A taste for defence: Philip Fitzgerald, the former RCT player turned lawyer at the Toulon bar

In the Toulon microcosm, this is probably one of the best-known conversion stories. But Philip Fitzgerald’s story is still worth telling.

Scottish by birth, “Fitzy” set foot in the capital Was only 20 years old. As an Erasmus student, he pursues his passion, rugby, by playing under the red and black colors in the junior category.

“A fantastic year”says the person in question in impeccable French: “I loved the city, I loved the club and we even ended up as champions of France Reichel!” So when Toulon called him back in 1999, the Scot, having returned home, asked no questions. “I jumped on the plane because that was all I could think about,” he explains with stars in his eyes.

But there is no question of throwing everything away for the oval ball either. The British golgoth already has several years of law behind it. A year after his return to port, and while turning rugby professional, he enrolled in a postgraduate course at the University of Toulon.

And in 2004, after a few years spent enjoying “research page” of his course, while continuing the sheets of RCT in Pro D2, “Fitzy” obtains his Diploma of Advanced Studies. This is how he prepares for “after”.

Between specialization and education

Between 2004 and 2010, the whore gave his all in training, handing out cartridges on match days and draining the ink from his pens while preparing his thesis. Faithful to studies as he is faithful to lily of the valley. “It was a seven-year investmenthe sums up. When I finished rugby in 2010, I still had to finish my thesis. I was able to sponsor her in 2011, which allowed me to get into law school.”

“the hole to fill”

The adopted Toulonnais finally took the oath in 2014. He has since been a lawyer at the Toulon bar. “When I was playing, the idea of ​​what was coming next was there, but it wasn’t concrete, he admits today. Unconsciously, we think that things are eternal and that we will play forever. But there are so many beautiful things in rugby that when it ends there is a very important void that needs to be filled, you have to mourn your career. It’s a delicate transition, and I think we need to raise awareness among young people about this transition.’

Fitzgerald was lucky enough to quickly find his way: “I liked the law. The concept of defense and the defender’s position came later in law school.”

And he never left Toulon again: “It’s a city that I loved right away. I started a family there and at a certain point one day you realize that you’ve built your adult life here. At the end of my career I saw the years that passed . My life was there, and then I wanted to complete my career and my studies.”

Great good came to him. On the Var coast, far from the British greyness, Philip especially made “criminal law, family law and sports law”. And he fights again and again. More with trouble, tackles or head-long accusations, of course, but with the art of words, his knowledge of the law and all the passion that we know from him.