Toulon's ambition of becoming the first French club to retain the Heineken Cup – and probably keep hold of it for ever, with a new trophy being commissioned for next season's Rugby Champions Cup – is heightened by the determination of the players to mark the end of Jonny Wilkinson's 17-year senior career on an appropriate high next Saturday.
Wilkinson, who is 35 the day after the Heineken Cup final against Saracens at the Millennium Stadium, has yet to announce his retirement but it is widely expected he will move into coaching. Toulon have signed the Cardiff Blues and Wales full-back Leigh Halfpenny, a goal-kicker as prolific as the 2003 World Cup-winner.
"Jonny is the ultimate professional," said the centre Matt Giteau, a member of the Australia side beaten by the boot of Wilkinson in the 2007 World Cup quarter-final against England in Marseille and a temporary replacement four years before in the final between the sides in Sydney. "He is fantastic for the group here and commands so much respect that players want to improve and show him the talent they have. It is incredibly important for us to have him sign off with a trophy.
"Jonny has done so much for the game of rugby and carried himself well in his life. He has never put a foot wrong and, despite all he has achieved, he has, incredibly, remained himself. His focus is always on the team and he was instrumental in helping me settle in Toulon when I joined three years ago. He has great ideas about the game and makes things very simple and it has been a pleasure to be in the same team."
Toulon, who can end the season with two trophies after reaching the Top 14 final on 31 May, defeated Saracens 24-12 in last season's Heineken Cup semi-final at Twickenham, a tryless encounter dominated by the boot of Wilkinson, who kicked seven penalties and dropped a goal, three more points than he accumulated in last month's 24-16 victory over Munster in Marseille at the same stage, but Giteau expects the final to be closer.
"Saracens are a more complete team this year," he said. "They produced the most dominant display of the tournament this season when they put 46 points on Clermont Auvergne in the semi-final. No team has ever done that to them and probably will not do so again. It was incredibly impressive and we know how difficult a game it will be."
Giteau and Wilkinson are two of Toulon's legion of expats who have settled on the Mediterranean, but the Australian says it is anything but a retirement home for high achievers. "The perception seems to be that Toulon are the only club recruiting players from the world over, but other clubs have spent a lot more money.
"We have a great team spirit here and want to be successful. We have made the Heineken Cup final for the second successive season and finished at the top of the league having been second a year ago. We have not spoken about a back-to-back success in Europe but it would be something to look back on with pride in retirement. We have to achieve it first and in my time here the competition has grown stronger each year."
While Wilkinson, who was named England's captain in 2004 only for injury to deprive him of the chance to lead the team, has yet to confirm what everyone is assuming, a former national team-mate of his, Steve Borthwick of Saracens, is retiring at the end of the season, five months shy of his 35th birthday.
"Out there in the heat of the battle, when the bullets are flying and the bombs are dropping, Steve is the man who will lead you. He goes over the trenches and people follow him," said the Sarries forwards coach, Alex Sanderson. "He makes the right calls and keeps a level head. He is the perfect bridge between the coaches and the players. I'm sure someone will step into his shoes, but they are big ones to fill."
