The 30-year-old international is reportedly close to confirming that he will remain on the Cote d’Azur for at least another season. “Talks are progressing well,” his agent Tim Buttimore told The Times.

“He is really enjoying life out there and we want to get it sorted sooner rather than later, a matter of weeks,” added Buttimore.

Top 14 Table  / Top 14 try-scorers / Top 14 Results / Top 14 Fixtures / Top 14 Transfers

Wilkinson signed a two-year deal when he joined from Newcastle Falcons in the summer, but he had an opt-out clause after a year which he could have exercised. But the formerly injury-prone World Cup winner has been a star performer for Toulon this season and appears contented in his new South of France surrounds.

“There is less pressure on him here and he looks happy,” confirmed Toulon boss Philippe Saint-André. “I have spoken with his agent and his dad and there are a few things to sort out, but I am confident he will stay,” added Saint-André.

One Toulon player who will not be staying next season is full-back Luke Rooney, who has announced that he’s quitting France in favour of a move across the Channel to boost his hopes of eventually representing England.

The former Penrith Panthers rugby league star will join Guinness Premiership outfit Worcester Warriors as a direct replacement for homeward-bound former Australia international Chris Latham.

Rooney – who has English parents - has previously represented Australia at rugby league, but has now set his sights on the Red Rose shirt.

“My long term goal is to represent England; that has been a major motivating factor in my move to the Warriors. I now look forward to making the move, getting out on the field and pulling on a Worcester jersey for the first time,” he said.

Rooney, 26, will remain with Toulon until the end of the season as he sees out his two-year contract. He scored five tries in 16 league matches for the club last season, and has followed up with two in 12 games for Toulon in all competitions this campaign

Worcester’s director of rugby Mike Ruddock described Rooney as “an incredibly talented player” and was clearly delighted to have landed a readymade replacement for Latham.

“Luke is a big, strong full-back with a massive left boot. He has a lot of top class rugby league international experience under his belt, having previously played rugby league for Australia and for New South Wales in the State of Origin tournament. He comes to us with an ambition to play rugby union for England, through his English parents, and I’m sure it won’t be long before Martin Johnson will look at him,” added Ruddock.

Rooney remains a popular member of Toulon’s cosmopolitan squad and said he had “really enjoyed” his stint there “both on and off the field”.

Former Australian international Lote Tuqiri has reignited rumours he’s heading to France at the end of the season. The sacked Wallaby has re-started his career with a short-term contract at Leicester Tigers, but has now said a cross-Channel move to Top 14 remains a summer possibility.

The 30-year-old was previously in discussions with Bayonne, but the Basques eventually broke off negotiations when they claimed Tuqiri had upped his demands. The player himself claimed something had been lost in translation, and has now issued a come-and-get-me plea to all interested parties.

The former rugby league star said Britain’s colder climate wasn’t to his liking. “That’s the other thing which might tempt to go that way – it’s probably a bit warmer down there. More so Toulon,” he told The Guardian.

Whether Tuqiri makes it to France or not remains to be seen – and probably depends on his wage demands – and there is also uncertainty over the future of Stade Francais’ Mark Gasnier, yet another former Australian rugby league international.

The ex-St George Illawarra captain is coming towards the end of his two-year contract with the Paris giants, and could yet be tempted back to Australia, possibly with the new Melbourne Super franchise.

Gasnier, who is currently leading the Top 14 try-scoring charts, will definitely be back in Australia at the end of this month – but to get married to French fiancée Claudine Bonnechere.

The Stade Francais back is reportedly happy in Paris, but clearly has a decision to make regarding his future with the offer of a rugby union international cap with either Australia or France still a possibility.

The 28-year-old is highly regarded by both countries, but Gasnier’s manager George Mimis said he would not finalise his future plans until March.

Meanwhile, former Stade Francais favourite Juan Martin Hernández definitely looks set for a return to Top 14, but probably with Racing-Métro 92.

The Argentine playmaker joined South Africa’s Natal Sharks in the summer after leaving Stade Francais against his will – reportedly due to the club’s needs to balance its books. He recently admitted that he still loved the city of Paris and hankered for a return, although this time with Stade’s rivals Racing-Metro 92. The move makes sense on several levels, not least because it would allow Racing’s president Jacky Lorenzetti to put one over on Max Guazzini. It should also allow Hernandez another shot or two at the Heineken Cup – a competition with which he said he still had “unfinished business”.

The finer points on that rumoured transfer can now be ironed out following news that Hernandez’s season in South Africa has come to a premature end due to a back injury that requires surgery.

The Pumas star, who can play either fly-half or full-back, clearly made a good impression during his abbreviated stay with the Sharks, with head coach John Plumtree describing him as “a consummate professional who was well liked by his team-mates”.

His capture by ‘Les Franciliens’ would follow previous big-name signings last summer such as Lionel Nallet, Sebastien Chabal and Francois Steyn – who joined from the Sharks.

Racing have exceeded expectations in Top 14 so far and go into Saturday’s match at Perpignan lying fourth in the league and on target for a play-off berth and Heineken Cup qualification.

In other news, Perpignan prop Jerome Schuster will appear before an ERC disciplinary hearing at Heathrow on January 13^th – the same day as Stade Francais duo Julien Dupuy and David Attoub.

Schuster is accused of head-butting Munster’s Denis Leamy during the Heineken Cup clash with Perpignan on December 20^th. He faces between a four and 12 week if found guilty.

On the domestic front, meanwhile, Montpellier’s Mamuka Gorgodze and Danie Thiart are both up before the LNR’s disciplinary panel following incidents in the club’s recent 25-23 victory over Stade Francais. Albi’s Sebastien Pages has also been called to appear on the same day (Jan 20^th) after his red card against Castres.

There was better news for Perpignan, however, following confirmation that hooker Guilhem Guirado, 23, has become their latest player to sign a contract extension. The France international has now committed until 2012, following Farid Sid’s extension until 2013 earlier in the week.

The champions have also been given their date for the postponed game against Bayonne on November 8^th. Perpignan had to withdraw from that match at the last minute due to the H1N1 virus, and will now have to take on Bayonne on February 5^th. That means they will be without their French internationals due to the Six Nations opener between Scotland and ‘Les Bleus’ just two days later.

On the injury front Toulon scrum-half Pierre Mignoni is likely to miss the club’s AMC showdown with Guinness Premiership leaders Saracens after straining his hamstring against former club Clermont Auvergne. Toulon said he is expected to be out for up to three weeks.

Stade Toulousain flanker Yves Donguy says his recovery from a ruptured patellar tendon in his right knee is ahead of schedule. The 26-year-old France international sustained the injury on October 17 against Harlequins in the Heineken Cup, but believes he could now be back in action by the middle of March.