Exclusive: Toulouse’s François Cros keen for dream season to continue

Cros is the quiet man of French rugby.

Happiest in the dark arts of the breakdown, relentless in tackle count and dominant around the fringes, he offers the gritty and stoical counterpoint to the carrying and support play of his back-row colleagues, Anthony Jelonch and Gregory Alldritt.

With Charles Ollivon injured for 12 months, Cros and fellow flanker Jelonch have formed a formidable partnership at Test level, one forged at Stade Toulousain, but honed and polished in the blue of France, alongside his mercurial team-mates, Antoine Dupont and Romain Ntamack.

With Toulouse and France both tasting success over the past two years, Cros feels satisfied but is always looking for improvement, a quality that is evident in every word he speaks.

“My season has been fantastic,” he said.

“Accomplishing the Six Nations Grand Slam was a massive achievement for us and one I’ll remember forever. It came after Toulouse won their 21st Championship in the Top 14 coupled with a fifth Champions Cup title after beating La Rochelle in the final at Twickenham this year and life in rugby is great!

“I am taking nothing for granted however, and I am striving to be better. The French back-row options are very deep, with great competition for places. This is exactly what both the coaches and the team needs – positional depth and players fighting you for your shirt.

“We have a lot of great loose forwards all playing at a similar level right now,” he explained.

“If you’re lucky enough to be one of the starters, you know you have another high quality performer pressuring you for your place and that’s incredibly healthy.

“I am well aware of what my role within both the French and Toulouse side is – and what my personal qualities are – my workrate and