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'No rest for the wicked': Toulon
flanker Joe El-Abd
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RCN Toulon |
After a mere four weeks off
Toulon flanker and FRC columnist Joe El Abd
has already been back in pre-season training since late
June. In his first contribution of the eagerly anticipated
2010/11 season Joe talks about fatherhood, Paul Sackey's
vehicular down-sizing, fitness training in 35 degree heat
and Friday's forthcoming charity match against
Aix-en-Provence.
They say that time
flies when you are having fun but I still can’t believe that
it’s been just over a year since our adventure in France
began. A lot has happened over the year, and not least off
the field where I became a proud father for the first time.
This in itself topped off a fantastic year.
Most people would say
that on the field we had a successful season after finishing
second to Perpignan and getting to the final of the Amlin
Challenge Cup against Cardiff. However, after losing to
Clermont in the semi-final of the Top 14 and to Cardiff a
week later in Europe everyone in the squad was left with a
huge feeling of disappointment.
After that, as is
custom out in France, we were all given a four week break to
recover and recharge our batteries. As I was one of a long
list of the club's players who was booked in for an
operation during this time my holiday period was reduced
even further, but as they say 'there is no rest for the
wicked'! Luckily everything was a success and after two
weeks I was fully fit and pain free, which says wonders for
modern medical procedures. I must say a big thank you to Dr
Lloyd at the Spire Hospital back in the UK.
Aside from that my
off-season break was quite quiet, if you can ever say that
when you have a six-week old baby.
'Everyone is enjoying
the weather'
Apart from the internationals - who were given four-weeks
off after their last game - the rest of the squad returned
back to pre-season training on the 28th of June. It felt
good turning up in the dressing room with a year of French
rugby under my belt but what was most noticeable on my
return was the big turnover of players that has taken place
over the summer. I think that in total 13 players have left
with a similar number of new arrivals. All the guys that
left will be missed, however the new guys all seem to have
settled in well and I think are all enjoying the weather if
not the pre-season training.
Both the English guys
Dean Schofield and Paul Sackey have been looking good and I
think they have both enjoyed their time so far. Although
saying that I am not sure swapping his Ferrari for a Toulon
emblazoned Volkswagen Beatle was quite what 'Sacks' had in
mind for his new jet-set lifestyle in the south of France!
Top 14 Transfers 2010/11
Of the other new
signings who have arrived Carl Hayman is looking in great
form. It is quite unsettling to see a tight-head forward who
weighs in at over 120Kg and yet runs up hills as fast as the
back row!
Pre-season training is
always tough but in 35 degree heat it is that much tougher.
We have to get used to it though because I remember the
first game last season being played in 40 degree heat, which
places a huge stress on the body and would not be possible
without a good period of preparation. While we are training
hard the conditioning team here have taken a sensible
approach as they know we have a long hard season ahead of
us. You often here about teams training three to four times
a day (sometimes more!) which while it will certainly get
you fit can also leave you somewhat burnt out by about
Christmas time.
As the crucial part of
the season is often at the end it is important to try and
arrive at this period fresh and raring to go. Compared to
the English pre-season the French pre–season seems to be a
bit shorter and they introduce training/friendly games much
earlier in the preparation. For example we have our first
training game against Aix-en-Provence on Friday. It’s a
match that has been organised to raise funds for those who
suffered in the recent flash floods which hit Draguignan in
June. We are all hoping for a big turn out and that we can
kick off what promises to be an exciting season in style.
A bientot
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