MARCH 27, AND DEVIN Toner is making his way to the front of the crowd to join Scott Fardy and Micheal Bent in lifting the Pro14 trophy after Leinster’s win over Munster at the RDS.
At this point it’s widely expected Fardy won’t be a Leinster player next season and that Bent will shortly be announcing his retirement. Toner’s presence at the front of the victorious Leinster squad seems to confirm he will be following them out the door.
Fardy’s retirement is confirmed on 15 April. Bent’s confirmation will arrive a couple of days later.
Yet between those two announcements, Leinster confirm Toner has signed a new one-year contract.
“I pretty much thought I was going as well, to be honest,” he explains.
“I’m not going to go into the ins and outs of it but there was a stage where I was thinking I was not going to be coming back, yes. Which is a scary place to be, I suppose, not knowing what you are doing because of obviously being so secure for the past 15 years.
‘Thankfully it all worked out.”
Toner doesn’t want to go into the details of why it looked like his time at Leinster was up, but is clearly happy to now have a new contract over the line.
Toner (left) lifts the Pro14 trophy last month. Source: Billy Stickland/INPHO
When it became evident that Leinster may not have a place for him, he had been considering options abroad.
“Retirement was never going to be on the cards, no, because I feel really good in my body, I think I’ve been playing pretty well this year.
“I think all options were on the table. I was looking at all options, to be honest, and I was taking everything under advisement.”
The idea of finishing his career as a one club man isn’t something which holds too much weight for Toner, who turns 35 in June. He looks at the experiences of some former teammates and accepts there is plenty to be said for exposing yourself to a new environment. He could yet follow suit.
“It rarely happens but like I’m not going to say it’s the be all and end all, when it comes to next year I’m obviously going to re-evaluate. If the body’s still feeling well I will obviously see what all the options are. I’m never going to rule out playing somewhere else.
“I look at the likes of Donnacha Ryan (37) and how well he’s done in France and how well respected he is over there and he’s obviously one or two years older than me… and you take a look at Rob (Kearney) as well, everyone thought Rob was going to be a one club man and he’s having the time of his life over in Australia.
“So no, it’s obviously a very good accolade to be a one club man, but I wouldn’t say it’s the be all and end all.”
Toner’s CV makes for impressive reading. He recently became the province’s most capped player of all time. He’s been a part of seven Pro14 winning squads and four Champions Cup winning teams.
So why does he want to come back for more?
“I think our drive, our desire for that fifth star is huge and I think it’s going to be huge obviously this weekend. But as I said, I think there’s more in me, to be honest.”
It helps that Toner has remained a key member of Leo Cullen’s playing group. The second row has featured 14 times for Leinster so far this season and remains far more than just a squad player, starting that Pro14 final win over Munster as well as the Champions Cup quarter-final victory over reigning European and Premiership champions Exeter.
The hunt for that fifth European star brings Leinster to the west coast of France this Sunday, and a first ever Champions Cup meeting with La Rochelle.
Toner played 71 minutes in the win over Exeter Chiefs. Source: James Crombie/INPHO
The Top 14 side’s head coach, Ronan O’Gara, has been the focus of much of the media attention this week, but the game also throws up a reunion with Jono Gibbes.
Now director of rugby at La Rochelle, Gibbes spent six years as Leinster’s forwards coach between 2008 and 2014, just as a young Toner was breaking into the first team.