up as European champions.
