RUGBY: TOULON HAVE opened contract talks with Jonny Wilkinson, saying they are prepared to make him the best-paid player in the world to keep him on the Mediterranean.
The 31-year-old England outhalf is in his second season with Toulon and his contract, which is worth a reported €355,000 a year, ends in June. The club’s president, Mourad Boudjellal, believes that Wilkinson, who has scored 102 of Toulon’s 159 points in seven Top 14 matches this season, is already the best investment he has made in a player.
“I want to extend Wilkinson’s contract,” said Boudjellal. “I didn’t wait until after Saturday’s game to begin discussions. The player wants to stay and his president wants to keep him at any price so we should come to an agreement quite quickly.”
Leicester have been put on alert after the New Zealand Rugby Union said it was looking to secure a short-term contract in Europe for the All Blacks lock Ali Williams, who has not played for two years because of injuries.
The Tigers have powerhouse problems with Louis Deacon, Geoff Parling and Richard Blaze all out of action. There are concerns over Deacon, who has a persistent back problem.
“I want to play some rugby before next year’s Super 15,” said the 29-year-old Williams, who has put out feelers in Europe.
“I want to be involved in next year’s World Cup and I will be right to get back on the field in November.”
The Sale and Wales prop Eifion Roberts will not be back on the field until next season, ending what chance he had of making the World Cup. He faces knee reconstruction surgery after being injured during the victory over Harlequins last Friday.
The Harlequins director of rugby, Conor O’Shea, has enlisted the help of the international referee Wayne Barnes to help overcome a rash of indiscipline in the closing stages of matches that has cost them three victories this season.
Harlequins, who are at home to Exeter on Saturday, and Leeds are the only sides yet to win a Premiership match this campaign and O’Shea points to his players’ tendency to concede penalties at the breakdown as a major reason why they are at the wrong end of the table.
“We’ve led with six minutes, 11 minutes and eight minutes left on the clock and we are definitely not a side that deserves to be where we are,” said O’Shea, who invited Barnes to the club’s training ground this week.
Meanwhile, the citing against the Harlequins flanker Chris Robshaw for a dangerous tackle on Northampton’s Lee Dickson 11 days ago has been dismissed following Robshaw’s appearance before an RFU disciplinary panel yesterday.
GuardianService
