Toulon rarely make anything less than a splash when announcing new signings, and indeed in their capture of both Irish legend Paul O’Connell and world class South African Duane Vermeulen they have once again pulled off two of the biggest transfers of the summer.
However, the details of the two transfers are quite odd. With O’Connell, they seem to have channelled that friend everyone has who won’t leave you alone until you join them at the pub ‘for just one beer’ only to wake up the next morning with no trousers and a tie wrapped around your head.
Toulon coach Bernard Laporte has confirmed that O’Connell was all ready to retire, but through persistent badgering they convinced him to sign a two – not just one – year deal: “We had the heavy task of adding to and replacing Bakkies Botha and Ali Williams. Paul O’Connell wanted to stop playing but we called every week and he finally accepted. Toulon will be great for him to make the transition to coaching by sharing his experience. He will bring another dimension.”
The Vermeulen case is arguably even stranger, although admittedly the player is probably more at fault in this situation. The Stormers play in the first stage of the Super Rugby knockouts this weekend, and although Vermeulen is injured and will take no part, he remains the club captain, so you would expect him to be quite heavily involved in preparations for his team’s biggest game of the season.
Not so. When Toulon tweeted a picture of their latest asset at his new training ground on Thursday, the Stormers management had no idea he had even left the country.
Duane Vermeulen découvre ses nouvelles couleurs et le terrain d'entraînement pic.twitter.com/3BGpNAugpi
— RCT – RC Toulon (@RCTofficiel) June 18, 2015
Stormers Director of Rugby Gert Smal commented: “We’re obviously not happy with what we’ve seen in the media, with the pictures and press coverage from Toulon. However, we cannot comment on the matter until we have spoken to Duane Vermeulen upon his return from France.”
It’s difficult to know whether to admire Toulon’s bravado at stubbornly chasing their targets until they get what they want, or to admonish them for pestering a guy into carrying on despite him wanting to retire, and whisking away a club’s biggest player during the most important week of their season.
Either way, they have two more world class cohorts to add to a squad already brimming with globe-trotting talent, and it will take an almighty effort to stop them from claiming a fourth straight European title.
Photo by: Patrick Khachfe / Onside Images
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Not much Toulon have done wrong here.
I’m sure Paul O’Connell will be fairly compensated for this stint at Toulon, he wouldn’t have been talked out of retirement otherwise. A competitor like he is should also enjoy the new challenge involved.
Vermeulen should probably have stayed with his club, or at least spoken to them, but he is at fault and not Toulon. If I got a new job offer and handed in my notice, then my new employer invited me to a meet-and-greet, then I would be in trouble if I skipped out on my current job. They wouldn’t be in trouble for inviting me.
Not saying they’ve done anything especially wrong, I just think it’s interesting to note how far they go to finalise these signings even when they look unlikely.
Agreed on Vermeulen, it’s a bit of a plonker move from him. That said he’s so valuable to the Stormers that if they make it any further in Super Rugby and he’s available, you know he’ll be straight back in the team.
Absolute madness POC moving to Toulon – A celt moving to Narbonensis!!!! Hope he has loads of suncream.
DDD