Having come through the ranks at Toulon, he moved to the quadruple European champions Toulouse at the end of last season and admits it is an incredible feeling to train alongside the likes of French skipper Thierry Dusautoir.

He said: “A year ago I was watching the likes of Thierry Dusautoir, Vincent Clerc, Yannick Jauzion or Yann David on TV. Now I’m training alongside them, it’s a very strange feeling.

“I came here to try to play with the pros, but what I want above all is to integrate myself into the squad and the city, to improve thanks to Jean-Baptiste Elissalde and all the centres in the squad.

“I will try to play as much as possible and if I get the chance I will try to take it. I want to get as close as possible to the level of a Yannick Jauzion, even if I know it will be very difficult.”