The transfer market has produced a late move a few days before the Top 14 resumes on the weekend of 5 and 6 September. Jules Coulon is leaving RC Toulon, where he arrived at 15, to sign for USAP. The Var club agreed to release him from the final year of his contract, as Perpignan were looking to strengthen their back row.
A deal done in a few days
Perpignan had been pushing for around ten days to bring in Jules Coulon, and talks picked up pace this weekend. The news was revealed by Midi Olympique.
One condition remained: RCT’s agreement to release their player, still under contract until June 2027. It was given, with immediate effect.
He leaves after his busiest season
The detail is surprising. Coulon is not leaving Toulon after a lost year, but after his busiest Top 14 season since turning professional.
| Season | Top 14 matches | Starts |
|---|---|---|
| 2021-2022 | 5 | 1 |
| 2022-2023 | 5 | 3 |
| 2023-2024 | 14 | 11 |
| 2024-2025 | 12 | 7 |
| 2025-2026 | 17 | 7 |
Seventeen appearances is his best, taking his total to 53 Top 14 matches. He has also played six Champions Cup games and eight in the Challenge Cup.
Born in Metz, Coulon joined Toulon in 2017, aged 15, and came up through the academy. The former France Under-20 international played his first Top 14 match on 7 November 2021 in Clermont, coming off the bench wearing 22.
What Perpignan are looking for
The situation in Catalonia explains the club’s haste. Patrick Sobela’s return to action has been a long time coming since his cruciate ligament surgery on his right knee in May 2025.
The 34-year-old back row played his last match on 31 May 2025 against La Rochelle. Since then, he has appeared on just one team sheet, on 6 June 2026 against Bayonne, 371 days later.
At 24 and with 53 Top 14 matches behind him, Coulon arrives in a position where USAP lacked certainty before the new season.
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