Toulon
Springbok wing Bryan Habana will be sidelined for around three weeks after suffering a thigh strain in Toulon’s 14-9 European Cup win at Exeter on Saturday.
The New Zealand Rugby Union, via the All Blacks coaches, high performance unit and player’s association, look to have given the green light for the Chiefs to head to France in February to play Toulon.
The fixture, now looking increasingly likely to go ahead, will see for the first time the Super Rugby winners play the European Cup champions.
World Cup-winning Springbok Danie Rossouw may be forced to retire as a result of the onset of arthritis.
James O’Connor has been seen at Toulon in a meeting with Toulon owner Mourad Boudjellal.
O’Connor who made his debut appearance for London Irish over the past weekend is already linked with a move to Toulon.
Former England flyhalf Jonny Wilkinson has married his long-term live-in girlfriend Shelley Jenkins in a private ceremony in the southern French resort of Bandol on Monday, the local mayor reported.
Whilst it is already old news that Craig Burden was planning a move to French giants, Toulon, it has now been confirmed that he has been signed by European champions Toulon as cover for the injured Sebastien Bruno.
The 28-year-old uncapped Springbok, who has played at the Sharks since 2006, could make his debut in the European Cup next weekend.
Today is the third and final day of matches in the first round of the pool stage of the Heineken Cup. In what is arguably the pick of the day’s matches Glasgow Warriors travel to France to take on Toulon. These teams currently top the RabboDirect PRO12 and French Top 14 respectively. The game is due to kick off at 16.00 South African Time.
The first round of Heineken Cup 2013/14 matches kick off this weekend in what may be the very last tournament with the European premier club rugby competition going through a much publicised meltdown.
Kockott has not signed with Toulon for next season and remains loyal to Castres for now.
Rory Kockott seems to be the latest South African to sign with French club Toulon.
Kockott who currently plays for Castres is likely to join Toulon next season in a 3 year deal.
Ali Williams says he enjoyed being on the same side as South African Bakkies Botha for a change, having locked horns with the giant former Springbok on numerous occasions for club and country.
Ruan Pienaar seems to be the latest interest for French side Toulon.
According to reports from France it seems that Toulon is chasing Pienaar’s signiture.
Another South African is set to ply his trade at French Top 14 club Toulon, with Sharks hooker Craig Burden reportedly set to leave Durban.
Rugby World Cup winning South African forward Juan Smith has signed a one year deal with Top 14 Rugby club Toulon.
There was much annoyance among Springbok fans when it was announced not long before South Africa’s test match against Argentina in the Rugby Championship that the release of Bryan Habana was required by his new club Toulon. This increased even more when it came to light that five of the players in the current Springbok Squad for the Rugby Championship were being ‘released’ to go back to their clubs in France while the rest of the players would return for a break to South Africa.
The much-talked about showdown between the champion teams from the Northern and Southern Hemispheres seems to be back on the table.
Reports from France seems to suggest plans are afoot to arrange a match between European Cup champions Toulon and Super Rugby champions the Chiefs.
Bok flank Juan Smith quietly left South Africa via Oliver Tambo Airport yesterday with his agent Stephan Weyers, to attend medical and fitness assessments with French side Toulon.
Two of the Stormers regular wings of the last few seasons have confirmed their moves to go play overseas. They are Bryan Habana, who will move to Toulon and Gerhard van den Heever (Shadow), who will be playing for Munster.
The draw for the pools for the group stage of the 2013/14 Heineken Cup took place on Wednesday. Reigning champions Toulon will be in Pool Two along with RaboDirect Pro12 semifinalists Glasgow Warriors, as well as Cardiff Blues and Exeter.
English champions Leicester are in Pool Five with Ulster and Montpellier.
English flyhalf Jonny Wilkinson will seek to add a continental crown to his honours when his Toulon take on French rivals Clermont in the European Cup final on Saturday.
The match at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium might be between two French Top 14 clubs, but on paper it is a truly international clash, with top players from across the globe ready to battle it out for the ultimate honour in northern hemisphere club rugby.
Saracens and Toulon will both have uncharted territory in their sights when they clash in today’s semi-final showdown at Twickenham Stadium – a debut place in a prestigious Heineken Cup final.
Favourites Clermont qualified for their first ever European Cup Final after ousting twice former winners Munster 16-10 in a bruising semifinal at Montpellier on Saturday.
When Toulon’s superstars roll into town for this weekend’s Heineken Cup semi-final they will find in their way a Saracens side who are the only English club left in the last four of Europe’s elite club competition.
Toulon second-row Bakkies Botha will face no further sanction after being cited for a shoulder charge last month.
Harlequins, Clermont Auvergne, Ulster and Toulon have all qualified for the quarterfinals of the European Cup, but who will join them in the last eight?
Unbeaten English champions Harlequins are the only ones so far guaranteed home advantage in the quarterfinals, so with plenty to play for in Round Six here is the state of the Pools going into the final weekend of group games.
A Welsh rugby star has had to pull out of an important match in France after his puppy chewed up his passport. Jason Tovey, 23, was all packed and ready to go to the airport to fly to Toulon to play for Cardiff Blues when he found his ruined passport. He said he was dreading telling his coach that he could not play in the Heineken Cup game on Saturday.
Undefeated Harlequins and Clermont can book European Cup quarterfinals this weekend with Toulon also close to securing their spot in the last eight. English champions Harlequins, bidding to make the knock-out stages for just the fifth time, already have 19 points from four Pool Three wins and on Saturday tackle Connacht where just a losing bonus point will be enough to see them through.
It has officially been confirmed that Bryan Habana penned the deal with the French side in the last few days.
The world’s best player, All Black flyhalf Dan Carter, is the latest target of the cash-flush French clubs.
Toulon lock Bakkies Botha will be sidelined for up to two months as the Springbok international undergoes surgery on a fractured eye socket.
A bit late sorry but we take a look at an interesting weekend’s action in the Heineken Cup. This weekend saw some very close games as well as a few run away wins and perhaps most significantly saw Ulster lose their first competitive match of the season in one of the weekend’s close affairs.
South Africa’s Player of the Year, record-breaking Springbok wing Bryan Habana, is yet again in the sights of Toulon’s eccentric boss Mourad Boudjellal.
This weekend was a busy one for the Heineken Cup as twelve matches were played in the third round of the competion. The weekend started on Friday night with a comprehensive win for Ulster over Northampton and a win by Connacht against Biarritz. Following Munster’s win over Saracens on Saturday it looked as if there may be a clean sweep of wins for the teams from Ireland and Northern Ireland.
However, Leinster stumbled to a narrow loss in their game against Clermont Auvergne on Sunday. This ended Leinster’s amazing 17 game unbeaten run in the Heineken Cup.
Matt Giteau opted to sign a new contract with Toulon because he realised with Robbie Deans as national coach he had no chance of a Wallabies recall.
Flanker Steffon Armitage’s form justifies a place in head coach Stuart Lancaster’s England squad, according to Toulon team-mate Jonny Wilkinson.