Jonny heading to Toulon
13 Mar 2009
Jonny Wilkinson will travel to Toulon in the next few days on a fact-finding mission with the possibility of moving to the club.
The Times of London, who Wilkinson writes a column for, reports that the flyhalf and his advisers will travel to the south of France to meet with ambitious president Mourad Boudjellal.
Wilkinson will make his comeback from a dislocated knee next Saturday for his club of 12 years, Newcastle, when they face Butch James’s Bath.
Wilkinson, who speaks French fluently, is said to be seriously considering making the move.
“[He] has never hidden his desire to experience French club rugby and his decision to see what Toulon have to offer is the clearest indication yet that he is ready to move across the Channel,” said The Times.
Wilkinson will liaise with Martin Johnson about the move and the implications for the English national team.
“His contract with Toulon – should he decide to join them – would have to contain international release and training camp clauses as he prepares to prove once more that he is still the best flyhalf in England,” said the report.
Joe van Niekerk-led Toulon are currently in 11th position in the Top 14 as they attempt to avoid being relegated as one of the two bottom sides.
Wilkinson has also been linked with a move to fellow French club Bayonne.
42 Comments
13 Mar 2009, 13:43 pm
“O Dragon, Dragon! Wherefore art thou Dragon”.
(W. Shakespeare.)
13 Mar 2009, 13:49 pm
uhmm…my advice to the comic book man is:
pay him on a no-play, no pay contract.
13 Mar 2009, 13:50 pm
I would have thought that Toulon had enough broken down “has been” Internationals.
Sorry Jonny, you were one of the best that ever was. In the Amateur days, you would have hung up your boots 4 years ago, when you exceded your use by date.
But the money is just so good…..they can’t let go anymore.
13 Mar 2009, 14:30 pm
Until he injures himself again
Newcastle could use the money they pay Johnny to rehab and watch the games from the sidelines to pay a couple of other decent youngsters.
13 Mar 2009, 14:36 pm
Queue more worrying times for the RFU as this new phenomenon of their best players ‘moving abroad’ starts to dawn on them.
How will they cope when others have it so easy ?
13 Mar 2009, 14:56 pm
#2 rangerman: Perpignan should’ve did that with Carter.
#3 cane: yes they need to get rid of the ineffective Umaga, useless as a player and useless as a coach. Wilkinson is 29 and still better than every other 10 in the world when he’s fit.
#5 BlackPanther: well we’ll still make it past the QFs (unlike some useless teams) so its all good.
13 Mar 2009, 15:34 pm
#6 Big Hit: Just when I thought we had finally got rid of big ****, up he pops. You silly wanker, these comments do not get the rise you so hope for – ***** off.
13 Mar 2009, 16:01 pm
#6 Big Hit:
which means nothing coming from a F R A U D
Wilko ‘when he’s fit’. As befits a fraudster, there is always a ponzi-scheme of deception to mask the inneptitude its maker.
how is it down there in 8th ?
13 Mar 2009, 16:20 pm
#6 Big Hit:
Tell us BH, whats the difference between losing a RWC QterF and losing a RWC Final ?
Answer:- nothing. Youre still a loser.
Eng have lost 2 x RWC QterF’s in 1987 and 1999
NZ only failed to make Semis once, 2007.
That means, if its not already obvious, that England as the worst RWC record.
13 Mar 2009, 16:31 pm
#9 WakaNathan: thats like saying, whats the difference between losing in the pool stages and reaching the final. If you can’t see the difference, I can’t show you. Besides we were defending champions, you might have to wait TWENTY TWO more years
#8 BlackPanther: you tell me, thats where your boys finished last time out. Don’t tell me your latching on to the mathematical equation rankings for solace?
#7 clayfin: I’m going nowhere bro don’t worry, just been busy.
13 Mar 2009, 16:38 pm
#10 Big Hit:
Dont know about losing in a RWC Pool Round match, what did that feel like in 1987, 1991 and 1999 ?
Loser
13 Mar 2009, 16:43 pm
#10 Big Hit:
How unlike BH the FRAUD.
Happy to latch on to a history of ‘Finalist’ as a badge of honour even in defeat, 1 minute.
And then limiting it to ‘last time out’, the next minute.
Youre a FRAUD
Your teams a FRAUD
F R A U D !!!!
13 Mar 2009, 16:46 pm
#10 Big Hit:
Silly me……..and yet another Pool loss in 2007 – you know, ‘last time out’. Furthermore, I believe the term in sporting parlance was ‘nilled’.
4 x Pool losses ????????!!!!!!
Gee, thats 4 x more than NZ has had QterF losses ?!
13 Mar 2009, 17:07 pm
Good luck to Jonny! He’s a great professional.
Cant wait to watch Saracens vs Toulon in some sort of match next year!
13 Mar 2009, 17:43 pm
#6 Big Hit: See you still managing to wind up the Kiwis, why is this I like your posts, they are usually quite well thought out and logical? Please don’t say silly things about Jonny – he’s a very good flyhalf when fit but is no legend. He’s a good tactician, reads the game well and tackles with commitment but he doesn’t “glide”. Dan-the-man is currently the best and he is a true legend – this is from a one-eyed Saffa so I’m forcing back the bile but the man’s status is unquestionable. Comparable to Dan is (was) Stephen Larkham and now here’s my prediction: you will all be cr@pping yourselves when Ruan Pienaar gets his 2 solid years at 10. He’s a “diamond in the rough” and when he’s ready you will see Dan’s status as the premier 10 in world rugby seriously challenged.
13 Mar 2009, 17:58 pm
#15 filthy Luca:
The reason why BH seems to appeal to some Safa readers here is BECAUSE he:- (1) disses everything about NZ rugby and (b) praises everything about SA rugby.
DUH !
Wilko is a ‘Great’ player because he was so mentally strong and such a great boot. He also was probably the 1st standoff to ever tackle.
He was however completely coached in all his plays and had little to no instinct with the ball in hand.
There is no comparison between Carter and Wilkinson in terms of individual skills. Carter is a once-in-a-lifetime rugby player of whatever nationality. Wilkinson is merely a once-in-a-lifetime England player.
Pienaar does look promising. However I can understand your desperation for a quality no10 considering the ones youve had to put up with since Lem.
13 Mar 2009, 18:17 pm
#16 BlackPanther: Aahh.. Lem…
I miss him, wonder what he’s up to right now?
13 Mar 2009, 18:29 pm
#17 Oxy moron:
He was an excellent player, tough too. Still think his natural game was more suited to no12 however.
Who do you think was the best no10 to wear the Green’n'Gold ? Nass Botha springs to mind, but cant remember him running the ball too many times.
13 Mar 2009, 18:46 pm
#15 filthy Luca: I genuinely don’t think Pienaar will ever make a great 10, he’s a top scrum half playing out of position. Wilkinson has steel Carter will never have, two World Cup finals is a testament to that, people’s memories are short though so I hope Wilko makes the Lions tour to remind everyone just what a great player he was.
#16 BlackPanther: its not true to say Wilkinson had no instinct with ball in hand, he constantly broke the line in 2000-03 but offloaded whereas Carter had the pace to finish himself. Also Wilkinson’s decision-making and defence were both better, and he knows how to drop a goal. Once Carter learns to make better decisions under pressure he will be in the same league as Wilko but I don’t think that will be any day soon.
13 Mar 2009, 18:47 pm
i was all excited bout jonny coming back now i hope he gets hammered by btuch james nxt Saturday
13 Mar 2009, 19:04 pm
#19 Big Hit:
Lions tour…..Wilko…….2005……….
Didnt see DC make too many bad decisions in those 3 Tests. Wilko was hopeless in 2 of them and dropped for the 3rd.
Given Engls obsession with winning matches by kicks, in this case DGs, because of limited options elsewhere, it is no wonder that this is your default-option in describing class.
DC was not on the field in Cardiff when the DG was required. The ABs were already on their 3rd no10 in that match by then.
But I forget, I dont think you saw that match did you. Chris Jack wasnt playing in everyone elses version.
F R A U D !
13 Mar 2009, 20:02 pm
#16 BlackPanther: He was called Lem (Blade) because he cut them off at the knees – HE was the first flyhalf with the killer tackle not Jonny. Anyway for me Jonny played too much of a predictable pattern, ok it was the game plan but still he was very limited in my opinion.
Yes we are desperate for a classy flyhalf to make us the complete product – I agree not much since Lem, Andre Pretorius showed promise but too fragile. Butch a bit of a thug but now starting to show some fine touches at Bath – still not top drawer though.
Mark my words when I say that when Pienaar is settled at 10 you guys are going to have your hands full and Dan-the-man will be passing over the crown… and Jonny will be mucking out the stables… sorry BH but he is not the real deal.
13 Mar 2009, 20:29 pm
#21 BlackPanther: Wilkinson played 12 in the first test and if you watch it again he tackled his heart out with NZ having possession for most of the game. In the second test he played 10 but was hurt in a tackle on Umaga and then Carter forearm smashed him out of the tour, not dropped, injured.
Carter did very well but you know that Lions side had little gametime together and had no captain and made the opposition look good.
And Carter did go off in that QF, Wilkinson wouldn’t have.
13 Mar 2009, 20:32 pm
#22 filthy Luca: I’m not sure any true rugby enthusiast would claim Wilkinson is not the real deal.
13 Mar 2009, 20:42 pm
#24 Big Hit: Sorry BH but I am a true rugby enthusiast. We are all entitled to our own opinion and in my honest opinion (no agenda here mate) Jonny does not have the fluidity required to spark a backline. He can kick the feck out of the ball and tackle and all that good stuff but I’m afraid I don’t see the glide. Jeremy Guscott had it – do you know what I’m talking about now?
13 Mar 2009, 20:56 pm
#25 filthy Luca: I hear what you’re saying, but I think there’s a difference between Wilkinson in 07-08 and the version who played in 2001-03.
The 07-08 version kicked a lot more and ran a lot less but the pack were also providing slow ball in 07-08 compared to the pack in 01-03 when Johnson was captain.
Hopefully he can remain injury free for the Lions tour, the NH flyhalves aren’t playing well apart from Jones so he has a decent chance of making it.
13 Mar 2009, 21:01 pm
BH is right Pienaar will never be a Honiball, nowhere close, maybe a slight resemblance to a shadow of Larkham but won’t ever be another Honiball.
Except Grant could have, the SA coaches have shown they got sh’t for brains, they been sitting on the closest opportunity to play a Honiball style FH since Lem himself and they been stuffing about with never never land possibilities.
They have stuffed this possibility up the shoot and it aint coming back, we have missed the bus, kiss 2011 WC goodbye
No FH. = no WC simple equation.
13 Mar 2009, 21:03 pm
Wilko is past tense BH remember the good times because it don’t roll in reverse gear, there’s no coming back to the JW of 2002-03, thats a pipe dream once too far removed I’m afraid to say.
13 Mar 2009, 21:10 pm
#27 yliad: Still time for Grant to establish himself before 2011. I’m not sure Pienaar will ever be a top class test 10, has the potential to be a good one but not a world beater I don’t think.
#28 yliad: You’re probably right on that one Yliad, but as a nation we can live in hope. Its like Argentina and Maradona
13 Mar 2009, 21:18 pm
#29 Big Hit:
In order for anybody to establish themselves they at least have to have a coach who believes in them like McQueen did in Larkham and Woodward did in Wilkinson,
without that much belief in a player by his coach no matter how much potential talent you might have if its going to be one week on and next week off, then there is no hope of ever finding the consistency and form that is required at international standard.
Grant has and had more than enough grit and go forward that the Boks needed, I know deep down without doubt he was the right choice to make, they didn’t, they stuffed it up playing Butch last year, they tried wonder boy Steyn, and now they throwing the boy who wanted to play scrummy into the lions den, if he doesn’t come off going to be a whole lot of egg on a whole lot of faces because then its back to the drawing board all over again.
The most obvious simple of deductive choices was to have played Grant from the beginning of 2008, there would have been no turning back, he would have settled into the role like a duck to water, and we would have had a sound stable midfield axis to work around long ago already, and whats more we would have won the 3N and been going from strength to strength, now we going round in circles, and it hasn’t even started really spinning yet.
13 Mar 2009, 21:19 pm
#27 yliad: I think PdV has done the right thing giving Pienaar the 10 jersey and thankfully Plum is cooperating because in my opinion he just needs the time to establish himself and then you will see the fruits. I’ve not seen Grant showing anything other than average to good promise – no magic and I think that’s the problem. If we go with Grant at this stage it will be “settling” for Grant, no chance of something special happening later. Pienaar shows all the promise and has all the skills, he is a thoroughbred and we will see in the next 12 months something out of the ordinary is going to spark in that Springbok backline. Have faith…
13 Mar 2009, 21:23 pm
#31 filthy Luca: Agree with you on Pienaar. Just give him more time in the flyhalf postion. Going to be a great there. Already showing signs of it.
Grant just not the same standard as Pienaar. Also heard he is headed for Perth to play for WF next year.
13 Mar 2009, 21:25 pm
#30 yliad: Still a lot of the S14 to go before the Lions tour, Grant might still secure the 10 shirt although Pienaar does look like the favourite. Its going to be a mighty test series, just like ’97.
13 Mar 2009, 21:30 pm
#31 filthy Luca:
No I say you got it wrong, did you watch the first half of the Sharks Stormers game in Cape Town, no question about who was the dominating fly half, even in the second when playing with a rookie at 10 Grant simply ploughed through Pienaar to score.
Grant is closest thing we have had to Honibal, mark my words, you all want flash and pizazz thats not what Grants about, he is solid and he’s got brains and his got guts, thats all you want, no flashman, you reckon Butch had class, answer is no, but he developed it.
Grant has 10 times the class and the savvy and the instinctive game read that Butch will ever have, but he’s been consigned to this stupid notion by most Naas Botha type protagonists that he’s just ordinary.
I know different, Grant was the right choice, but now you will never know, because they opted to develop a possible potential in Pienaar who lacks the mindset for it.
Grant had the correct mind and the correct attributes for the running attack style game we needed. Not a Carter, or a flash Gordon, but in my book a whole lot better, because he would have ensured the Bok backline would always go forward, and would always test the advantage line, and would never concede breaching it in a hurry either.
Not so with Pienaar, he is fallible in too many facets of his game, in spite of his natural swashbuckling style and panache, he will always blow hot and cold and let in too many crash ballers through his channel.
13 Mar 2009, 21:35 pm
Obviously the Sharks contingent will opt for Pienaar, even though he’s really a Cheetah at heart, and Grant is in fact a Natal product, it has little to do with petty provincial allegiances.
They did the wrong thing re Grant, they let slip what would have been the perfect opportunity to develop a winning midfield formula that would have long ago worked like a charm.
I like Pienaar make no mistake, I would play Pienaar a hundred times before I would play Butch, but ask Butch who should be the natural successor at 10, I bet you I know his answer would have been Peter Grant, because fly halves know instinctively who has the guts and the temperament for the job.
13 Mar 2009, 21:38 pm
with that I’m gone to go play some guitar. So long
13 Mar 2009, 21:41 pm
#34 yliad: I think the same about Pienaar, he acquitted himself well in the EOYT but the intensity of that Lions series is going to be through the roof and mistakes will be preyed upon. Perhaps he is ready, but I’m not so sure.
13 Mar 2009, 21:43 pm
#33 Big Hit: McGeechan is the key to the Lion’s prospects, what a rugby brain the man has – if only we could spread some of his knowledge around the game. For all the benefits professionalism has brought to the game i still think something like the Lions tour adds something unique to this sport. Enough sentimentality, I’m dying to see Bakkies tweaking Sheridan’s nose – hehe….
13 Mar 2009, 21:52 pm
grant will never lose you a game … he will never win you one either..
13 Mar 2009, 22:11 pm
#37 Big Hit: Pienaar is way better than that council estate excuse for a flyhalf that Wasps have got, which all and sundry believe is the next best thing for the England rugby team since benefits were increased
13 Mar 2009, 22:44 pm
#38 filthy Luca: watch out for Gatland too, he likes to take sides on physically and win collisions, he doesn’t have the personnel at Wales but he’ll help select a ferocious Lions pack.
#40 JL1: give him time, he was excellent last season, a shadow of it this season but he’ll hopefully improve.
13 Mar 2009, 23:44 pm
#23 Big Hit:
Youre full of it pal.
So, on the one hand, Wilko is excused any form or class considerations when he was injured and out of position
And yet DC is rubbished in a match where he started despite an injury (he was out for the previous 2 weeks with the calf injury) and also your previous attempt to blame him for not taking a DG that would have won the game – despite not featuring in the 2nd H.
This isnt Gavin Henson here, who mysteriously finds a hamstring strain every time the SH teams land on UK soil.
Youre full of complete BS.
#25 filthy Luca:
what you’ll find is that BH quite often patronises anyone with the audacity to question his opinion as fact. Repeated references to others ‘not being here (on Keo) for long’ as him, or not being a ‘true rugby fan’ (as if any of here us arent) – does he think he’s the school prefect or something ?
Besides, he has zero credibility when his anti-NZ stance includes calling great players like Umaga and Hayman as ‘rubbish’. You wouldnt find a Kiwi who called a Pom player of similar level – eg Lewsey or Winterbottom – as ‘rubbish’ because that is just BS and people would see right thru you. Theres a big difference between being ‘rubbish’ and ‘good’ let alone ‘great’ and ‘legend’ which he bandies about with liberty.
Wilko is certainly a ‘great’ partially because he won a RWC medal. But Johnno is a ‘legend’ whether he had won one or not. There are other ‘greats’ and ‘legends’ of the game that have not won RWC medals or Grand Slams or TriNations. 1 thing does not automatically lead to the other.
Its easy to see right thru BH. He is complete BS.
He’s the stranger with his pocket full of sweets handing them out to anyone stupid enough to take them. Beware.
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.