Kaino’s Toulouse ‘impossible’ to reject for Wasps’ Flament

Wasps French loose-forward Thibaud Flament said on Tuesday he was not able to refuse the offer of joining Toulouse with the likes of ex-New Zealand double Rugby World Cup winner Jerome Kaino on their books.

Thibaud Flament will join Jerome Kaino’s Toulouse after the English Premiership campaign ends. AFP/File/REMY GABALDA

Flament, 23, who has spent a season at the English side’s academy after good performances for Loughborough University, has signed a three-year deal with the record 20-time French champions.

“In my eyes, it’s impossible to say no to Toulouse. I didn’t want to take the risk of letting the chance go, I decided straight away,” he told AFP.

“I think being in Toulouse’s squad, with all their characters and personalities which are quite inspiring, it appeals to me, especially players like Jerome Kaino.

“On the field I’ll try and make the most of their experience and try and learn their way of playing, try to inspire, not to do exactly like them but inspire myself to improve my game,” he added.

Last weekend the French government vowed to impose a “reciprocal measure” on Britain’s move forcing returning travellers into a quarantine due to a recent spike in coronavirus cases.

Flament, who will head to Stade Ernest-Wallon after the English Premiership ends in October, remained calm about his arrival in France.

“I haven’t thought about it as I’ll be here for another month and half to two months, if it’s a two-week quarantine, that’s life, it’s not that long,” he said.

Top 14 clubs including Stade Francais and Lyon have recorded positive cases of COVID-19 in recent weeks reportedly putting the new term, which begins on September 4, under threat.

“I’m not worried. There’s a protocol put in place by the clubs, be that tests, social distancing, protocols in the gym where we’re in small groups with masks,” he said.

“We disinfect all our material every time we use them so I trust the protocols,” he added.

Wasps sit fourth in the table with seven rounds of the regular season to play and wants to end his time at the Ricoh Arena on a high by replicating impressive victories from earlier in the campaign.

“I have so many memories. In particular the match where we beat Saracens 60-10, it was superb. So many moments that stand out and I hope to have more before heading to France,” he said.