Top 14. Toulouse will lose an important player at the end of the season, who will replace him?
It’s now official, Charlie Faumuina will no longer be a Stade Toulousain player next season. His contract, which comes to an end in June, will not be renewed, surely an agreement between the two parties. The 35-year-old New Zealander spoke at a press conference about his sporting future, and said it was his last season in red and black. The right pillar would even be close to hanging up his crampons completely, to turn to a second life, he who gave so much for his sport. Indeed, the native of Auckland has a sacred career behind him, with in particular 50 selections for the All Blacksgrabbing a world Cup in 2015 and 4 Rugby Championship titles. Charlie Faumuina is also very successful in Francewith Toulouse, since he will lift the Brennus twice in 2019 and 2021. Then, the same year, he also won a European champion title. Arrived in the pink city in 2017, from the Blues, Faumuina has integrated perfectly into the Toulouse workforce, even becoming one of the locker room executives. So much so, that it would not be impossible to see this big guy of 125 kg take the plunge, and become, alongside his old friends, a member of the staff. Indeed, given the policy of Stade Toulousain, Faumuina could be a formidable scrum specialist, in the same way as Poitrenaud, Jean Bouilhou or compatriot son Jerome Kaino who put all their stones into the building.
An All Black hides another
Yes, but who will be Charlie Faumuina’s successor next season? The staff of Stade Toulousain seems to have already thought about the question, and the name of another All Black resonates in the spans of Ernest-Wallon. In fact, it would be Nepo Laulalathe younger brother of Casey Laulalapassed through the Race 92 Fr Top 14. The pillar has 45 selections for men in black, and currently plays for the Blues team. He is 31 years old, and is part of the All Blacks executives, with in particular a tenure recently against Scotland and an entry into play againstEngland in recent test matches. Logically, the pillar of Samoan origin should be part of the All Black squad for the World Cup, which would postpone his arrival in Toulouse at the end of 2023. Otherwise, Laulala will be available from start of next season for the reds and blacks. Anyway, this reinforcement of choice would be a big blow for Stade Toulousain on the market for transfers.