Top 14. In Toulouse, “there was no longer this notion of competition”, believes Clément Castets (Paris)
After several seasons at Stade Toulousain, Clément Castets joined Stade Français this summer. While recovering from a serious knee injury that occurred in the Champions Cup final against La Rochelle on May 22, the 25-year-old pillar was finally able to start in his new colors at the start of 2022. In the columns of Rugbyrama for the program Poulain Raffine, he explains this choice to have joined the Capital, without omitting to recall all the good memories in Toulouse. But the player aspired to something other than to be the eternal understudy of Cyril Baille in the Pink City: ”I have personal goals and to achieve those goals I needed a bigger share in a Top 14 squad. I spent some amazing years in Toulouse where I enjoyed myself, I learned, I tripled my level alongside players like Faumuina, Kaino and others, I won’t be able to name them all […] Afterwards, do I still want to be Cyril Baille’s understudy in the club? It was a bit complicated to manage.”
TOULOUSE STADIUM. Big injury for Clément Castets, who formalizes his end of the seasonIt must be remembered that Clément Castets is one of the most promising left pillars in France. In Paris, he comes there to show himself and why not catch the eye of the French coach to come and shake up the hierarchy. Because according to him, the competition had no longer become fair at Stade Toulousain: ”When William Servat was a coach, there was still a notion of competition. When I reached my best level and Cyril was a little less efficient, I was in front and started. Afterwards, there were two or three changes in the staff and there was less of this notion of competition. And for me, who is a competitor, it was difficult, I work like that, I need a carrot. If I’m really the best, the weekend after I have to play […] If ever I don’t have this notion of competition and objective to seek, honestly for me, it’s quite possible to stop rugby. If I don’t have anything to go for, there’s no point in going to training every day.”