There have been times when David Ribbans has been sweating over England squad announcements, such as on Friday when he invited 36 players to a training camp from October 7-9 ahead of the upcoming Autumn Nations Series. Not anymore. These days, rather than capturing the attention of Steve Borthwick (and Eddie Jones before him), the focus is very different.
Now that Toulon, not Northampton, is home, it’s important that he does his best to crack the top 14 and not sweat whether his efforts for the Saints have been enough to earn him a ticket to international level. The irony behind his ‘withdrawal’ notice is that after all the false hopes of making up the numbers on the England fringe without carrying a tackle bag and tagging along on match days, he is finally at the cap.
Jones used him three times off the bench in November 2022 at Twickenham, but when the next Six Nations rolled around, Borthwick took the lead and Ribbans, a South African who qualified through his England grandfather, is now back in the black.
His reaction? Pen was put on paper over a tempting three-year contract offer he received from Toulon at the end of February. But just a few weeks later he made his first England start since the serious injury picked up by Ollie Chessum.
What followed was a dizzying adventure, reaching the Rugby World Cup and winning a bronze medal in Paris. But 16 days later, his 10-cap Test career is very much in the past tense as he enjoyed a very difficult time at Toulon, enjoying a debut win at home to Racing on Sunday night.
Since then, life in the Med has been smooth sailing for the 28-year-old. He now acts as co-captain with Charles Ollivon and his already generous contract has been extended until the summer of 2028 and, while he is currently nursing a minor calf, he will return for next weekend’s racing trip when he is available.
Let’s get right into it. How does Ribbans now reflect on his England career limited by his decision to cross the Channel and make a living outside the Premiership? “Ultimately that’s why I’m not in England yet (in Toulon) today,” he said. rugby pass Via Zoom midweek ahead of this Sunday’s Top 14 match at Clermont.
“It’s been a really long time. I felt like I was on the periphery, and I felt like I had played a few years of good rugby in England at Northampton. I played good rugby for three or four years in a row but never really got the chance.
“I wouldn’t say I’ve given up on my dream, but I was disappointed to find out I couldn’t have an international career where I could play 50 or 60 games. I still believed that I could do it if I got the chance, but that wasn’t the case, and there were good people in front of me.
“How do you look back on that? I definitely have no regrets. I loved my time in England. I’ve been asked a lot of questions about my whole South African heritage and playing for England. I was very firm in my thoughts that I was truly privileged and lucky to play for England.
“I think of England as the country that accepted me as its own, made me who I am today and taught me a lot about rugby and everything. It was a real honor to give back because they gave me the opportunity, and I don’t regret being able to play for my country, but I think it’s a little disappointing that I didn’t get the opportunity to play more.
“But when this opportunity arose I don’t regret turning down England and coming here and experiencing what I experienced. Because the rules are changing, it’s getting harder and harder to get access, and opportunities don’t always exist.
“I thought I might go to France next year, but that doesn’t always happen. So the opportunity arose, and I’m really grateful that I took it and extended it to this day. Yeah, I had mixed emotions. I’m proud, but I wish I received more. I ended up moving here and I don’t think I can ever go back.”
Ah Levi???
Those outrageous things Big Dave came up with to liven up England? pic.twitter.com/Rwt9YwRmew
— Northampton Saints? (@Saints Rugby) November 19, 2022
There was a farewell medal for his efforts in England, but no medals ending with Northampton, although Ribbans was on the podium at Stade de France with the rest of the Borthwick team following a campaign-ending win over Argentina 12 months ago.
Instead, on the same day in June that Saints finally won their first Premiership title since 2014, the talisman of their former pack was in Paris, where Toulon were concluding the regular season at the Stade Français. “I watched them and after a few beers I got all FaceTimes from the boys on the bus. I took the stick I deserved, the stick that said I left them and now they have won,” he laughed.
“I talk to them often. Last week I had an hour-long FaceTime with Alex Mitchell, we’ve lived together for a few years. I still talk to boys often. The new captain, George Furbank, was someone I was very close to. Alex Coles. We stay in touch. I know how they do it. You are always watching the results. I can’t see much right now about timing or things like that, but I’m sure they’ll have another great season. They have a good squad and a good coach so I wish them all the best.”
Ribbans is thriving in his new surroundings, but his old nickname at Northampton – ‘Ribeye’ – was given to him at a barbecue by famous former England cricketer Allan Lamb. “Recently foreigners have noticed a bit about it, but Ribeye, now Cote de Boeuf, hasn’t had the same kind of response to it.”
Even worse, learning the language is still difficult despite twice-weekly classes, while in the south of France rugby and everything that comes with it is va-va-voom. “We are about 20 minutes from Toulon, a village further east called Carqueiranne. Really nice little town, beach town. It used to be busy in the summer, but now things are quieter. The tourists have left and I am now a local. “It’s nice and quiet now,” he said with a smile.
“Pressure? Of course there’s always pressure when you’re at Toulon. The fans expect results, they expect the team to win, so obviously there will be that. We stay pretty isolated within the club, a small, closed group and there’s not too many I tried to work every week without paying attention.
“It probably helps to some extent that I don’t read the French press and don’t see the extreme rise and fall of the Toulon media. It certainly is. And one of the things I learned last year is how long the season is.
“I had no idea how long the season was in the Premiership or how each match was Test rugby. It can be a flurry, but it’s physical, it’s hard, it’s long, and you don’t want to peak too early.
“We’re on a good run at the moment (4 wins and 3 wins to start the season) and that’s great. But since the deadline is in June, you don’t want to do the finals too early. This is something I definitely learned last year. . We were attending our 8th or 9th club crisis meeting. How quickly things can change, as the season ended with a possible top two finish with a win over Paris on the final day.
“We have a few new British faces this season in Lewis Ludlam and Kyle Sinckler. It’s been quite a while since I’ve played with Lewis since joining the Saints (January 2017). We were roommates throughout the World Cup and it was great to have him. There’s a decent expat community here, including Dan Biggar, who also played for Saints. When I arrived he helped me settle in and was great.
“Everyone was really surprised. When you arrive you’ll hear stories about France and you’re not sure what the distinction will be between foreigners and French because it’s so secretive and the language is difficult. You often find that in the heat of battle you just say what you have to say and the French go out the window. If you swear, shout and use your hands enough, you can usually get your point across in rugby.
“But this place was fantastic. The integration between French boys and foreigners is amazing. We spend a lot of time with the French boys off the pitch, so perhaps Toulon’s history of having a lot of foreigners in the past helps. “It’s an amazing group of people that brings together a sense of family and community.”
Fans do their part and especially love the creepy tunnel created when the players get off the bus and walk to Stade Mayol. “I really can’t put it into words. It’s a very special thing for club rugby. I was surprised when I experienced it for the first time. It was one of the first things I told my parents. It’s like nothing you’ve ever seen before. Every home game is a crazy experience.
“We played at the Stade Français in Paris recently and we have never seen such away support. As we arrived and pounded the bus, flares went off. It’s special. If you lose, you’ll have to deal with it a bit, but if you win, you’ll be rewarded and rewarded significantly, so you’ll have to deal with it. We have amazing fans and it definitely gives us a lot of energy.”
Overall, Ribbans felt blessed. Especially since he plays for the same club as his now-retired idol, Joe van Niekerk. “He was a hero. I played as 8th man and I really respected him and thought he was an amazing player. I got an autographed photo when I was little, maybe six or seven years old, maybe a little older.
“His face is scattered all over the city, all over campus. Unfortunately I missed the Legends Hall of Fame reunion before arriving. It would have been nice to meet him in person, but I am the captain of the club he used to play at.
“It’s really fantastic. I’m not trying to be that guy or anyone like that, but we’ve followed somewhat similar paths. He may not have been much loved in South African rugby, but he was a big name in town. So far, I have received a lot of support and love from supporters and the club, so I have extended my stay. “I think I’m loved by everyone.”
Ribbans performed exceptionally despite strict regulations requiring the match squad to include at least 15 French-qualified players. “There are some issues with the Jiff numbers which puts more pressure on coaches to play more French players. We’re obviously struggling a little bit with that issue at the moment. It is difficult for our coach Pierre Mignoni to manage who can and cannot play each week.
“This is where the landscape of French rugby is changing. But in terms of appetite for rugby, the World Cup has given French rugby a bit of a boost, and that was certainly the case last year. There really is love and a deep passion for rugby here. If you win you become the king of the town, if you lose it’s best you stay home and have dinner. That’s Toulon for you.”
Ribbans’ parents were recent visitors, along with his sister. When he first moved to England his trips in each direction became more frequent, but his last summer break was when he returned to Somerset West, outside Cape Town, after two and a half years. He was tickled by the prospect of taking on the Stormers in his home city in July’s Investec Champions Cup draw in Cardiff.
But scheduling conflicts will mean his December reunion with family and friends will take place 750km east along the South African coast. “Unfortunately we are not playing in Cape Town, which is a real shame. Everyone wanted to come but we ended up going to Port Elizabeth because there was Cape Town SVNS on the day we were playing the Stormers. Cape Town would have been a true 360 for me. “Last year I went to play Northampton and now the Stormers, which would have been pretty special, but we’ll have to settle for Port Elizabeth.”
Ribbans never played for the Stormers. When he left for England at the age of 21, the West was the furthest he had ever been. Will we ever see him wearing the URC franchise jersey? “I would never say no to playing in South Africa because the opportunity might arise, but I’ve been here for four more years now. I’m starting to get a little older in my career. Maybe we prefer to put some limits there, but it’s not an immediate card.”
