Stade Toulousain on internship at Loudenvielle, “gathering together for the shock against Munster”

The rain did not deter the young supporters of Stade Toulousain. Many of them have taken the direction of the Loudenvielle rugby ground in the Hautes-Pyrénées over the past two days. The Stadium was on stage in the heart of the Louron Valley. Gabriel, red and black scarf over his shoulders, couldn’t believe it: “They came to us, it’s crazy! They are professional and we are lucky to see them!”

For parents, this visit in the heart of the holidays is a godsend: “We brought our son, a big supporter of Toulouse”, explains Angela. “It really is a great activity for the holidays.”

On the pitch, the 45 players and 22 staff members were able to work under the watchful eye of the locals. A player obviously had his eyes riveted on him: Antoine Dupont, the child of Castelnau-Magnoac a few tens of kilometers away. For Jean, minimal in Bagnères-de-Bigorre, “It’s an example”.

For us, he started from a small local village and now he is “the best player in the world”, it shows that if we work we can get there.” Jean, 10 years old from Bagnères-de-Bigorre

Federate the group

During this course, the players left the comfort of the training center for the Louron Valley. They stayed in small bungalows at a campsite nestled on the side of a hill. “We find the mountain, it feels good”slips the other almost local of the stage, the Montrealer Julien Marchand.

These three days in a group are essential for Thibaud Flament: “Already, it breaks the routine a bit. After a season, we trained a lot in the same place so here we are at altitude and the infrastructure is really perfect. We are tightening up before the clash against Munster.”

He sees a mobilizing effect a few days before a decisive Champions Cup quarter-final: “Afterwards, it’s sure that it tightens a group a little. We still live a little more together so for group life, it’s always interesting. This allows the coaches to accentuate certain points and to pass on messages that would perhaps go less well in a normal training context. A camp is super beneficial at the end of the season.”