Après Jean-Baptiste Gros, Melvyn Jaminet, Charles Ollivon, Baptiste Serin or Gabin Villière, Rugby Club Toulonnais will have another French international in its ranks next season. Indeed, the Var squad announced this Thursday the signing for the 2026-2027 season of the tighthead prop Rabah Slimani. The man with 56 caps with the French national team, whose last two appearances date back to the summer of 2025 during the tour in New Zealand, has committed for one year, until June 2027, with the Red and Black team.
The staff is banking on the extensive experience of the 36-year-old player, who has played for Stade Français and Clermont before heading to Ireland, to the prestigious province of Leinster, where he has been since 2024. “Rabah is an experienced player, known for his discipline and high standards. His profile perfectly matches what we were looking for to strengthen our front row. Beyond his qualities on the field, he will bring his leadership and support the development of our players,” said Laurent Emmanuelli, the sports director, in a statement.
For his part, the future RCT player does not hide his joy at returning to France: “I arrive with a lot of enthusiasm, the desire to bring my experience to the group and contribute to the collective performance. I have always been attached to the values of combat and solidarity, and I am eager to be part of this project and meet the fans.”
Toulon is currently experiencing a challenging season as the club is only in 11th place in the Top 14, although there is a slight bright spot in the Champions Cup. Charles Ollivon’s teammates will play their quarter-final against the Warriors in Glasgow (Scotland) this Saturday (4pm).
