Jonny Wilkinson paid tribute to a wonderful show of support from the RC Toulon faithful after the French side lost out to Cardiff Blues in a hugely entertaining Amlin Challenge Cup Final.
Toulon were beaten 28-21 in Marseilles but England's star fly-half was full of praise for his team's fans, who made up the overwhelming majority of a record-breaking crowd of nearly 49,000.
"It's an absolute pleasure (to play for Toulon's fans), like I've said before," explained Wilkinson, who left the field of play with a back injury early in the second half at the Stade Veledrome.
"There's nothing that you can substitute for the feeling of playing for the love of doing that and wanting to pay back a load of people that will support you until the end of the earth.
"These guys will always be there with us. This club is part of the region, it's part of the life here in Toulon, and long may that continue."
The past two weekends have brought a huge amount of disappointment for Wilkinson and co, with this afternoon's defeat coming just days after their Top 14 dream came to an end with an extra-time reverse at the hands of Clermont Auvergne.
But while Wilkinson admits he would rather than finished the season on a high, he insists this star-studded Toulon squad will be stronger for the heart-breaking experience.
"It was disappointing but it's the experience we need," added Wilkinson.
"Over the season, we've perhaps been a bit inconsistent. We've done some really good things but, at the last minute when the game's been tough, we've maybe fallen foul.
"It's important that we learn those lessons now and make the changes. We know that, with these guys and the spirit we've got, we'll make it happen."
