An RCT product, the La Seyne-sur-Mer native will bring his career to an end on Sunday when the club host Bath in the Champions Cup, where the Var side will pay tribute to him in front of their own supporters at the Stade Mayol.

Re-signed last summer as a medical joker for Italian hooker Gianmarco Lucchesi, Ivaldi ultimately did not play a single minute this season, held back by recurring neck problems.

A pure product of the Toulon academy, Ivaldi made his top-level debut with RCT before continuing his career at several Top 14 clubs. He notably wore the colours of Montpellier and of Lyon Olympique Universitaire, with whom he won the Challenge Cup twice – in 2016 with Montpellier and in 2022 with Lyon – as well as enjoying a well-received spell at Stade Français. Before his return to Toulon, he had established himself as a robust and experienced hooker in French rugby.

Beyond his performances on the pitch, Ivaldi will leave the memory of a player appreciated for his loyalty and his longevity at the top of the game. The newly retired man is expected to join the RCT professional staff in charge of the scrum, succeeding Éric Dasalmartini, who is set to refocus on developing the youngsters. Quite simply the logical continuation of his commitment to the club where he grew up.