The mouth watering Investec Champions Cup quarter-final between Toulon and Toulouse did not need a pre match dangling parachutist to warm up the crowd.

Fortunately this week there were no Ariel delays to kick off as the match ball arrived in a more traditional and less perilous manner.

As the traditional pilou pilou drifted up into the grey drizzle laden clouds, the rouge et noir were ready to do battle and turn the words of their fabulous anthem into action.

A sign above the player’s tunnel, the last thing they see before stepping on to the lush green grass carries the wording:

‘THIS IS THE MAYOL RESPECT THE LAND OF OUR ELDERS’

Ten years ago those rugby elders were sweeping all before them in the Champions Cup with a team of stars that lit up the clear cloudless Mediterranean skies. Halfpenny, Habana, Botha, Guirado, Hernandez and co lifted the Champions Cup at Twickenham in 2015 after defeating Clermont 24-18, the last time they won the title.

Toulouse of course have a much more recent winning pedigree, being reigning champions and six times holders of the cup.

Beauty as they say is in the eyes of the beholder and if you are beholden to tense error strewn physically brutal rugby then this was the game for you.

The immaculate boot of Melvyn Jaminet gave Toulon a 12-6 half-time lead as Toulon’s as Toulouse’ attempts to breach the opposition try line proved fruitless.

But the second half could not have started much better for the visitors. 

A Ramos penalty and a Jack Willis try in the opening two minutes brought them to within a point of Toulon (12-11). Plus, a yellow card was awarded to Baptiste Serin.

Pita Ahki’s 50th minute try and Ramos’ subsequent conversion gave Toulouse an 18-12 lead.

Jaminet’s faultless boot added two penalties on 59 and 62 minutes to draw the sides level at 18-18.

It was evident that one single moment of genius or a simple error would decide the outcome of this titanic contest, and so it proved to be.

Gabin Villiere failed to gather a high kick in his own twenty-two and from the knock on Toulon were Penalised from a resulting infringement 

With 80:13 on the clock Ramos slotted over the pressurised kick then as the final whistle blew he crouched over in tears as the enormity of the moment overwhelmed him, Toulouse had done it and Villiere’s contrasting emotions were equally emotionally intense and visible 

So the cup kings head to a semi final in Bordeaux against their fierce Top 14 rivals, that could be quite some game.

Immediately following this game I collapsed and was rushed to hospital after many tests and 24 hours in hospital I have been allowed home hence the lateness of this article.

There were concerns about how slow my heart was beating apparently world class athletes have a similar heart rate but they don’t collapse in their own kitchens.

But like Toulouse I live to fight another day