Exeter Chiefs
Le Week-end, Toulon Away
Rob Baxter
By ChiefRedWine
December 16 2013
Chief Red wine pens an account that just increased my jealousy about missing the Chiefs trip to the Stad Mayol
Le Week-end. Toulon Away
Anyone wanting a description of the match should stop reading right here, this review is about a long week-end with a fab rugby match as its centrepiece. Formal apology: I met loads of people this week-end. It is highly unlikely I will remember your names. Age and alcohol not a great mix. You were all lovely though - I think.
As soon as the pools were announced it was clear that Toulon away was a must do. Emails sent to Mark the Farmer, Dave in Paris and Chris the Coach. Unsurprisingly they were also up for the trip.
Our itinerary was slightly different to most, Mark, Chris and I flew from Exeter to Paris on Thursday to stay over at Dave and Karen's rather chichi apartment a couple of minutes from the Champs Élysées. Exeter Airport security managed to hone in on Chris the Coach yet again - he has previous. The body scanner went ballistic as he went through. Despite shoes off and a lot of body patting nothing could be found. The sight of surgical gloves being deployed finally panicked him to finding a 20p piece in his handkerchief. Relief for all.
To Paris and a great home made meal at Dave and Karen's place with far too much red wine. Yes, there IS such a thing as too much red wine. I thoroughly recommend Tesco Recovery powders, provided you take one pre-sleep and one after. Mark the Farmer phoned home at one point, "to talk with the cows". So sweet.
Friday, TGV Paris to Toulon. Fortunately, there was no knock-on from the previous day's industrial action and Toulon was reached without incident - the trip being enlivened by a running agricultural commentary from Mark the Farmer. Apparently the piston cyclic irrigation systems are impressive.
Good long stroll from our hotel and many sightings of Chiefs fans along the harbour side. Toulon buses were displaying 'Welcome Exeter' on their destination boards which was a nice touch. Inevitable late afternoon beers, although the harbour side prices dictated no session drinking, for which my liver was grateful. I nipped into the formal fan reception put on by one of the the several Toulon fan groups - thank you. Then a great fish meal and an early night.
Match day. Back down to the harbour via the hugely impressive and crowded street market. The quality and extent of the produce was excellent. The harbour bars were bursting with Chiefs fans. Toulon must have had a major boost to their economy this week-end. The sun was out, the sky was blue, the beer was cold. There probably are worse places to be in mid-December, but not sure where. Watched the Toulon faithful greet their players to the Stade Mayol - and the Tomahawk Chop from the upper piazza only added to the festivities.
To our seats. Hmmmmmm, we had a worm's eye view, which for £48 was a tad disappointing. Never mind, we were THERE. And we were NOISY. There were three main banks of Chiefs fans around the ground. We were with Oggy and the Manic Street Drummers. It seemed to me that at any one point, one, two or three of the groups were chanting throughout the game. Fine effort! We may have lost the game, but we won the chanting.
The game itself is described elsewhere by people better than me. Yes, the pass was forward, yes the ref was favouring the galacticos and yes I have Chiefs Tinted Spectacles. All fair judges said that Toulon deserved their win, although the score did flatter them. It was a privilege to witness the Pilou Pilou, the newspaper blizzard on the bonus try, and to see Jonny Wilkinson produce the goods in the last 20 minutes. However, we were all so, so, proud of our boys who stood up and were counted. For 65 minutes or so we dared to believe. Invidious to name names, but from where we were sitting it looked like the props were magnificent against much-vaunted international opposition. Hoani, Ben, Brett and Alex - we salute you. But ALL the guys consistently played at a manic high tempo until the last whistle and left absolutely nothing on the pitch.
At the final whistle the Exeter faithfuls' noise went to new levels. Both teams did a lap to thank the fans. The Toulon team absolutely loved the reception we gave them. Broad smiles from all. I think they liked us.
Post match beer and pizzas polished off and after some disgusting beer in a singalong cafe the four of us proposed a quiet nightcap and an early night. Then a text arrives . . . 'Calypso Bar - the whole team are here'. So back we went. Two hours of outstanding, innocent and harmless high jinks led by the players. Once again the Exeter Chiefs players, coaching team, back-room staff and fans have cemented their reputation of maintaining the traditional rugby club ethos. The bar ran out of beer and red wine; the owner was probably sitting on a cash mountain on Sunday morning.
Two more Recovery powders needed and no more drinking until Christmas Eve for me. Last fan back to our hotel was timed at 04:45. Fortunately his Tomahawk Chop was delivered very tunefully and woke me up in time to listen to the disaster area known as the England Cricket team.
A cock-up by me meant we were way too early for the Sunday morning Toulon/Paris TGV. Into the Brasserie opposite the train station for coffee. The waiter was very complimentary about the Chiefs. He was delighted with a photo of the Tribe we gave him and he did an unprompted Tomahawk Chop for us. We're going viral.
Eventually a quiet trip home via the TGV to Paris with more agri-comments - high quality ploughmanship apparently. A fantastic meal in a specialist duck restaurant (make up your own England cricket team jokes) in Paris on Sunday night and a final flight to Exeter on Monday.
European trips not happening next year for English clubs? The administrators on all sides should take a long hard look at themselves.
Steve
Digg
Delicious
Facebook
Reddit
StumbleuponLe Week-end, Toulon Away
Discussion started by thechiefstribe.com (IP Logged), 16/12/2013 19:53
16/12/2013 19:53
What do you think? You can have your say by posting below.
If you do not already have an account Click here to Register.
If you do not already have an account Click here to Register.
Great review CRW.
I didn't think any think could better last years Leinster trip but this one did -spectacularly.
I didn't think any think could better last years Leinster trip but this one did -spectacularly.
Cracking review. the emails went round our tired party this morning at work, with one of the group commenting the experience topped his lions tour. id be inclined to agree.
superb
superb
I forgot to mention in this brain dump that the highlight of the whole trip was being snogged by one of the players.
A small prize for the first correct guess.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2013:12:20:06:08:29 by Chief Redwine.
A small prize for the first correct guess.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2013:12:20:06:08:29 by Chief Redwine.
Quote:That'd be Mr Whitehead?!Chief Redwine
I forgot to mention in this brain dump that the highlight of the whole trip was being snogged by one of the players.
A small prize for the first correct guess.
Quote:black_otterQuote:That'd be Mr Whitehead?!Chief Redwine
I forgot to mention in this brain dump that the highlight of the whole trip was being snogged by one of the players.
A small prize for the first correct guess.
Has to be!!
Quote:fisher
CRW give us a clue. What is your gender?
I am mostly male. Not sure it would have made much difference.
Quote:black_otterQuote:That'd be Mr Whitehead?!Chief Redwine
I forgot to mention in this brain dump that the highlight of the whole trip was being snogged by one of the players.
A small prize for the first correct guess.
The small prize of a warm glow of satisfaction goes to M B. Otter. For it was indeed MrW. Who is very bristly.
I think a little alcohol may have played a part in that snog! Agree with above i thought last year at Leinster was good but Toulon was amazing. Hope it isn't better than a Lions tour tho as am hoping to got to NZ for my 50th in 2017.
Chief Redwine
Was the sing a long pub full of blue shirts (the beer boys) & PINK SHIRTS (sidmouth swan boys) and 1 drunken smilling bar owner with an atheletic bar wench in crop top with the finest bobbies in Toulon !!
Was the sing a long pub full of blue shirts (the beer boys) & PINK SHIRTS (sidmouth swan boys) and 1 drunken smilling bar owner with an atheletic bar wench in crop top with the finest bobbies in Toulon !!
Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.
