Good news on the Rade. Troubled all last season by back pain he managed with injections, David Ribbans eventually went under the knife once the Champions Cup play-offs were over. Two months on, his rehabilitation is progressing in the best possible conditions.

The powerful England lock, who has become one of RCT’s leading men in three seasons, is already running again and could be back on the field in the coming weeks, judging by the optimism shown by the Toulon staff. That will be a relief to Pierre Mignoni, who would get one of his second-row leaders back sooner than expected.