Toulon president Mourad Boudjellal has launched an audacious bid to see his three-time European champions join the English Premiership.
A Premiership Rugby spokesman confirmed to Press Association Sport that a letter was received via email from the French club on Wednesday night.
Multi-millionaire comic book publisher Boudjellal’s move looks highly unlikely to succeed, although the possibility of England’s Premiership clubs discussing it should not be ruled out.
Boudjellal has had an ongoing and often bitter battle with organisers of the Top 14 – France’s premier domestic competition – about matters such as the 10 million euros ($A15.8 million) salary cap, and most recently, new rules that were introduced last summer regarding player bonus payments now being part of the cap if they amount to more than 10 per cent of a player’s salary.
Toulon’s expensively-assembled squad is packed with world stars like Bryan Habana, Matt Giteau, Ma’a Nonu, Leigh Halfpenny, Quade Cooper, Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe and Duane Vermeulen.
And England World Cup winner Ben Kay believes Boudjellal’s initiative might be aimed at “ruffling a few feathers” to get what he wants in France.
Outspoken Toulon chief Boudjellal told French newspaper L’Equipe that his club’s Premiership presence would offer “a huge added value,” adding: “I wrote for a contact. If this is not possible the next season, maybe the one after that.
“For them (the English), besides a big first, it would be a huge added value. And I’m serious in my approach.”
A Premiership Rugby spokesman told Press Association Sport: “It is a bit early for us to make a formal response, but we will be doing so in due course.
“It does show the appeal of Premiership rugby.”
Taylorman
Guest
Thanks for the recommendation NB but I think you will find it is you everyone is disagreeing with. If I don't know what I'm talking about which comments are actually incorrect? Or are you saying I shouldn't have an opinion. I know what I need to know to form one. Rhats kind of...how it works.
Squirrel
Guest
Agree TWAS Giteau was very disappointing in the World Cup . Toomua in hindsight would have been better
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
So what if Williams had quit? He would not have been selected. As for smith, he was and was shown to be well off the pace.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
What attribute did he bring to the tests he played? I'm saying on any measurable metric, Giteau did not perform well.
Higgik
Guest
My idea is to have a 28 team British & Irish Rugby Football League. Set up similar to NFL, including the concept of strong salary cap and revenue sharing. 2 conferences of 14, Celtic and Anglo, created by adding a third Scottish team, and the 3 London Celtic teams. The Anglo conference would be enlarged by adding 3 Championship teams, ensuring countrywide coverage. Play a regular season of 16 matches over 17 weeks, followed by 5 weeks of play offs. In Continental Europe, a similar situation could happen by adding the 2 Italian teams, plus a possible third in Rome, to the top 25 French teams. Finally the season should be sorted to only have one international window in October. My NH season would be November - March B &I League 17 weeks April play offs 5 weeks May - June European Club Championships ( 4 groups of 5 play home or away with play offs) 9 weeks July off season August - September 6 nations 6 weeksDomestic rugby start again with a pre season cup played in 4 groups of 7, followed by play offs October international window 6 weeks The International window would have a 4 yr rotation of RWC Lions tour, A teams play European nations against ENC teams, in a World Cup style event. Southern tour Incoming tour ( not in that order) With SH the RC needs to be contracted to 6 weeks, SR sorted to give a 16 match season plus play offs, with the final at a pre arranged venue, domestic rugby should be played throughout the season like the Currie Cup.
Chaz
Guest
London Scottish (and London Welsh, as shown by their disastrous move to Oxford whilst in the Avivia) do not have the facilities for the Avivia and being less than 2km from Harlequins would really struggle to change this. The Pro 12 on the other hand would be a significant step up from the Championship (RFU's second tier) and would also help turn London Scottish into a development side for the Scottish national team, as Bakkies suggests. I certainly think this could be a really good move for both LS and Scotland- less sure about London Welsh/Wales. I absolutely do not want Toulon in the Premiership- conceptually it's a nonsense.
swamprat
Roar Pro
Toulon aren't joining the Arriva . Why would they when there is already a European Cup to play for? Might be time for a final between best N.H team v best S.H teams . That would give Toulon a serious challenge.
NaBUru38
Guest
He opposes salary caps because he's the only one who can spend that much money. If he goes on, European clubs will all go bankrupt.
Bakkies
Guest
The SRU are now using London Scottish as a development team
Not Bothered
Guest
You do know that Toulon dont just win everything right? They have a far more demanding season than Super Rugby and many Super Rugby players have said as much. Sure, they dont have the travel demands and the teams are managed differently to many SH clubs but I think Toulon can play upwards of 35 games per year. So I doubt they would shake in their boots at the thought of having to play a max of 18, with rest weeks and only about 3-4 games travelling further than they normally do.
ebop
Guest
He's having a laugh What a d1ckhead
Lion Down Under
Guest
Spot on. However there has been talk of London Welsh and London Scottish leaving the English Championship (second division below Premiership) to join the Pro12 to make a Pro 14 with the blessing of the RFU - they have no great love for either club, in fact it's probably active dislike in the case of London Welsh - so maybe he is just stirring the pot knowing that clubs changing national leagues may be allowed shortly.
Not Bothered
Guest
Hey TM, heres a suggestion, try watching it and learning about it first, then commenting because you are making a fo0l of yourself. They buy top internationals so they can perform well for the huge money investment. Pretty obvious that. They dont pay big money for players to just cruise. As I keep saying, stick to things you know about. You dont know about this but you always comment in the negative. COMMENT ON THINGS YOU KNOW ABOUT. Please dont just spew bias because of your irrational dislike for NH rugby. Thanks.
Not Bothered
Guest
You mean that you didnt rate Giteau. Clearly the rest of world rugby does including the Aus coach. Oh I know Cheika doesnt know rugby like you do but...
Not Bothered
Guest
Williams quit International rugby and went to Toulon. Smith was selected from Toulon to rep SA. You could argue that they were not first choice international players but its pretty clear that they were up to test standard of many in the top 5 nations in world rugby.
AndyS
Guest
I certainly wouldn't rule it out as a possibility with the direction SR is going, but it could be carnage....in a competition with no salary cap, I'm sure a lot of players will just see french money, french lifestyle and still playing Super Rugby. Main reason not is I am not sure an organisation comprising only nation bodies would be prepared to negotiate terms with an individual rather than the FFR.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
NB Giteau is not a "highly rated international". Well I guess he is, by the people who fail to see that in the 2015 test season he didn't make line breaks and score tries, didn't make meters with the ball and hand and didn't set up players outside of him.
Taylorman
Guest
Yeah all of them. They're at the end of their careers and wouldn't be at peak for a widened Superxv. Easier to sit in a tournament surrounded by other golden ticket players where everyone can travel to their matches on a half day bus pass, or perhaps their walkers? It is indeed the retirement village for many players. With the perks.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
+1
Not Bothered
Guest
I wouldnt be so sure. Im positive that the Aviva would be interested in a lot of what Toulon could bring and I would think that if it wasnt for the mutual respect that must be shown between French and English rugby, they would seriously consider it. However, you are right I think and it wont happen.