French Top 14 rugby side Toulon (RCT) President Mourad Boudjellal on Tuesday wrote to English Premiership league officials requesting “his club be integrated into the competition,” according to Arnaud Requenna of L’ÉQUIPE. Boudjellal claimed that “this is not a provocation.” However, he has fought the Top 14 “almost every day,” accusing the league of “digging into [his] private affairs,” and has threatened to leave the Top 14 “a number of times.” Boudjellal said, “I expect them to accept me or send me walking. I wrote this in a request for contact. If it is not possible for next season, maybe the next year. For them (the English), besides a big first, it would be a huge added value. And I am very serious in my approach. Monaco plays in the French championship in Ligue 1 and no one finds that unseemly.” Boudjellal said that he has “thought about this decision for some time.” He said, “The economic future of rugby is in England rather than France. Look at how the two leagues are run. The English make good decisions.” Nothing in the rules of the Rugby Federation Union seem to “go against the integration of a club outside English borders, or one unaffiliated with the RFU.” If Toulon were to be accepted it would “undoubtedly have consequences for the club’s youth teams.” In the face of this Boudjellal reiterated his seriousness, saying, “If I could be the first French club to be champion of England, you think I wouldn’t do it?” When asked what he would do if his request is never granted, Boudjellal said, “I could also, via contacts, acquire an English team, keep RCT, try to win the championship and develop my savings in England” (L’ÉQUIPE, 1/21). In London, Gavin Mairs reported Toulon, which is "in pursuit of a record fourth successive European title this season," has the "most expensively-assembled squad in the world club game." Toulon's "audacious bid appears to have little hope of success but could be one of the first public declarations about the aspiration held by some at the top end of the cub game for the creation of a European super league." A Premiership rugby spokesperson said, "We received the letter. It is too early to give a formal response but we will give it due consideration and we will respond" (TELEGRAPH, 1/21). In London, John Westerby wrote Boudjellal wants to join the English league "because of disputes with Top 14 administrators over changes to the French league’s salary cap and bonus payments system." The Premiership has "more stringent" spending restrictions" and the reaction from Premiership clubs was "distinctly lukewarm." One CEO said, "They’d have to field a sevens team if they were going to get under our salary cap" (LONDON TIMES, 1/22).
