Top 14: “Without the hunger to win, we have no business being here,” Léo Banos and Toulouse aim to make history

Toulouse are chasing a historic fifth consecutive French championship, but the road ahead begins with the departure of two players deeply identified with the club. Thomas Ramos will join Racing 92, while François Cros is moving to Lyon after the 2026-2027 season.

Both departures have unsettled the summer around the Garonne. Ramos and Cros came through Toulouse, became key figures during the Ugo Mola era and appeared destined to finish their careers in the city. Instead, the club will begin its next campaign without them.

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They have given so much for this jersey... Their choice is entirely respected, there is not much more to say about it.

“​​They have given so much for this jersey... Their choice is entirely respected, there is not much more to say about it,” Léo Banos told Le Figaro. The 24-year-old back-row forward is currently undergoing rehabilitation after an injury suffered in early May.

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François is as generous on the field as he is off it. He can sometimes play while injured, he says nothing, puts in big performances, it is quite impressive and it motivates me.

Banos also spoke about his relationship with Cros, an international flanker whose style of play is similar to his own. “François is as generous on the field as he is off it. He can sometimes play while injured, he says nothing, puts in big performances, it is quite impressive and it motivates me,” Banos said.

For Toulouse, the challenge is not only to replace two established players but to maintain the drive that has carried the club to four straight French titles. Banos summed up the demand in blunt terms: “Without this hunger to win, we have no business being here.”

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Without this hunger to win, we have no business being here.