Wilkinson agrees to join Toulon

May 19, 2009

England fly-half Jonny Wilkinson will play in France next season after agreeing a two-year deal with Toulon.

Wilkinson leaves Newcastle after 12 years with the club, joining fellow Falcons Tom May, Jamie Noon and Ollie Phillips in heading across the channel.

The 29-year-old, who had a year left on his Newcastle contract, played just four games last season after dislocating his knee in September.

Reports state Wilkinson's deal could be worth 700,000 euros (£623,000) a year.

Wilkinson has spent his whole career on Tyneside and Falcons director of rugby Steve Bates insisted there was no ill feeling towards the fly-half.

"Jonny will undoubtedly go down as one of Newcastle's all-time greats," he said.

"He has contributed an incredible amount to this club over the past 12 seasons, and been an inspirational figurehead for rugby in the north-east

"Even during the times when his appearances for us were restricted he has always remained a positive presence behind the scenes, and everyone here thanks him for his fantastic service as well as wishing him all the best for his new life over in France

Wilkinson is expected to be unveiled on 26 May, but Toulon's millionaire president Mourad Boudjellal did announce the club's squad list for next season which included a number of captures from English sides.

Sale pair Sebastien Bruno and Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, Munster prop Tim Ryan, Bristol flanker Joe El Abd, Saracens back-rower Kris Chesney and Cardiff centre Jamie Robinson were all included in the list as well as Wilkinson's former team-mate May.

Wilkinson, who has 70 caps and 1,032 international points to his name, joins the exodus of English players who have left the Premiership to join the cash-rich French league which includes Riki Flutey, James Haskell, Tom Palmer and Iain Balshaw.

The 2003 World Cup winning fly-half has been beset by a number of injuries in the past six years and has not played for England since coming on as a substitute in the Six Nations win over Ireland on 15 March 2008.

England elite rugby director Rob Andrew has already insisted players who move to France must attend all training sessions with the national team in order to be selected.

Henri Bru, Rugby Correspondent for French newspaper L'Equipe, told BBC Radio 5 Live that Wilkinson's arrival will be big news in France.

"He is one of the most well known rugby players in the world along with Jonah Lomu, and maybe the sun of the Riviera will do him a lot of good," he said.

"Club rugby is on a roll in France, the clubs have money and they fill the stadiums."

Toulon, who finished ninth in the French Top 14 this season after a campaign battling the fear of relegation, will have ex-French international Philippe Saint-Andre in place as sporting director next season.

And Wilkinson's debut for Toulon should come on the weekend of 15/16 August when next season's Top 14 campaign kicks off.

Source:

BBC