In a few hours we shall know whether Jonny Wilkinson, my fellow resident of the Var, has ended his wonderful rugby career on the high of a second cup final win in a week.
Stop Press: For Allez, read Bravo. Jonny scored all but three of Toulon's points as they beat Castres 18-10
Last weekend, I nipped into the cinema at Hyères, wondering whether Toulon and the film - Marion Cotillard starring in the excellent Darnenne brothers' Deux jours, une nuit - would be winners by the time I emerged.
Toulon were 3-0 down to Saracens on the screens in the bar opposite the cinema as I left. The klaxons that greeted us in the streets outside at the end of the film gave us the answer to one question. Les rouges et noirs de Toulon étaient bien les champions d'Europe, by a large margin after a second-half romp to the undoubted pleasure of my pal Georges the fishmonger who took time off from the shop to beetle over to Cardiff for the occasion.
I have not had a chance to congratulate him since his return and now he's off to Paris for tonight's French Top 14 final against Castres at the Stade de France.
As for Cotillard, it was not to be. The Palme d'Or was won by the Turkish film Sommeil d'hiver , directed by Nuri Bilge Ceylan.
Now to the World Cup. I devised a poll for readers of Salut! Sunderland but anyone can join in. Who should be Salut! "second" or "other" team in Brazil? I naturally want England to do well but am not so nationalistic - sorry Ukip - as to think that stops me rooting for someone else, too. Not every reader of Salut! is English, and not every Englishman necessarily warms to the national football team, so participant are free to consider their choice as their first and/or only team.
England are missing from the list and so are Brazil. The poll allows only 30 options so two had to go and omitting the hosts seemed as good a bet as any. Vote for them in comments if you wish. I will take account of all such votes when deciding which team has earn the support of the Salut! empire. One modification: Uruguay, Italy and
Costa Rica being in England's group, votes for them will be considered valid only if and when England depart from the competition.
To buy Jonny's book, or indeed anything else you may require that is sold there, pelase use the Saluy! Amazon link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0755313402/salusund-21
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