Gareth Thomas first game

by Gareth Thomas from BBC site

There were mixed feelings after my first competitive game for Toulouse, a 28-16 loss at Pau.

I'm playing full-back at the moment, but that may change

I enjoyed it, but was really disappointed to lose, we realise that as a team we were rusty.

It was a different style of rugby and I have a lot to learn about the way they play in France.

I need to get more involved as I didn't see a lot of the ball. It was a tight game, but it was also because I was playing the kind of game I was used to at home.

The Celtic League is a great competition, it compares to the Zurich Premiership and the French Championship, but the style of play is different.

There are a lot of strong teams here and Pau are not the toughest we are going to face.

The French sides treat their home ground as a fortress. The supporters are very vocal and will let their team know exactly how they are doing.

It's very important for a side to get the crowd going, then they can be worth a good 10-12 points per game.

When it comes to putting in my satellite TV or needing a fridge, Trevor knows the people to see

My ankle's feeling fine after the injury I suffered in May. It swells up after training on the hard ground, but I get ice on it, the doctors are absolutely fabulous out here, and I'm always ready to go the next day.

I'm playing full-back at the moment, but it's going to be a long season and that may change.

The Toulouse players who toured with France in the summer - including their regular full-back Clement Poitrenaud - can't play for the first couple of matches in the Championship.

Toulouse like their players to be interchangeable and I think that's part of the reason they chose to bring me here.

I'm willing to play anywhere and at the moment I'm just glad to make the 22.

Off the pitch life is great, we have a beautiful house to enjoy and I'm mixing with all the boys in the team.

I'm getting by with the language, but a lot of my friends want to practice their English so when I try to speak French they stop me!

I'm desperate to learn more, though, because until I get there I'm still an outsider and I can't bring my personality out.

I'm big mates with Trevor Brennan and that's been ideal - he's good at French and has been here a long time.

When you play your first game for Toulouse they shave your head as an initiation Corny Caption: Alfie the Abbot

When it comes to putting in my satellite TV or needing a fridge, Trevor knows the people to see.

I understand that my new haircut has been creating a bit of interest, so I thought I'd better clear up what that was all about...

When you play your first game for Toulouse they shave your head as an initiation, but I thought that would be a bit boring.

I decided to take the mick out of our forwards coach Serge Lairle who's bald on top and has hair at the back and sides - I even grew a moustache like his!

Coming to one of the top teams in Europe it was just good to realise that rugby's rugby and off the field the Toulouse boys are just the same as at my hometown club of Pencoed

Edited by Beefs army