A Blueberry in Toulouse

Reigning champion of France, Stade Toulousain expects to experience a complicated start to the 2023/24 season. Strongly impacted by the World Cup, the club of the Pink City has many internationals brought to be selected. Indispensable within the XV of France, the Red and Black represent the backbone with a dozen players concerned. Without counting the other nationalities, Toulouse will be amputated before the gradual return of its globalists of an overwhelming majority of holders. This naturally pushes coach Ugo Mola to strengthen temporarily, as allowed by the regulations.

𝐋𝐞́𝐨 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐞𝐧 𝐩𝐫𝐞̂𝐭! 🔴⚫

The young third line will join the 𝗩𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲 𝗥𝗼𝘀𝗲 during the 2023 World Cup. On loan from the @SMR_Rugbyhe will return to the Landes club at the end of the competition 🔁💪

Welcome to Toulouse Leo! 👋 pic.twitter.com/e64rxlabjP

– Stade Toulousain (@StadeToulousain) July 17, 2023

Certainly deprived of François Cros and Anthony Jeloch in the 3rd line, the technician from Haut-Garonne has decided to hire as World Cup joker Leo Banos. A promising player from Stade Montois in Pro D2. Holder in the pack of forwards of the Yellow and Black, this 3rd line is one of the very best Frenchmen of his generation in his position. International U20, he took part in the entire 2022 6 Nations Tournament with the Bleuets. Once the World Cup is over, Léo Banos’ loan will come to an end, he will return to the Guy-Boniface stadium to continue the exercise with his training club. This season, the Landes 3rd line has compiled 25 games and found the way to the in-goal three times.

With the commitment of Léo Banos, Toulouse records a 7th World Cup joker. Rynhardt Elstadt, Piula Faasalele – two former Toulouse residents – George Tilsley, Setareki Bituniyata, Kakeru Okumura and Billy Searle will also wear the jersey of the French champions at the start of the Top 14 classes.