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'I may have been too harsh' Toulon owner Boudjellal softens stance on Savea

(Photo by Anthony Au-Yeung/Getty Images)

Outspoken Toulon owner Mourad Boudjellal has admitted that he may have been “too harsh” with his commentary on All Black star signing Julian Savea during this season.

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Boudjellal’s rants over Savea included asking for a DNA test before stating the winger was no longer at the club. RCT president Patrice Collazo mirrored the owner’s sentiment in publicly stating he had nine games left to prove his worth, pressuring Savea with an ultimatum.

His treatment of Savea was widely condemned by players past and present. Savea’s bumper salary believed to be a million euros per season was a trigger for Boudjellal who believed he wasn’t getting a return ‘at that rate’.

“At one point, it was him or me! Quit paying someone as much … especially at that rate.

“I may have been too harsh with him, but I am someone excessive and whole. I never shower with lukewarm water,” Boudjellal told Midi Olympique.

Toulon’s disastrous season saw the club fail to get out of the pool stages of the European Champions Cup for the first time, with losing to the bottom-placed Premiership club Newcastle Falcons at home a low point. They finished 10th place in the Top 14 with their worst placing since they were promoted.

“The RCT has never been so poorly ranked in the Top 14 since I was president! I would love to remake the Toulon Laporte years with, at least, one final per year. I’m working on it, by the way,” he said.

Toulon has signed All Black Nehe Milner-Skudder and Worcester Warriors Kiwi winger Bryce Heem for next season to compete with Savea, French international halfback Baptiste Serin joins from Bordeaux, while Queensland Reds midfielder Duncan Paia’aua and Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth are also headline additions.

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AM 7 minutes ago
'Freelancer' Izaia Perese shows the need for true inclusivity in Australian rugby

That's Cron's job though. Australia has had one of the most penalised scrums in international rugby for a long time. Just look at the scrum win loss percentage and scrum penalties. That is your evidence. AA has been the starter during that period. Pretty simple analysis. That Australia has had a poor scrum for a long time is hardly news. If bell and thor are not on the field they are woeful. So you are just plain wrong. They have very little time for the lions so doing the same old things that dont work is not going to get them there.


Ainsley is better than our next best tighthead options and has been playing well at scrum time for Lyon in the most competitive comp in the world. Superstar player? No. But better than the next best options. So that is a good enough guide. The scrummaging in the Prem is pretty good too so there is Sio's proof. Same analysis for him. Certainly better in both cases than Super, where the brumbies had the worst win loss and scrum pen in Super. Who plays there? Ohh yes... And the level of scrummaging in Super is well below the URC, prem and France with the SA teams out.


Nongorr is truly woeful. He's 130kg and gets shoved about. That just should not be happening at that weight for a specialist prop who has always played rugby cf pone with leauge. He has had enough time to develop at 23. You'd be better off with Pone who is at least good around the field for the moment and sending Nongorr on exchange to France or England to see if they can improve him with better coaching as happened with Skelton and Meafou. He isn't going to develop in time in super if he has it at all.


Latu is a better scrummaging hooker than BPA and Nasser. and he's the best aussie player over the ball at ruck time. McReight's super jackling percentage hasnt converted to international level but latu consistently does it at heniken level, which is similar to test level in the big games. With good coaching at La Rochelle he's much improved though still has the odd shocker. He should start the November games.

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