"In Toulon we don't support the RCT, we live for the RCT," Leicester Fainga'anuku's strong words before his final match at Mayol

As the "matches that count for one" (an expression borrowed from Pierre Mignoni) approach, Leicester Fainga'anuku seems to have found the eye of the tiger again.

Bleeding against Bordeaux and shining in Bayonne, the All Black (25 years old, 7 caps) hopes to once again show the way to his teammates against Castres.

A match all the more special for the giant, who will join the Crusaders this summer, as it will be his very last at Mayol.

Since the beginning of your career, whether with the Crusaders or Toulon, there hasn't been a single season where you haven't played in the finals. What makes the difference between the teams that participate and the one that wins?

Don't imagine that the winner is the one who manages to surprise his opponents, quite the contrary. The key, for me, is not to reinvent yourself, not to change anything in your strategy, but to do everything a little better. So we'll have to be a little more precise, a little more combative, a little sharper, a little faster. We believe in what we're putting in place, so let's be surgical in our execution. And, in our heads, we mustn't let ourselves get carried away by saying "shit, this might be the last week of the season." No, there will be another Monday, another Tuesday, and we mustn't arrive with fear in our stomachs.

Yet, it's a fact: this could be the last week. How can we not let ourselves be overwhelmed by this thought?

We have to move forward with confidence. The staff has put processes in place all season, precisely so that we can be confident in these pressure-filled moments. We know how our week will unfold, what we have to do four days before the match, then three days before, and all the way up to kickoff.

Personally, what do you think you can bring to the team in this kind of match?

I know that I'll be expected to be able to break the line and put pressure on the defense, but I'd also like to play around me to create more general danger. I want to put the team forward, while being able to trigger a pass and put my teammates in space at any moment.

How much will the defeat against La Rochelle in the play-offs last year help you against Castres?

The quarter-final against La Rochelle was a trauma for the team. We learned a lesson because, on one side, there was a team that knew how to approach a life-or-death match, and on the other, there was Toulon. But, ultimately, even though it was painful, I know we grew enormously that day. We now know how to control the game better, manage our emotions when the match accelerates, and approach these high-pressure encounters.

Do you think playing at home really changes anything? Because, ultimately, the teams, players, and strategies are the same...

Obviously, especially when "playing at home" means playing at Mayol. For me, it's truly a special place. Because, beyond all the strategic aspect of rugby, this pitch has a special vibe. Mayol is unique; I've never seen a stadium like this in the world. The fans are close to the pitch, and there's a little more noise than elsewhere, which gives us extra energy. You feel that here we don't support the RCT, we live for the RCT.

Whatever happens, this will be your last match at Mayol...

I'm warning you, I might be very emotional (smile) . Because, in Toulon, for the first time in my career, I felt that I represented a region, a city. Here, you're not just a rugby player, you're a barometer: you can tip an entire people into happiness or sadness. It's not trivial, it gives you a unique responsibility. It's not that you can't miss out, it's that you don't have the right. So, knowing that after two magnificent years this is the last time I'm going to play at Mayol touches me deeply.

How can we not be overwhelmed by emotion?

Personally, I don't have a problem with being emotional, quite the opposite. It helps me build myself. Some guys try to avoid feelings to stay in their own world, but not me. It gives me even more determination. I like to realize that I'm not playing for myself, but for my teammates, for the 17,000 Toulon fans going crazy in the stadium, and for everyone behind their TVs. It's special, unique. And you should never take that for granted.