Top 14: Matt Giteau will inspire Toulon to the title, says Dewi Morris

I’ve seen enough evidence in Toulon to back them for the Top 14 title.

I know Clermont will have something to say, even Montpellier, who they beat comfortably. There’s a number of sides – Racing Metro as well – but I just put it down to one thing: that Toulon have steered the ship.

With Jonny Wilkinson kicking the goals there was one man in behind him when they won it twice, and that was the little Aussie Matt Giteau. I just think as long as he’s fit – match fit – and playing at 10 they’ve got as good a chance, if not the chance, to win the Top 14 again.

The whole influence he exerts on the team is a pleasure to watch - it’s a whole 80 minutes of a grandmaster chess champion

The whole influence he exerts on the team is a pleasure to watch. It’s a whole 80 minutes of a grandmaster chess champion, how he’s moving his troops about him and ahead of him, irrespective of all the experience they’ve got around him, like Carl Hayman, and the other people due to come back.

They’ve just got everything and they’ve dispelled this myth of mercenaries coming over. The people they’ve signed want to do something – even James O’Connor.

The holy trinity of Giteau, Mitchell and O’Connor has been brilliant of late. Then you put into the mix full-back Delon Armitage, Maxime Mermoz in the centre, Rudi Wulf – everybody’s got the appetite to play.

It’s just pleasing on the eye and what they’re doing is smashing sides – they’re not just beating sides but they’re brushing sides away. They lost at home to Stade Francais missing a lot of kicks, but they responded with a 50-point drubbing of Brive and then an absolute thumping of Montpellier.

You just look down the side and who’s got to come back – Castrogiovanni’s got to come back, Habana, Botha and Lobbe are away on national duties. Ali Williams has got an injury so he’ll be back. Gerhard Vosloo hasn’t played since round four and I think he’s an absolutely amazing forward.

Gorgodze’s only just started his first game, you’ve got Leigh Halfpenny so again there will be no issue with goal kicking – Giteau can have a rest every once in a while. If he comes back half fit and half as accurate he’s as good as Wilkinson.

All smiles

We’ve also now dispelled the myth of Toulon not being good for the French national side. They’ve just supplied eight squad members into the 30 for the November Tests, so deep down they’re building on their academy, building on the French side of it, plus they have these incredible ‘Galactico’ names.

They’re not the enemy, they will be good for the national side. Philippe Saint-Andre was there and all smiles on Saturday watching the Montpellier game, so the signs are good for Toulon supporters but also hopefully the France supporters coming into the autumn and the World Cup. We need a strong French outfit there.

Toulon are going from strength to strength and with that they’re scoring tries – out of all the Top 14 sides they have the most carries with 125, most metres with 546, nine clean breaks, 146 passes and 23 defenders beaten. And that’s per game.

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This side has got an accelerator that’s on almost all the time. They don’t just have this laborious, lolloping pack up the pitch, although they can do that, but that’s their Plan B whereas most teams have it as their Plan A to use the big forwards.

They’ve just cut loose with the backs and it revolves around Giteau. If he’s not up flat he’s creeping round the back and he puts Mermoz up flat on the line.

He attracts defenders, Mermoz attracts defenders and they just slip it round the back. I haven’t even talked about Steffon Armitage and his impact from the bench along with all the other guys coming on.

There’s also their discipline – they’ve only been awarded a yellow card once in six games, so not only have they got the experience and the attacking, they’ve also got the discipline. If you look at Brive, they’re rock bottom and they can’t keep control of their players’ discipline. There’s more professionalism from Toulon.

Yes, they’ve had a few hiccups but I’ve seen them two or three times this season and instead of loathing them – like a lot of French people do because they're buying success – I’ve started to really enjoy and embrace them.

They’re a mad bunch, they’re a keen bunch, they’re an experienced bunch, and I love them!