Rocky is back on the pitch!

thomond2006

Maybe it doesn't deserve a thread but I figure this might cheer a few people up.

Rocky Elsom has passed a medical at Toulon (failed one there in September) to join the squad immediately as injury cover.

Good to see him back playing and hopefully he has got over the injuries. He turned 30 this month so he could have a few years left in him. After failing a medical in Japan and then the subsequent one at Toulon five months ago I thought his career was done.

http://www.rctoulon.com/fr/news/arti...di-25-fevrier/

CatFromHue

That's excellent news.

Teferi

Good stuff. I wish him the best. He played a big part in the success of 09 and helped lay the foundation for the subsequent period of domination. He'll always have a home at Leinster, even if I don't think I'd like to see him tog out for us again.

P_1

That's great news, hopefully he can recover some of his 09 form.

Prey's that Leinster don't get Toulon in the HEC pool next year :pac:

thomond2006

P_1 wrote: »

Prey's that Leinster don't get Toulon in the HEC pool next year :pac:

Reading the link it seems that he's only contracted to the end of the season at best.

tolosenc

Rocky! Rocky! Rocky! Rocky!

P_1

thomond2006 wrote: »

Reading the link it seems that he's only contracted to the end of the season at best.

Ah so it's a Brad Thorne esque signing then?

thomond2006

P_1 wrote: »

Ah so it's a Brad Thorne esque signing then?

Yes.

They have an academy product who's out long term plus Lobbe who ruptured his spleen. They said he'd be back just after the HEC QF.

Whatever about the length of the contract at RCT, you have to hope this is Elsom's chance to get a contract somewhere else.

CatFromHue

Yeah I think Rocky being able to prove his fitness is the main thing here.

Podge_irl

You have to think that if he gets through to the end of the season fit and in some shape of form that they'll keep him on. His annus mirabilis was something to watch, but he never hit the same heights when he returned home. Still, I have a lot of time for him as a player.

Swiwi

Podge_irl wrote: »

You have to think that if he gets through to the end of the season fit and in some shape of form that they'll keep him on. His annus mirabilis was something to watch, but he never hit the same heights when he returned home. Still, I have a lot of time for him as a player.

Ah at his peak he was excellent...one of those players you feared on the Aussie team...and then his phenomenal season for Leinster. It kind of reminds me of Jerry Collins - just seemed to hit a wall, and never recovered the same form. Maybe he can do that at Toulon.

thomond2006

Swiwi wrote: »

Ah at his peak he was excellent...one of those players you feared on the Aussie team...and then his phenomenal season for Leinster. It kind of reminds me of Jerry Collins - just seemed to hit a wall, and never recovered the same form. Maybe he can do that at Toulon.

Playing 18 months non-stop may have been a contributing factor.

2008 Super Rugby season, 2008 Tri-Nations, 2008-09 Northern Hemisphere season. He also played the final four games of the 2009 Tri-Nations.

P_1

thomond2006 wrote: »

Playing 18 months non-stop may have been a contributing factor.

2008 Super Rugby season, 2008 Tri-Nations, 2008-09 Northern Hemisphere season. He also played the final four games of the 2009 Tri-Nations.

Yeah, in hindsight that probably wasn't the smartest thing for him to have done

thomond2006

http://www.rctoulon.com/en/news/article/rocky-elsom-signe/

When I posted the thread, I mistranslated the article. Rocky didn't have the medical at that stage. (passé in French means "attended/underwent" a medical rather than "passing" a medical).

But not to worry it's now confirmed. Rocky's medical went well and he is now part of the Toulon squad for the rest of this season.

CatFromHue

Is it just me or does he look a bit smaller in weight than he used to be?

CIARAN_BOYLE

CatFromHue wrote: »

Is it just me or does he look a bit smaller in weight than he used to be?

He probably slimmed down when struggling with injury over the last while.

A lot of players come back from injury lighter, although some bulk up while injured).

thomond2006

Rocky was registered in Toulon's Heineken Cup squad today.

keith16

tolosenc wrote: »

Rocky! Rocky! Rocky! Rocky!

Adriaaaaan!

molloyjh

thomond2006 wrote: »

Rocky was registered in Toulon's Heineken Cup squad today.

This is such a crisis of conscience. I want to support Rocky, but Toulon...

lologram

thomond2006 wrote: »

Rocky was registered in Toulon's Heineken Cup squad today.

Ah sure at this stage everyone's in Toulon's extended squad. I'm on the books there now and you should expect to field calls from Mourad any minute

thomond2006

molloyjh wrote: »

This is such a crisis of conscience. I want to support Rocky, but Toulon...

Just boo the TV when Delon gets the ball, I'm a Toulon fan and I boo Delon. :pac:

thomond2006

First appearance for Rocky since April 2012. In all likelihood this will be his only appearance for Toulon if the other backrowers stay fit.

ANXIOUS

His face looks a lot leaner than when he was with Leinster.

TheGoldenAges

Didn't realise Simon Shaw was with Toulon these days. Have fond memories of him from the last Lions tour

thomond2006

TheGoldenAges wrote: »

Didn't realise Simon Shaw was with Toulon these days. Have fond memories of him from the last Lions tour

Been at Toulon since the World Cup, he's being let go at the end of the season but still wants to play on!

TheGoldenAges

thomond2006 wrote: »

Been at Toulon since the World Cup, he's being let go at the end of the season but still wants to play on!

Hope he gets a contract, seems an all round nice guy

irishbucsfan

Leinster should sign him!

TheGoldenAges

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Leinster should sign him!

I second this

gcgirl

thomond2006 wrote: »

Been at Toulon since the World Cup, he's being let go at the end of the season but still wants to play on!

Shaw is older than me, He is awesome

Glass Prison 1214

Jaysus that is one tall pack, seven of them are 6'4 or over. I'd say they are class in the line outs.

If Rocky gets onto the pitch for the HEC final I will be torn!

thomond2006

He's having a decent game for a guy who hasn't played for 12 months. He just set up a 90 metre try for Palisson off a quick turnover.

thomond2006

Some Toulon fans on a forum are so pleased with Rocky's performance that they want to see him in the 23 for the Heineken Cup Final.

However if Elsom only has an Australian passport, that will be an issue with "no more than two 'foreign' players" rule. Apparently Carl Hayman and JMF Lobbe are the two non-Kolpak players so Rocky would have to be selected instead of one of those two players in order to be eligible. That's unlikely.

However it's great to see him back on the pitch and performing. I doubt Toulon will hold onto him because of their depth in the backrow but hopefully he will find another top level club in Europe.

thomond2006

A Toulon forum told me that Rocky has signed a deal until 2015 with Toulon.

thomond2006

thomond2006 wrote: »

A Toulon forum told me that Rocky has signed a deal until 2015 with Toulon.

According to here, Elsom will not stay at Toulon. He will either sign for Narbonne (where he is a shareholder) or return to Australia. He has proven his match fitness anyway so he'll hopefully get a few more years out of rugby.

P_1

thomond2006 wrote: »

According to here, Elsom will not stay at Toulon. He will either sign for Narbonne (where he is a shareholder) or return to Australia. He has proven his match fitness anyway so he'll hopefully get a few more years out of rugby.

Is Matt Williams still coaching them?