Where Are They Now? - RC Toulon's Last 'Galacticos' who won the 2015 Champions Cup

Whilst the success came under plenty of scrutiny for an unfair exploitation of Toulon's deep pockets, there was no denying the joy of watching an definitive all-star team take to the pitch. The seeds were sewed all the way back in 2006, when a second-division Toulon managed to sign All Blacks star Tana Umaga, as the world's best player put pen to paper for a record wage of €300,000.

The brain-child of newly appointed Toulon President Mourad Boudjellal, the club would go on to sign an assortment of the globe's top talents. Wallabies scrum half George Gregan and New Zealand icon Andrew Mehrtens followed in 2007, and took Toulon into the Top 14 with an effortlessly achieved promotion.

England's Rugby World Cup winning hero Jonny Wilkinson then arrived in the south of France in 2009, as Toulon would finish runners-up in both the league and EPCR Challenge Cup campaigns. However, the steady progression would continue, and with more star signings arriving Toulon, the club would collect the 2013 Heineken Cup, before bagging a league and European double in 2014.

Toulon's unforgettable time at the European club rugby mountain-top would culminate in 2015, as the French 'Galacticos' claimed a third successive Champions Cup title. Then, the top stars began to steadily move away from the South of France, with the curtain called upon an incredible but albeit brief era, which saw a stacked squad of the world's best talents rule over the European rugby landscape.

Tomorrow afternoon, RC Toulon head to Dublin with a space in the Champions Cup Final on the line as they take on Leinster at the Aviva Stadium. It's a long awaited opportunity to return to the summit of the club game, which got us thinking about their icons of yester-year. But where are the final cast of Toulon's 'Galacticos' today? Let's find out.

If Toulon’s mid-2010s “Galacticos” era was built on power and star names, Leigh Halfpenny was its precision instrument — the man who turned chaos into scoreboard control. Signed from Cardiff Blues in 2014 after his breakout as one of the world’s most reliable kickers, Halfpenny arrived in the south of France with a reputation already forged in ice-cold moments for Wales and the British & Irish Lions.

His Toulon spell started slowly, disrupted by injury and a high-profile contract saga, but once settled he became central to their third straight European crown. In the 2015 Champions Cup final against Clermont, he delivered 14 points under pressure, epitomising the club’s ruthless efficiency in knockout rugby. After leaving Toulon, Halfpenny returned to Wales with the Scarlets, before later featuring briefly in New Zealand with the Crusaders, and stint at Harlequins, and eventually a return to Cardiff.

He reached over 100 Wales caps, starred at the 2013 Lions tour (winning Player of the Series), and retired as one of the most accurate goal-kickers the game has seen. Post-playing, he has increasingly moved into mentoring and kicking consultancy roles while remaining closely tied to Welsh rugby structures.

Drew Mitchell arrived at RC Toulon in 2013 as one of rugby’s most proven finishers — a winger whose career had already spanned the Queensland Reds, Western Force, and Waratahs, plus a World Cup pedigree with Australia that marked him as a big-stage operator. By the time he landed on the Côte d’Azur, he was no longer the raw speedster of Super Rugby, but a seasoned strike runner entering a squad built to dominate Europe.

At Toulon, Mitchell became part of the Galactico assembly line — surrounded by power and precision, his job was simple: finish the chances created by a star-studded core. He did it relentlessly, contributing across multiple title-winning campaigns as Toulon lifted both European and domestic silverware during his tenure. Injuries occasionally interrupted his rhythm, but Mitchell’s sharp lines and instinctive finishing kept him valuable even in a rotation-heavy squad. His time in France also coincided with Australia’s eligibility rule change, allowing him to return to Test rugby in 2015, including the Rugby World Cup.

He retired in 2017 after more than 80 appearances for Toulon, later moving into broadcasting with Stan Sport, where his dry humour and attacking insight have made him a popular analyst, where he is still dissecting the game he once finished with trademark ease.

If RC Toulon’s Galacticos era had a physical heartbeat, it was Mathieu Bastareaud. Signed from Stade Français in 2011, the powerful centre arrived as one of France’s most talked-about young stars — a battering-ram runner built for collision rugby, who quickly became a cornerstone of Toulon’s domestic and European dominance.

Across eight seasons in his first spell, Bastareaud evolved from destructive ball-carrier into a leader within a star-stacked squad featuring global names, and formed a wrecking-ball partnership with Ma'a Nonu. His defining moment came in the 2013 Heineken Cup final, where Toulon edged Clermont 16–15 and he was named man of the match, embodying the side’s refusal to be broken in tight knockout rugby.

Later, as Toulon shifted into a new cycle, Bastareaud even reinvented himself — moving to number 8 at Lyon before a spell in Major League Rugby with Rugby United New York. He also captained France and earned over 50 caps, featuring at the 2015 World Cup and winning the 2010 Six Nations. After brief returns to Lyon and Toulon late in his career, Bastareaud retired in 2023 and transitioned into team management at Toulon — a former enforcer now helping shape the next generation of the club he once powered to glory.

Juan Martín Hernández was never just another signing in the RC Toulon Galacticos project — he was the architect. The Argentine utility back arrived in 2014 from Racing Métro after a career that had already taken him from Stade Français to the Sharks and back again, marked by flashes of genius that made him one of the most admired playmakers of his generation.

Nicknamed “El Mago” for his creative range, Hernández could operate at fly-half, centre, or fullback, and it was that versatility that made him such a prized addition to Toulon’s already star-heavy backline. Though injuries limited his appearances, his ability to unlock defences with subtle passing and tactical kicking added a different layer to a squad often defined by brute force.

Earlier in his career, he had starred for Argentina at the 2007 World Cup, guiding Los Pumas to a historic semi-final run and earning a nomination for IRB Player of the Year. That tournament cemented his reputation as one of the world’s elite tactical backs. At Toulon, he added experience and composure to a side chasing unprecedented European dominance.

Even in short bursts, Hernández offered control, vision, and calm decision-making — the kind of qualities that rarely make highlight reels but often win knockout matches. He retired in 2018 after 74 caps for Argentina, leaving behind a legacy as one of the most elegant playmakers in modern rugby, and a quiet but vital piece of Toulon’s Galactico era puzzle.

When RC Toulon assembled its Galacticos-era squad, Bryan Habana was the headline act, as the global superstar winger already established as one of rugby’s greatest finishers. Signed in 2013 after a glittering career in South Africa, Habana arrived on the French Riviera with a World Cup winners’ medal, an IRB Player of the Year award, and a reputation for turning half-chances into tries.

At Toulon, he slotted into a backline packed with elite talent and immediately added pure pace and ruthlessness on the edge. Though not always a constant starter due to rotation and squad depth, Habana delivered in the biggest moments — including a memorable intercept try against Leinster in the 2015 Champions Cup semi-final that helped send Toulon into another European final.

By the time he joined, he was already a Springbok legend, having scored eight tries in the 2007 World Cup and equalled Jonah Lomu’s long-standing record of 15 World Cup tries in 2015. His career eventually finished with 67 international tries, making him one of the most prolific finishers in Test history.

Habana also contributed to Toulon’s trophy-laden era, winning multiple European titles and a Top 14 crown during his spell. Even in a squad full of stars, he stood out for his ability to change games in a single moment. He retired in 2018, and has since moved into punditry and commentary, to over his invaluable insight upon the world's biggest international matches.

If Toulon’s Galacticos project was built on power and stardust, Matt Giteau was the control system. The Australian utility back arrived in 2011 from the Brumbies after a career that had already established him as one of the most complete playmakers in world rugby, capable of operating at fly-half, inside centre or scrum-half with equal authority.

At Toulon, Giteau became the heartbeat of a side stacked with international superstars. While others provided finishing power or physical dominance, he provided structure, tempo, and decision-making under pressure. Giteau’s influence peaked during Toulon’s unprecedented European dominance, as he started all three finals, including the tense 2013 victory over Clermont and the 2015 win that confirmed Toulon’s place in history as the first club to achieve that treble.

Already a veteran of 100+ Test caps for Australia, Giteau also returned to international rugby under “Giteau’s Law”, reinforcing his reputation as a player trusted in the biggest moments. He played at the 2015 Rugby World Cup, where Australia reached the final. Later in his career, he moved to Japan with Suntory Sungoliath and then Major League Rugby in the United States. Giteau would come out of retirement in 2024, to have one last ride with former Toulon teammate Ma'a Nonu at San Diego Legion.

Sébastien Tillous-Borde was never the loudest name in Toulon’s Galacticos project, but he was one of its most vital moving parts. The French scrum-half joined the club in 2011 from Castres and quickly established himself as a reliable, intelligent presence at the base of a star-studded pack.

Earlier in his career, Tillous-Borde had worked his way up through Biarritz and Castres, often operating in the shadow of more established names before earning international recognition with France. By the time he arrived at Toulon, he was a seasoned operator with a reputation for quick service, sharp box-kicking, and an ability to manage pressure situations.

At Toulon, he formed a crucial half-back axis, most famously alongside Jonny Wilkinson during the club’s rise to European dominance. Tillous-Borde also earned 19 caps for France, adding international experience to his club pedigree, before transitioning into coaching after his playing career ended in 2018. He has since worked in coaching roles across French rugby, including at Toulon and other Top 14 and Pro D2 sides, before landing his current role with Montauban.

Xavier Chiocci represents a different side of Toulon’s Galacticos story: not a global superstar signing, but a local product who grew into a European champion within the same star-stacked environment. Born in Toulon, Chiocci came through RC La Valette before joining Toulon’s academy system in 2007.

While the club was assembling a squad of international icons, Chiocci was quietly developing into a powerful loosehead prop with serious scrummaging strength and mobility for his size. His breakthrough into the senior squad came in 2011, and by the 2012–13 season he was regularly involved in match-day squads, often behind established internationals like Andrew Sheridan. However, his reliability and physical presence ensured he remained a key squad option in one of the most competitive front rows in Europe.

The defining moment of his Toulon career came in the 2013–14 season. With injuries opening the door, Chiocci stepped into a starting role and featured in Toulon’s dominant 23–6 victory over Saracens in the Heineken Cup Final, securing back-to-back European titles for the club. His performances also earned him France honours in 2014, reflecting his rise from academy prospect to international-calibre prop.

Chiocci remained part of Toulon’s extended golden-era squad before later moving to Lyon and then onto Perpignan. Chiocci now currently plys his trade with lower division side XV du Coudon.

Guilhem Guirado arrived at Toulon in 2014 not as a Galactico signing in the flamboyant sense, but as a proven leader destined to bring structure, resilience and authority to a squad overflowing with attacking brilliance. By then, Guirado had already built a reputation at Perpignan as one of France’s most reliable hookers. His move to Toulon came at a pivotal moment, as the club was transitioning into one of the most dominant sides in European rugby history.

At Toulon, his leadership qualities stood out in a dressing room packed with international stars, and he eventually rose to captain France as well, reflecting the respect he commanded across the game. Internationally, he captained France from 2016 to 2019, guiding a team in transition through difficult periods, including the 2015 Rugby World Cup campaign where France reached the quarter-finals.

He later finished his club career at Montpellier, adding further domestic silverware, including the Top 14 title in 2022. Guirado’s legacy at Toulon is defined by leadership and reliability. In a Galacticos side built on star power, he was the stabilising force — the captain who ensured the machine held together when the pressure was at its highest.

Carl Hayman’s arrival at Toulon in 2010 was one of the most significant front-row signings in modern club rugby. A former All Black and widely regarded as one of the greatest tighthead props of his generation, Hayman brought world-class scrummaging power and elite technical mastery to an already rapidly assembling Galacticos squad.

Before moving to France, Hayman had built a formidable reputation in New Zealand with the Highlanders and Otago, earning 46 Test caps and becoming the 1000th All Black. He later tested himself in England with Newcastle Falcons before joining Toulon as the club’s recruitment of global superstars intensified.

He retired in 2015 after a long and decorated career, later moving into coaching roles in France, including a stint with Pau. In recent years, he has spoken publicly about his diagnosis of early-onset dementia and probable CTE, highlighting the unfortunate toll of a career spent in the front row.

Bakkies Botha arrived at RC Toulon in 2011 as a feared, battle-hardened Springbok lock brought in to add steel to an already star-heavy squad. By that stage, Botha had built a reputation as one of world rugby’s most uncompromising forwards, a reputation forged through a decade of physical dominance with the Bulls and South Africa, including the 2007 Rugby World Cup triumph.

At Toulon, he slotted into a forward pack packed with elite talent and quickly became a cornerstone of the set piece and defensive grit. Nicknamed “the enforcer,” Botha’s influence went beyond statistics: intimidation, breakdown control, and sheer physical authority. He retired in 2015 as one of the most decorated forwards in rugby history, leaving Toulon as a symbol of its ruthless, trophy-winning peak.

Since hanging up the boots, Botha has launched a self-managed butchery buisness back in his homeland of South Africa. 'Bakkies the Butcher' has been supplying the Springboks fans with all they need to host a world-class braai since 2019, in one of the more unorthodox career switches from the last Galacticos.

Experienced All Blacks lock Ali Williams signed on with RC Toulon ahead of the 2013/14 Top 14 season. Prior to his arrival in the South of France, Williams was a household name upon the Super Rugby circuit of New Zealand, with impressive stints across the Blues and Crusaders. There was also the interesting and unexpected short-lived loan to Nottingham, as the 77-capped All Black ran out at the Bay for three caps.

Williams decided to hang up the boots at the end of the 2014/15 season, with his final match for Toulon being the Heineken Cup Final triumph over Clermont, to secure a third consecutive European crown for the club. From there, the retired lock remained in France and took up a media advisor role for his former All Blacks teammate Dan Carter, who had signed for Racing 92 following New Zealand's successful 2015 Rugby World Cup title defence.

Williams took an unwanted return to the spotlight in 2017, as he was arrested and fined for allegedly trying to purchase drugs outside of a Paris nightclub. This lead to Williams being ultimately dismissed from his post at Racing 92, and he has not returned to the public rugby sphere since. Away from the pitch, Williams and his former Blues and All Blacks teammate Doug Howlett, are patrons of the KidsCan Charitable Trust, who help improve the welfare of financially disadvantaged New Zealand children.

South African back row Juan Smith burst onto the scene with the Cheetahs, and was apart of the 2007 Rugby World Cup winning Springboks team. Having made his Test debut in 2003, Smith would accrue 70 caps in the iconic gold and green, and earned a rightful reputation as one of the hardest working and toughest tackling back rows in the game. Smith was unfortunate to miss out on the 2011 Rugby World Cup, as a torn Achilles injury curtailed his hopes of heading down to New Zealand.

This was a real turn for the worst, as the back row was forced into an early retirement due to the Achilles' injury that year. However, after over a year on the shelf and without an official club, Smith got the call to join up in Toulon, should he be medically cleared to compete. The fairy-tale return saw Smith come out of retirement in 2013, and make the jump from Bloemfontein and to France ahead of the 2013/14 season.

Smith was an instant success upon the south coast, as he added to Bakkies Botha's no-nonsense Springboks attitude to tighten up the relentless Toulon forward pack. Smith would depart France in 2017, and enjoyed a brief run in the Japan Top League with Toyota Verblitz. After a sole season in the land of the rising sun, Smith hung up his boots for a second time - and for good on this occassion, as he went out the way he wanted.

Steffon, along with his brother Delon Armitage, were amongst the earliest examples of England talents ending their international careers early to pursue pastures new in France. In a move that has since been replicated by the likes of Billy Vunipola, Jack Nowell, Sam Simmonds and Jack Willis, Armitage ended his time on the England books in 2010, after collecting five caps in the red rose.

Armitage ended a five year run with London Irish to make the jump to France, where he progressed into one of the great 'what-if' stories of his generation, and kick-started the conversation for England to select internationally based players. Whilst the RFU would not change their stance upon selecting foreign-based players, Armitage would relish his time in Toulon, as he collected three Champions Cup titles apart of the iconic 'Galacticos' set-up.

Armitage departed Toulon after the third and final European Cup triumph, yet he remained in France with a transfer to Pau in 2016. The back rower would then make a later career move out to the USA, as he signed with San Diego Legion. However, a suspended sentence in 2019 would caused San Diego Legion to cut ties with Armitage, as the back row would return to France and sign for Biarritz, before joining up with Stade Nicois (Nice) in the French third tier, where he currently plays at 40-years-old.

Rounding off this 'where are they now' article, New Zealand back row Chris Masoe turned up at Toulon in 2012, having already made a name for himself across the Top 14 with Castres. Having broken into the pro rugby landscape with the Chiefs, and moving across to the Hurricanes in Super Rugby, Masoe departed his homeland and made plenty of waves out in the land of Les Bleus.

Given his background in Rugby Sevens - which saw him take the gold medals with New Zealand at the 2002 Commonwealth Games - Masoe had an incredible engine for a back row forward. He called time on his All Blacks career in 2007, after collecting 20 caps he headed North with a deal on the table at Castres.

With Toulon he rounded off the back row of an all-time team of international world-beaters, before he would sign for Racing 92 in 2015. Masoe's final Toulon appearance was this Champions Cup Final, as he went on to win the Top 14 with Racing the following season. Masoe ended his rugby career in 2017, and decided to swap sports in pursuit of a boxing career. The former back row would win his one and only professional fight, as he defeated Lui Te'o, when the two clashed in New Plymouth in 2022.