Johnny Watterson talks to Toulouse's Trevor Brennan about his new club and his new position

He hasn't gone away you know. Like Peter Clohessy, the "Barnhall Bruiser" Trevor Brennan has achieved something of a cult status over the years. Ironically, at the beginning of this season the careers of the two former Irish team-mates almost collided in Toulouse.

Having lost three props in pre-season friendlies, the French team were trawling around for a replacement and Clohessy's name hit the papers after Brennan had signed a two-year contract with the club. The Claw and the Bruiser, two hired guns roughing up the French game together. The very thought of it and people were reaching for images from Western epics.

"Obviously Peter was a good option. I was hoping he'd come out for maybe four months," says Brennan, who has settled into his new French life. And it couldn't be better. Little things pick him up. Recently, he went to the butchers and made his order in broken French. The butcher happened to be a Toulouse supporter and Brennan found himself walking out the door with €80 worth of free meat.

Re-moulded by Toulouse and now playing as a second row more often than a flanker, the former Barnhall player intends to grasp the opportunity as one of three players rotating in that position with French international Fabien Pelous and David Gerard.

"Everything is professional here, from the way they train to the way they prepare the food. They've a full-time chef in the club. We train, we eat; when you go to the club you just park the car and jump out. No boots, no gear, no nothin'. It's all there, all washed. Very professional.

"Things are great since I arrived in July. I'm getting a lot more pitch time here than at home. I've started four matches and also come on as a sub. I'm playing second row but I've come on from the bench twice at (number) six.

"I like to think that if we do well in the European Cup I'll be seen by the Irish selectors. Hopefully they would look at me as a second row as well as a back row."

When he arrived the club put himself and his partner Paula into French classes. Mixed with what is a multicultural environment, communications have largely been smooth enough. In Fineau and Isitoto Maka he has the comfort of two English-speaking Tongans.

"It's been no problem," he says. "Apart from one time." In a pre-season friendly match the former St Mary's captain and Irish back row was told to jump at two in the lineout.

"I asked them how to say backwards, you know, "go back" and they told me the word. So before we threw in I started screaming "encoulez, encoulez" and both teams just stopped and began laughing. What I should have been saying was reculez. Reculez means "backwards". Encoulez means "You f**k". The coach pulled me aside and said 'I think Trevor, you just say back next time.'"

Toulouse are brimming with strength this season. Knocked out of focus last year by the industrial explosion which killed and maimed many local people who were known to members and players from the club, Toulouse have regrouped and found their feet again.

"I'd be confident we'll come out of the group (Pool Five, which also contains London Irish, Newport and Edinburgh)," he says. "We're not at all over-confident but if we don't come out of it we'd have to ask why. The rugby is similar but with more open running. They keep it off the ground and try not to get into ruck and maul. The coach said to me he was looking for players who can run for a long time and who can run fast for a long time.

"London Irish have the players to switch it on, although I know they haven't been playing well. Toulouse at home is like a fortress.."

This weekend two Brennan brothers and their girlfriends, his father and five guys from Barnhall are making the trip for the London Irish match. Two weeks after that five more friends from Barnhall are mapping Toulouse as a weekend away venue. Homesickness, it seems is less a threat than weekend entertaining with family and friends.

"If another two years came in the contract, I probably would take it," he says. "Off the top of my head there are about 15 players who are either French internationals, A internationals or former internationals currently on the team.

"I find the French people friendly and obliging. We've rented out our house at home for two years so, yes, I like it here."

With Lansdowne Road as the European Cup final venue, Brennan could come the full circle from Toulouse back to Dublin if the club can deliver on its promise. Munster and Leinster are shorter odds to end up at HQ, but Brennan tearing into his former team-mates on the hallowed turf - now that's entertainment.